Country house, sleeps 4, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Contact the owner
Contact the owner directly
Neil & Jennifer Solomons
(Advertising since February 2018)
Tel: + 60 (0) 12 551 8642
Website: visit owners website.
Please mention French Connections.
This, is what it's all about ... (1 / 24)
Let's cook! (2 / 24)
Bon appetit ...... (3 / 24)
From the gallery ... (4 / 24)
From every aspect - a beautiful, countryside view ... (5 / 24)
A place to read .... (6 / 24)
From the kitchen ... (7 / 24)
The twin beds ... (8 / 24)
The Master Bedroom (9 / 24)
The Master Bathroom ... (10 / 24)
Grande from the Pool Barn (11 / 24)
From the kitchen looking up the drive (12 / 24)
Peace, shade and tranquility ,,,, (13 / 24)
The East Terrace, perfect for breakfast ... (14 / 24)
Peeping into the Pool Barn (15 / 24)
A perfect spot to read .... (16 / 24)
The West Terrace - lunch or supper this has an extraordinary view (17 / 24)
A certain elegance .... (18 / 24)
Stunning views from all around the Pool Barn (19 / 24)
The Pool Barn (20 / 24)
Time for a swim? (21 / 24)
Space to wander .... (22 / 24)
Early morning sun .... (23 / 24)
On arrival ... (24 / 24)
Please note - should you rent Saltre Grande only then Petite will remain empty during your stay. We only offer shared holidays at Saltre if our guests request it.
From the long gravel drive one enters the house through the wooden double doors to a large, tiled entrance hall. From here to your left is a wide, shallow-stepped, wooded staircase which takes you to -
- The Sitting Room has two large sofas with a large coffee table between and numerous chairs. The ceilings are over double height here and the exposed roof beams provide an impressive view. There are three sets of tall double doors (glazed) to the outside terraces and wonderful views from each. The feature staircase to the Master Bedroom is to one side. There is a TV/DVD player (for DVD watching only) together with a music system.
- The Kitchen is open to the sitting room from two extremely high arched openings – the large fireplace sits in between these arches so is open on both sides. On the kitchen side the fireplace is on the ground floor but on the sitting room side it becomes a raised fire – due to the differing levels of the house. The Kitchen is simply but effectively furnished with a large stainless steel range combining a gas hob with an electric oven, a micro-wave, a super-silent dishwasher and a Nespresso coffee machine (please note: we do not supply the coffee capsules, you will need to bring these with you) and a large white butler’s sink. The tall cupboards house all the necessary china/glasses and so forth whilst drawers hold pots and pans – there’s even a specially made baguette drawer …… only the French.
- From the kitchen there are two sets of double doors on each side of the house which provide access to two terraces, both of which are large enough to take meals. One is covered (west facing for sunset views) so can be used even if there a rain shower or hot sun and offers an impressive view over the valley. We tend to use this one for supper. The original beams, saved from the old farmhouse are used here a supports – you can’t miss them due to their interesting shape! The other terrace (south-east facing: perhaps for a relaxed breakfast?) has a more intimate view from the front of the house over the original stone well (safely covered!) and the 300 year old olive tree with the private grounds stretching beyond. Both terraces have furniture provided. There are wonderful old trees offering shade to both terraces.
- The Dining area is integral to the kitchen and is lit from high up on the open beams by a large chandelier. The large fruitwood table (seats 8 comfortably) was bought at auction in London but rather satisfyingly originated from France . When suitably lit for supper, the room is super-inviting and with the terrace doors wide open, provides a beautiful setting for even the simplest of meals.
- The American style fridge-freezer is housed conveniently in the utility room next door which also provides deli-style shelves for all your groceries etc. Here you will also find a washing machine, tumble dryer and ample space should you want to store suitcases etc., out of bedrooms. There is also a drying rack for clothes and a separate double sink.
- From the Entrance Hall there is access to Bedroom Two which is situated at one end of the house. As a result it has three gorgeous views – one of which is through a double glazed door which gives easy, private access to the garden and Pool Barn. There are two generous single beds, a sofa-bed (for children) and a large wardrobe with both hanging space and drawers. The doors for this wardrobe were imported from India . The room is light and airy with low level windows and deep window sills. There is a floor-standing fan.
- Also from the Hall is a door to the large Shower Room/downstairs loo. This is situated right next door to Bedroom Two. There is an extremely large ‘rain’ style walk-in shower together with a feature wash hand basin and of course a loo. There is a large double window with a view over the valley.
- The Master Bedroom is situated above the Sitting Room and takes full advantage of the feature roof beams. The room is double-aspect. There is a king-sized bed, a large Thai day-bed, and a double window with a view over the valley. There is a wooden floor and there are two large glazed doors which take you to the balcony which affords a view over the Pool Barn and to the front of the house. There is a floor-standing fan. Dark louvered double doors lead you into the Dressing/Bath room:
- The Dressing room/Bathroom off the Master Bedroom had its own special planning committee during the build! A feature bath is set onto a cantilevered platform with wrap around windows providing an impressive view of the distant village of Monflanquin . The large walk-in ‘rain’ style shower is opposite the bath so enjoys a similar view. There are two wash hand basins set on Lombok style dark wood dressers and a loo with a bidet. There are two wardrobes fitted with pretty, painted doors imported from Thailand with shelving to the side. This floor is also wood.
- The Second Bedroom is on the ground floor and has beautiful views from the triple aspect windows. There is a double door to the gardens. This room has two single beds and it also has a double SOFA BED which can be used for children should you wish. There is a large, pretty wardrobe and the very large shower room is situated right next door.
Please Note - Saltre Petite is available to rent in conjunction with Grande. This will then provide accommodation for 8 guests - 4 in each property. This is an idea arrangement for two families holidaying together or those groups where teenagers/parent with small children wish to have some privacy. It has worked very well for us and certainly when there are small children around it keeps the peace! Petite is also suitable for wheelchair users and those with walking difficulties as it is all on one level, together with wide doors. If your group is just 4 guests then rest assured, Petite will remain empty.
The Pool
Perhaps one of the most stunning features of Saltre! This was one of our first projects and one we are extremely proud. The pool is fully enclosed in an old stone barn with the roof removed and the walls lowered. As a result it can be completely and securely locked when not in use. The pool is a salt-water one - don’t worry, it doesn’t taste of salt but the salt system means there’s no unpleasant chlorine taste. We decided that a bright blue pool was a little hard on the eye so we chose black - this has gradually faded to a stunning violet colour over the years and happily we love it even more. It looks very impressive, particularly against the stone of the barn walls. The pool area enjoys full sun but there are shaded areas.
The barn area can be lit for night time swimming and so can the pool. It measures 12 x 6 metres and has steps to one side. Please note, the pool is one level only - 1.5m. There is no ‘shallow’ end. We have put in an outside shower by the pool – no hot water however, so we’ve only used it on hot days. There is a large wooden table and chairs with a huge umbrella which makes for a fantastic lunching/dinner area. There are also sunbeds and deckchairs. In this same area there is a changing room (with loo etc) and also a fridge/freezer to keep those chilled drinks close by! Our pool is not heated however, there is a summer cover available which if used, certainly means a decreased heat-loss overnight.
The views from the pool area are quite stunning – farmlands and distant hills provide an amazing backdrop with the village of Monflanquin rising up on the horizon. Those of you who can make early morning (!) must check out the view of the village at dawn – the early morning mist ‘pools’ in the valley and Monflanquin seems to rise up, it’s quite spectacular…
With such a beautiful property it’s very tempting to spend the days lazing by the pool, lunching al fresco then devouring a barbeque in the evening, but don’t neglect the local area. There are so many opportunities for great days out.
During these difficult days of Covid 19 Saltre is the most perfect place to escape the crowds. The area is calm and tranquil and has yet to be discovered by mass tourism. If it's time to be away from all the madness (but still have big views across the beautiful countryside) and you'd like to relax with only family and friends around you, Saltre is the ideal getaway.
Monflanquin (8 kms) is the nearest large village (Savignac is simply a hamlet) for a variety of family-owned/run restaurants offering many local specialities (the duck is divine!), elegant, complex dishes, menu compris (great value) and good quality pizzas/pasta dishes. There is a local wine co-operative just outside the village where various wines are available (no Grand Crus however!) made from local grapes including a delicious, light rose, fruity reds and, our favourite, a dry white. A couple of these wines have recently been awarded gold stars in Paris which has delighted the producers and makes their very reasonable prices seem even more so. The 12 Century village square of Monflanquin provides a home for the weekly outdoor market where vats of olives sit side by side wheels of cheese, buckets of flowers parade next to pots of locally produced honey. There are also a couple of bars, speciality shops, a large and well-stocked supermarket, tourist info and banks together with a small grocery store and a florists The village is a wonderful place to spend the famous Quatorze Juilllet (July 14th - Bastille Day) as the bunting decks out the village and everyone celebrates with open-air eating, dancing and fireworks. The Medieval Fair appears each August as the village turns back the clock and celebrates its impressive history.
Villeneuve-sur-Lot (11 kms) is a much larger town with many more restaurants, a cinema, twice-weekly market, and multiple shops.
For children/young adults there is a Parc au Ciel (park in the sky) which offers canopy walking, tree-swinging together with picnicking. The two nearest rivers, the Lot and the Dordogne are a short drive away and offer canoe hire, boating, swimming and again beautiful picnic areas. There is an excellent, very professional go-kart track within a 30 minute drive which is hugely popular with all the boys in our family. Prices are reasonable and the karts are impressive.
This area is choc-a-bloc with pretty villages and town which are all well worth exploring. Many hold bric a brac sales during the summer period and of course the famous marche-nocturnes (night food markets) are very popular. We always visit the one in Villereal as it offers such a pretty setting with delicious, home-produced dishes together with plenty of wine available and even music for dancing.
Our favourite restaurants in the area include La Jardin and Le Prince Noir in Monflanquin together with La Grappe and La Bastide Creperie in same pretty square. Further down the hill try La Bastide des Oliviers and further afield, Le Moulin de Dausse in the village of Dausse offers stunning, original and exciting food for a very reasonable price and to dine in their garden is so memorable. For fabulous value try the restaurant at Le Lassou - 4 courses (on Sunday's it's 5!) of delicious, home-cooked food under 14 euros per person (inc free flow wine). It's a husband and wife team and it really is an experience - suggest nothing planned for after lunch, just sit and relax!. Further suggestions will be found in our Visitor's Info book in the house.
Local amenities
Nearest bakery: Monflanquin
Nearest supermarket: Monflanquin
Nearest market: Monflanquin
Nearest pharmacy: Monflanquin
Nearest bar: Monflanquin
Tourist information: Monflanquin
Savignac Sur Leyze on the map
Property 169548 –
Nearby place of interest
How to get to Saltre Grande
- Flying: We are very well served by 3 International Airports. Bergerac is just 30 mins drive away - and what a beautiful drive. Flybe and Ryanair are the current UK based operators bringing in daily flights there. Saltre is 1.40 mins from both Bordeaux and Toulouse airports. BA have daily flight to both cities as do Easyjet. A full range of car hire companies cover all 3 airports.
- Driving: Should you choose to drive to Saltre, we are approx 10 hrs drive from Calais. We normally use the peage (toll rd) and at the time of writing the cost is approx 60 euros to use these superb roads which offer plenty of pretty rest areas and good-value, delicious food stops. If you'd prefer to use the smaller (often prettier) roads these are of course, free of charge. There are plenty of opportunities for night-stops en route should you prefer not to drive to the cottage in one go. If you are arriving by car please contact us for a small map/directions. A very relaxing way to get to Saltre is to use the Portsmouth/St Malo crossing. This involves an overnight ferry (comfortable berths available) from Portsmouth docking into St Malo at 7 am and then a 6 hour drive. This has been one of our preferred ways of getting to Saltre. The drive is beautiful and takes you through some of the most stunning countryside with virtually no exposure to industrial towns etc.
- Train Station: Both Bordeaux and Toulouse have large train stations if you prefer to use a train to the area - this would connect via Paris. From either station you would then need to connect to Agen which is a 45 min drive to the cottage. However, please note that Saltre is very much in the countryside and therefore a car is essential.
Access options
Car Essential
Nearest airport
The nearest serviceable airport is Bergerac [EGC]
Stayed here? Add your review >
We stayed for two weeks in Saltré Grande, an imaginative and very striking barn conversion. It is well-equipped, comfortable, and the swimming pool is certainly the best we have encountered in many years of renting gites, villas and houses in France and Spain. The house is splendidly isolated with huge views all round and lots of wildlife. We regularly saw hoopoes, woodpeckers, redstarts, nuthatches and tree creepers. A family of hares appeared most mornings and evenings as did deer and a red squirrel. Saltré was formerly a plum farm and its extensive grounds still have plenty of evidence of that with many fruit trees and vines. Monflanquin, a pleasant bastide town, is reasonably close and has good bakers, restaurants, and a Casino supermarket.Guest rating:
We have just spent two magical weeks at Saltré Grande. Jennifer helped make our vacation one of the absolute best we have ever had. Her care and attention to detail ensured our experience in this gorgeous part of France was exceptional. Her renovation of an old barn into a spectacular home with massively high ceilings and stunning views is truely ‘Grande’ while still maintaining a tranquil, relaxed feel. Many thanks Jennifer!Guest rating:
We had the most wonderful two week stay at Saltre Grande - the perfect location and facilities for a family of four with two young children. It is an amazing luxury house with an incredible pool and lovely grounds, offering everything we needed in a beautiful country setting surrounded by abundant nature and wildlife. We enjoyed visiting various local villages and the day / night markets and relaxing by the pool by day and then watching the incredible sunset by night - it has now become known to us as 'Gite Paradise'. Thank you Jennifer for all your excellent communication. We really do hope to return one day.Guest rating:
We enjoyed a lovely week in Saltre - our third time! It is an extraordinarily comfortable house in which to relax in and to explore the beautiful Lot region. The pool just has to be seen to be believed and the house is very well equipped and set upon a hill with stunning views! The land around the house provided a great exploring opportunity for our kids and they adored spotting all the wildlife.
I cannot recommend Saltre highly enough - the owners are incredibly helpful and friendly and we simply LOVE Saltre! We hope to return one day!
Guest rating:
We stayed in the cottage in 2011 and stayed in the main house in 2013. We loved the cottage and the pool and enjoyed a great holiday in 2011. Two years later we were back to stay in the main house which was the most comfortable rental property we have ever stayed in!
The description of both the location and facilities were accurate and both properties were very well maintained and clean.
The owner was so helpful and we were made to feel very welcome which was a lovely added dimension to the holiday.
I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending the properties. Our holiday in 2013 staying in the main house has gone down in our history of holidays as the most relaxing and unwinding holiday ever! Our two kids aged 7 and 10 had a fabulous time by the gorgeous pool, rambling through the extensive grounds and canopy walking at Pac au Ciel. We ate out in restaurants recommended by the owner and mooched and wandered through the beautiful local towns.
We absolutely adore Saltre and we really hope to return one year!
Guest rating:
| Property type | Country house (Self-catering) |
| Bathrooms | 2 |
| Bedrooms |
1 double bedroom(s) 1 twin bedroom(s) 1 additional bed(s) 1 cot(s) |
| Occupancy | 4 |
| Suitability | Suitable for children, Unsuitable for wheelchair access, Non-smoking |
| Linen | Bed linen, bath towels and tea towels supplied. Please note - pool towels are not but can be arranged at an additional charge, please contact Jennifer for details. |
| Kitchen facilities | Dishwasher, Ironing facilities, Microwave, Tumble dryer, Washing machine, Gas hob, Electric oven, Fridge-Freezer, Range cooker |
| Internal facilities | CD player, Central heating (electric), DVD player, Exclusive rental, Owner not on site, TV, VCR, Wood burning fire or stove, Fans in rooms, Hairdryer, Board Games, Wi-Fi Broadband Internet |
| External facilities | Garden, Scenic views, Swimming pool (exclusive use), Barbecue |
| Activities nearby | Adventure park, Boating, Canoeing, Golf, Hiking, Horse riding, Shopping, Sightseeing, Tree adventure park, Walking, Water sports, Wine tasting, Wine touring |
Changeover day: Saturday
Last updated on: 29th June 2020
| Available | Booked/Unavailable |
|---|
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No tariffs were found for this property. Please enquire with the owner for rental rates for this property
Additional price notes
- A 25% deposit is required at time of booking with the balance due 8 weeks before arrival.
- A Security Deposit of £300.00 is also due 8 weeks before arrival (to cover any accidental damage) and is fully refundable as appropriate after your departure. Should the booking be for both properties the Security Deposit will be increased to £450. You will be asked to sign a Terms & Conditions page during the booking process.
- Changeover Day: Saturday - departure before 10 am and arrival after 5 pm during June, July and August to allow for necessary cleaning. Other months changeover day may be flexible, please ask.
- Notes on prices: Prices are for the property per week in UK pounds. Saltre Petite is only available as 'add-on' accommodation to Saltre Grande. We do not offer 'shared' holidays at the house (unless you request it) therefore the 16 acres of grounds and the swimming pool are completely private and for your sole use. Should you take Saltre Grande ONLY Petite will remain empty. Saltre Grande (sleeps 4) is available for rental from May until October - any rental prices outside of this period are for Saltre Petite only as that property is available for rental all year round.
- Although Saltre Grande is not available for winter escapes, Saltre Petite is. Please contact Jennifer for details.