Our holiday home is a 150 year old restored farmhouse with spacious rooms in beautiful countryside on the Charente/Dordogne border. The house is within easy reach of the Bordeaux, Bergerac and Cognac vineyards, near a river beach and swimming lake, and less than a mile from a village with restaurants, cafés, bars and shops.
The house has been carefully restored to provide modern facilities (including new bathrooms and wiring) while retaining its original character.
On the ground floor, a large entrance hall leads to a French country kitchen, equipped with gas stove, fridge/freezer and microwave as well as a traditional buffet and a table that seats six adults. Shuttered glass double doors lead from the kitchen to the garden for dining outside, two of the outdoor tables seat six and a smaller table seats up to four people.
Off the kitchen, the living room contains a large sofa that seats three adults, two armchairs, and television with access to terrestrial channels as well as UK & international satellite TV channels and a multisystem DVD player. There is also a WC on the ground floor and a utility room with a washing machine, iron & ironing board.
Upstairs, the master double bedroom suite contains a king-sized bed, a walk-in closet and an en-suite bathroom with a bath, separate shower, washbasin and separate toilet. On the same floor, the second bedroom has a four poster bed, a sofa that can convert to a single bed for a child, and an en-suite bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet. Another set of stairs leads to the (full-height) converted attic where there are two other bedrooms, both containing double beds and the third bathroom. The third bathroom contains a new shower, washbasin and toilet. A cot and an extra fold-out single bed can be made available if required.
The gardens, with views of the village and surrounding countryside, extend nearly an acre on two sides of the property. They include flower beds and fruit trees (guests can help themselves to the cherries, plums, figs, apples & hazlenuts according to the season) and a large area laid to lawn. Garden furniture and a gas BBQ are provided for eating and lounging around outside. Attached to the back of the property is a barn, and the only neighbours are a French family who own the barn and a house at the far side of the barn.
