Holiday House and Gite in Migron, Nr. Cognac, Charente Maritime, France
Gorgeous Historic House and Gite with Pool
18th Century Maison Bourg between Saintes and Cognac
4 Bedroom House and 2 Bedroom Gite
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Thouvenin is situated in the peaceful, ancient village of Migron, the heart of the Cognac/Pineau producing area, surrounded by acres of vineyards and sunflowers. Excellently furnished and equipped throughout, with large, airy living rooms which stay cool even on hottest of days. The house gets its name from when it was Hotel Thouvenin, in the days when the railway used to come to Migron. Before that, it was a typical Charentaise farmhouse dating back to the 18th century. L'Ecurie is a charming, beautifully refurbished two/three bedroom gite situated in the old stables of the house with a separate entrance. Recently renovated with great care, L'Ecurie enjoys a beautiful, planted terrace leading directly onto the pool - perfect for breakfast in the sunshine - as well as an orchard for guests' exclusive use. Both are close to the beautiful historic towns of Cognac, Saintes and St Jean D'Angely, and just 40 from from the beautiful sandy beaches of Royan and an hour to Bordeaux.
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| Rental periods | Thouvenin | L'Ecurie |
| April | From £400 | From £200 |
| May / June | £400 - £800 | £200 - £350 |
| July / August | £800 - £1400 | £500 - £725 |
| September / October | From £400 | From £200 |
| Other times | From £400 | Enquire |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the properties per week in UK Pounds. Discounts available on longer lets. Both properties can be booked together, sleeping 12+, with a discount. Ideal for 2 families sharing. Now booking 2009 at 2008 prices for limited period.
Changeover day
Changeover day is Saturday in season. Other days may be possible out of season. Arrival time from 4pm and departure time by 10am.
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L'Ecurie
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L’Ecurie has been recently renovated, and retains much of its original character, with solid oak beams, exposed stonework and plenty of rural architectural features. The private driveway and entrance are alongside the fruit garden of the main house (help yourself to whatever's in season). The kitchen/living/dining area is open plan, and double doors lead directly onto a private terrace and the beautifully landscaped pool area beyond. Upstairs are 2 loft bedrooms, one with a double bed, one with twin beds and both with fitted cupboards and shelves. A French day bed, situated in a mezzanine level upstairs, can also be converted into a night bed to accommodate a fifth and sixth person if required. Facilities at L'Ecurie include satellite TV (including BBC); French terrestrial TV, DVD player, stereo CD mini hi-fi, full-sized dishwasher and washing machine. |
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Notes on accommodation
Price includes bedlinen, bath and hand towels. Highchair, cot and babybath available at no extra charge. Safety gates on internal stairs. The pool is fully fenced to the latest safety specification with a childproof gate. It is heated by solar power and fully maintained. The properties are connected via a hidden door and can be booked as one, comfortably sleeping 12. Thouvenin has both open fires and central heating, with a plentiful supply of logs (no charge). Wireless broadband internet connection available at no cost.
Outside
The large garden has lawned, gravelled and private terraced areas - one for each property. Both have plenty of seating. Thouvenin's covered terrace has a dining table, bar area, table tennis and a stone-built BBQ with chimney. A new boules area was installed in 2008. It has an additional outside, covered mezzanine with further tables, chairs and a swinging seat. L'Ecurie's terrace has tables, chairs and a BBQ and is planted with olive bushes and lavender. Separately it has a private orchard with cherries, peaches and almond trees... please help yourself. The 9 x 4m pool is 1.5m deep, and fully fenced with poolside loungers. The plant room for chlorination is housed in the former pigsty! Thovenin has a large drive with parking for 2+ cars. L'Ecurie's separate drive can accommodate a single car. There is ample additional street parking.
Coast/Beach
The beautiful sandy beaches of Royan are just forty minutes drive away. Also within an hour's drive are Rochefort, Ile d'Oleron, La Rochelle and - just a bit further - the beautiful Ile de Re, dubbed the Cote d'Azur of the Atlantic Coast. The Atlantis waterpark in St Jean d’Angely (20 minutes drive), has water slides, but the biggest and best is Les Antilles at Jonzac. The sea marshes around Rochefort contain a sanctuary which plays home to egrets, storks, warblers and kites.
Golf
There are 18 hole courses in both Saintes and Cognac, both within 20 minutes drive.
Travel
We are surrounded by airports with budget flights to many parts of the UK, including Angouleme (45mins),La Rochelle (around an hour) and Bordeaux (1 hour). The nearest ferry port is St Malo, around 4 hours drive on very good roads, which means that with a breakfast stop you can be at the house for lunch. Alternatives include Caen, Roscoff and Cherbourg. The short channel crossings from Dover are possible with a long day's drive. TGV service to Angouleme.
Distances
Nearby large villages include Matha (10 minutes drive) and Burie (5 minutes). Attractions nearby include an excellent aquarium at La Rochelle, two waterslide parks and a world class zoo. In Cognac, 20 minutes drive away, there's a chance to visit some of the world-famous distilleries and the beautiful old Roman town of Saintes, also 20 minutes away, has good shopping, good museums, a Roman ampitheatre and two cathedrals. La Rochelle, Rochefort and Bordeaux around an hour away.
Further details
The small village of Migron, with its pretty, 11th-century stone church, is perfect for those who don't want to be too remote, with a boulangerie/pattiserie, a well-stocked mini-market, a boucherie, post office, and a weekly grocer's van selling fresh local vegetables. Oysters and mussels are sold in front of the epicerie every Saturday morning. Migron and the surrounding area is excellent for cycling - miles and miles of level countryside with virtually traffic-free routes through vineyards, fields, woodland and villages. There's even an otter colony at the edge of the village. Other activities include river trips, antiques markets (large brocantes held in surrounding villages regularly throughout the Summer), visits to chateaux, churches and museums, walking, cycling and birdwatching (74 hectares of lagoon nature reserves in the area). Sport and leisure in the area include golf (18-hole courses in both Cognac and Saintes which are 20 minutes away), horseriding, all types of fishing, tennis (including a court in the village), canoe-kayaking (boats to hire at various places along the Charente in Cognac and Saintes), and plenty of space in and around the village to kick a football. There is a market to go to practically every day of the week, in Saintes, Cognac, Matha, St Jean d'Angely among others, and there are many excellent local restaurants and auberges to suit every budget.
Cognac and Pineau des Charentes - a local aperitif - are available to taste and buy direct from local producers, and local specialities include goats cheeses, oysters from the Marennes, mussels, and other wonderful seafood from the Atlantic coast. The best 'local' wine is Bordeaux - most grapes grown here are for Cognac or Pineau - and there are caves (wine co-operatives) in several local towns.
Booking notes
Discounts available on longer bookings. 20% deposit required at the time of booking. £100 breakages deposit required at time of balance payment, 8 weeks before the commencement of the holiday.
Linen, bath and hand towels included, but not beach/pool towels. Highchair, cot and babybath available at no cost. Cleaning not included and charged if property not "left as found". Minimum charge £40.
Guest comments
‘The best thing was the pool. Provided us with an environment we could relax in. The gite is the best we have stayed in in France or Spain - no awful second hand furniture or utensils!’ J.N. Harpenden.
'We had a fantastic holiday - the gite was great and the local area lovely. The best thing about our stay was the lovely surrounding countryside. The villages out towards Martha are just fantastic, especially Aujac and Prignac.' M.S. London
‘The best thing about our stay was the lovely surrounding countryside. We brought bicycles with us and cycled a fair bit from the gite. The villages out towards Martha are just fantastic, especially Aujac (lovely church) and Prignac (really nice picnic area by the river)’ M.S. 2008
‘10/10. Excellent. The garden had sun all day and it was nice to eat all meals outside. My son & I cycled every day, my wife read books... it was ideal for both’
House swap
House swap considered
For booking and further information
Antony Bellekom
Tel: (UK) + 44 (0)1636 893 015
Email: Click here
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This advertiser joined Owners Direct in September 2007,
and has advertised this property with us since September 2007.
Property Ref FR2681
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