Inside the House

Downstairs Bedrooms
There are two large bedrooms downstairs with ensuite bathrooms. Internal curved wooden stairs lead to the sejour above.

Bedroom 1
Large bedroom with beamed ceiling and some exposed stone walls and French windows opening on to terrace overlooking swimming pool. Double bed, bedside tables, antique wardrobe and bedroom cabinet. Ensuite bathroom with bath and shower.

Bedroom 2
Large bedroom with beamed ceiling and French windows opening on to terrace overlooking swimming pool. Double bed, bedside tables, wardrobe, chest of drawers. Ensuite shower room.

Upstairs Bedrooms
From the sejour a few steps take you up to the other three bedrooms.

Bedroom 3
Attic style bedroom with some exposed stone walls. Twin beds, bedside table, small wardrobe.

Bedroom 4
Attic style bedroom with some exposed stone walls. One or two beds as required. Bedside table, chest of drawers, hanging space.

Bedroom 5
Attic style bedroom with some exposed stone walls and huge beam which needs some negotiation by grown ups. Twin beds, chest of drawers, hanging space.

There is a separate bathroom with bath and shower. All showers in the bathrooms have thermostatic controls to avoid scalded children.

The Downstairs

Sejour, dining area & kitchen
Tastefully furnished and decorated the sejour incorporates a comfortable sitting area with corner stone fireplace and dining area with solid oak dining table easily seating ten with open plan kitchen. It is a spacious, light and airy room with exposed stone walls and enormous oak beams. A TV and DVD player, CD player, tape and radio are available for guests use. French windows open on to the large balcony overlooking the swimming pool. The balcony, with lovely views down the valley, effectively makes an outdoor room and is ideal for open air meals, enjoying the sunshine and beautiful sunsets. There are large parasols provided to shade the balcony.

The kitchen is fully equipped with large fridge and small freezer compartment, separate gas hob, electric oven, microwave, dishwasher etc. There is a gas barbecue on the balcony. From the kitchen there are steps leading down to the utility room with washing machine and ironing facilities.. The games room is off the utility room where there is a snooker & table tennis table, badminton rackets, boules etc.

Outside the House

Terrace
Directly accessed by the two downstairs bedrooms or by stairs from the balcony the terrace is south facing and bordered by iron railings covered in honeysuckle, passion flower, vines and exotic flowering plants. There are gates which can be locked to stop access to the swimming pool from the property. It benefits from the shade of the balcony above and affords a quiet seating area. There is a decorative metal table and four chairs

The garden & pool
La Grange overlooks a large garden with grassy areas and shady trees. There are flower borders around the pool. Garden furniture is provided including sunloungers. The pool, 10m x 5m with roman steps, is solar heated making the pool swimmable from mid April to mid October (providing the weather is reasonable). It is floodlit in the evenings and lanterns light up the terraces and balcony at night.


Exploring the local Area
The summer boasts long sunshine hours and the area is unspoilt with a tranquil, timeless quality. Quiet country lanes ramble through miles of open country, sunflower fields, vines, acres of woodland and numerous sleepy roman tiled roofed villages with their pretty Romanesque churches.

Chalais, the nearest town , 20 mins by foot or two mins by car, is a sleepy town which wakes up to a bustling street market every Monday where you can find fresh local produce. Locally produced, cheeses, honey, fruit and fresh fish brought from La Rochelle. It has a supermarket, bakers, post office, banks ' cafes. and railway station. The chateau Talleyrand dominates the town and is worth a visit if only for it's excellent restaurant!

The renowned wine growing areas are well worth visiting too, whether it's the elegant architecture of Bordeaux and Cognac, (visit one of the famous cognac producers), or the medieval beauty of St. Emillion with its walled fortifications, the area is steeped in history.

Perigeux to the east with it's lovely restored old quarter takes you into the Dordogne region famous for it's prehistoric sites and Angouleme to the north is well worth a visit, built on a hill it has lovely views. Nearby at Aubeterre you can visit one of the oldest monolithic churches in Europe. Even closer is the impressive Chateau Talleyrand which dominates Chalais. The villages and towns in the area are very picturesque and there are many places of interest to visit.

Sample the wealth of cuisine and wine at very reasonable prices There are restaurants in most villages offering local dishes. The region is famous for its duck, pork and fish dishes, charentais melons soaked in Pineau and of course fois gras. If you feel energetic, there are tennis courts 2 minutes drive at Chalais and a 9 hole golf course nearby. There is also horseriding, canoeing, fishing, swimming in the local rivers and lakes most of which have beaches. There is a play park nearby with water slides, cafe and large lake with a beach. The area is criss crossed with paths providing excellent walking.

If you enjoy the seaside there are large beaches south of Bordeaux, good for surfing, and at Royan about an hour's drive. Also at Royan you will find one of the best privately owned zoos in France.

If you like shopping, treat yourself to a day in chic Bordeaux or the more provincial Angouleme both with a profusion of excellent restaurants to suit all tastes.


More about the Location