Lovely renovated barn, superb location and set in 5 acres, 1 bed, caravan, pond

The house & surroundings

Wonderful location with great views over the surrounding countryside for this holiday home which has one enormous bedroom but can sleep up to 4 people in the summer. It is also ideal for autumn, winter and early spring holidays as it has double glazing and a wood burning stove that is not only economical but keeps the whole house warm and cosy. It is ideally located for the circuit of Magny-Cours which is only 30 minutes away. Dogs welcome. The inside of the house is a no smoking zone.

We have converted this gite from part of a barn, retaining all the original features and as far as possible using traditional materials.  It is set in 2 hectares (5 acres) of meadow with only the owners on the same site. The owners’ house is on the opposite side of the large courtyard making the gite very secluded and private. Access is from a lane leading off a quiet road and you can walk for miles without having to do more than cross a metalled road.

The accommodation comprises a large open plan living room of 55m2 with a corner kitchen and fireplace. The kitchen is fitted with a dishwasher, washing machine, and refrigerator, plenty of cupboard space and of course, oven and gas hobs with extractor fan. Upstairs there is one enormous bedroom of 50m2 with large windows and a balconette.  We plan to divide this room into two bedrooms for the next season, but at the moment it can be screened off into two parts. The bathroom and toilet is ensuite.  There are beams everywhere but plenty of headroom even for tall people.

Outside there is a private terrace with a barbecue. The terrace faces west and gets the sun all afternoon and evening and provides superb views of the sunsets. There are also lots of other areas you can sit, which catch the full sun in the morning, so you can have your breakfast al fresco.  If it too hot to sit in the sun there are plenty of shaded areas to sit.

There is a large pond well stocked with local carp with a caravan set on the edge which makes an ideal second bedroom for children or a couple.  There is also a large area of grass for playing games, a large covered area, and a grass badminton court.  You can amuse yourselves with boules (pétanque) in the gravelled courtyard or even in the covered area if you should be unlucky enough to get some rain during your stay. You can play darts in the barn and 2 adult size bicycles are provided free of charge.

The  area & activities available

The surrounding countryside is typical Bourbonais bocage – small meadows with hedgerows, woodland and forest with rivers and lakes. Wonderful for walking, cycling, riding, fishing, and canoeing – yes we can arrange canoeing trips on the Allier River for a charge of 25€ for one canoe (2 people).   We drop you with the canoes in Le Veurdre on the banks of the Allier and you drift down stream to Apremont, one of the most beautiful villages in France about 20kms away. 

You can be energetic or you can simply drift downstream with current. On the way you can picnic on one of the numerous islands and then have tea in the beautiful garden of the chateau in Apremont while waiting for us to pick you up with the canoes.  There are several large lakes with sandy beaches in the area for swimming, sailing and windsurfing. These include the well-known nautical centre of the Etang de Goule.

There are two 18 hole golf courses within 30 and 45 minutes and the stunning courses of Les Volcans, Les Dryads and Sancerre (also famous for its wine) are only 1 hour 30 minutes away.  Tennis courts are available in several local villages and there are numerous other activities both sporting and cultural in the area. Every village has a ‘brocante’ or ‘vide grenier’ at some time during the spring and summer. These comprise lots of stalls selling anything from antique furniture, old books, old tools, food and wine to absolute junk. There are also two local medieval festivals, one in the moated chateau of Bannagon, the other, which lasts a whole week in the small medieval town of Souvigny. 

There are also many musical and theatrical events including the famous Footsbarn theatre in Hérisson and the Son et Lumière in the ruined chateau of the lovely spa town of Bourbon l’Archambault which is only 16 kms from here.   There are also some excellent and inexpensive restaurants locally and we will provide meals for you if you give us 24 hours notice. There is the Burgundy vineyard of Le Rioussat just across the Allier River which produces some excellent red Pinot Noir and white Chardonnay wines at 3 or 4 euros a bottle.

House hunting?

We are excellently placed if you are considering purchasing a house in France and we can introduce you to local English speaking Estate Agents and give you advice on purchasing in France from our own lengthy experience.

Prices

Our prices vary from 350€ (£243) per week in the off peak season to 450€ (£312) in July and August for 2 people.  There is a small supplement for larger groups to cover the cost of laundry, etc. 

Prices include bed linen and towels, use of the bicycles, badminton and boules facilities, and gas, electricity and wood for the fire.

There is a final optional cleaning charge of €30 (£21) for making the gite ready for the next guests. This saves you the bother of having to spend the last few hours of your holiday cleaning. If you would like this service please let us know.

There is no telephone line in the house but we can provide Broadband Internet access WiFi free of charge. 

Terms

Terms: 25% deposit on booking. The balance to be paid 6 weeks before the start of your stay.

The gite will be available from 4.0 pm on the first day of your stay and must be vacated by 12.0 midday on the day of departure. We may be able to vary these times by arrangement.  We may be able to provide shorter or longer lets by arrangement subject to availability.  Our aim is to be as flexible as possible and to make your stay an enjoyable one.