Complex near Cheffois        4 Bedrooms,  sleeps 9     3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6    2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4      Property Ref:  FR203

Located in a a hamlet near Cheffois. It is situated in Western France, in the Vendée, south of the Loire valley and between the cities of Nantes and Poitiers. It is close to Le Grand Parc de Puy du Fou and the Mervent -Vouvant forest.
The property was built between 150 and 200 years ago but has been renovated and modernised over the last few years. The original farm cottage and barns have been converted to three properties – a farmhouse, cottage and gîte. It is part of a hamlet of five houses in an area of gently rolling open and wooded countryside of arable and cattle farming. The area is known as the “bocage”.
The three properties are set in extensive grounds and facilities include swimming pool, which is fenced off for security, Table Tennis, large grounds for football and other outdoor games.   There is WIFI access available.

 

ACCOMMODATION

The Farmhouse  - 4 Bedrooms, Sleeps 9/10
The entrance is through large green gates into a gravelled courtyard.
Downstairs   - Entering the farmhouse through a vestibule, you are immediately in a large open lounge, kitchen and dining area, the whole of which has a beamed ceiling and attractively tiled floors. Kitchen facilities include fridge/freezer, cooker with oven and four ring hob, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine, electric cafetiere, kettle, toaster. The lounge is comfortably furnished with three settees, a stool and a coffee table. There is satellite television (both English and French), a DVD player and a CD player but please bring your own DVDs and CDs. There is also wifi access. There is also a further seating area with another settee which converts to a double bed if necessary.
The dining area has a large pine farmhouse table and chairs and a dresser containing crockery, glassware and cutlery. The kitchen is well equipped with a dishwasher, automatic washing machine, microwave, cooker, fridge/freezer, kettle, toaster and coffee machine. The cooking pots and pans are in cupboards in the kitchen. A storage cupboard containing brushes, vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket etc., are accessed from the vestibule.
Upstairs   - The varnished wooden stairs ascend out of the corner of the lounge up to a landing off which are four bedrooms – three doubles and one triple room. Two of the doubles have a further single foldaway bed. All of the bedrooms have ample storage/ wardrobe space.
There is a bathroom with bath (shower over), washbasin and toilet, and a shower room with shower, washbasin and toilet.
The upstairs extends into the roof space, the heavy roof beams being exposed, and apart from one of the doubles which has a roof window, the windows are, as you would expect quite low (i.e. take care if there are toddlers in your party).

Outside  -  There is a large covered veranda at the back of the house overlooking the rolling countryside – it is an ideal place for barbecuing and eating outdoors, catching the sun from late morning until sunset. Garden furniture and a barbecue are provided. The veranda steps lead down into the gardens and access to the pool.

 

Cottage  -  3 bedrooms, Sleeps 6
The entrance is through wide gates into a gravelled parking area and garden.
Downstairs   - The main door leads straight into an open plan lounge and dining area with an extra seating area on the mezzanine above. The lounge and dining area, where the beams have been left exposed, are comfortably furnished with settees, table and chairs. There is satellite television (both English and French), a DVD player and a CD/tape player but please bring your own DVDs, CDs and cassette tapes. Unfortunately, there is only poor wifi access because of the incredibly thick walls but we are working on it!
Wide steps lead down under low beams into the well-equipped kitchen (cooker, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, kettle, toaster etc.). The cooking pots and pans, crockery and cutlery are housed in the kitchen cupboards.
A doorway leads from the lounge to an inner hall and the varnished wooden stairs. A double bedroom and the bathroom (bath with shower over, toilet and washbasin) are accessed from the hall.
Upstairs   -  A double bedroom and a (very!) low beamed shower room (shower, toilet and washbasin) are accessed from the landing at the top of the stairs.
Going through a low doorway you find yourself on the mezzanine above the dining area. The twin bedroom (suitable for children because of another (very!) low beam) is accessed from the other side of the mezzanine. There are roof windows and low windows in the upstairs rooms so parties with toddlers need to take care.
Mezzanine seating area
Outside   -  Access to the patio, the pool and gardens are from the main door of The Cottage. Garden furniture and a BBQ are provided.

 

Gite  -  2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4

The main entrance is from a gravelled parking area adjacent to the lane.
Downstairs  - The hallway leads into a large lofty lounge/dining/kitchen area with exposed beams. It is comfortably furnished with a settee, easy chairs, table and dining chairs. There is satellite television (both English and French), a DVD player and a CD/tape player but please bring your own CDs, DVDs and cassettes. There is also wifi access. The kitchen area is equipped with a cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, toaster and kettle and with pots and pans, crockery and cutlery.
The shower room (shower, toilet, washbasin and washing machine) and the bedroom with two single beds are accessed off the hall.
Upstairs  -  The varnished open tread wooden stairs ascend out of the lounge to a low-beamed double-bedded mezzanine bedroom.
Outside - The gite has own patio, the pool and gardens are accessed through the French doors from the lounge. Garden furniture and a BBQ are provided.

 

 

OUTSIDE LEISURE 

The gites own patio, the pool and gardens are accessed through the French doors from the lounge. Garden furniture and a BBQ are provided.

Steps lead up to a patio next to swimming pool. This pool is ideal for swimmers with one end having a depth of nearly 7 feet and the shallow end being approximately 4 feet deep.We have a 30 foot long swimming pool which has been fenced off for security. This pool is ideal for swimmers with one end having a depth of nearly 7 feet and the shallow end being approximately 4 feet deep. The swimming pool is open from 18th May until 21st September

Sun beds are provided.

Table-tennis table under the rustic gazebo.

A path leads round from the pool area across a wooden bridge over a water channel through the trees to a more open area where, during the cooler parts of the day, the children (big and little!) can play football – two football nets are provided.

Large grounds suitable for a variety of outdoor games with football nets

The properties stand in around one acre of private and secluded gardens, with many areas of flower beds, lawns and some shady corners.

Fantastic grounds for walking, cycling etc.

There are lovely views of surrounding countryside from the properties....

 

NO SMOKING ALLOWED

 

 

 

PRICES       2015

                                                Farmhouse     Cottage      Gite

02 March - 17 May                    £575              £350        £245

18 May - 28 June                       £825              £520        £355

29 June - 19 July                    £1,150              £695        £455

20 July - 30 August                £1,450              £900        £675

31 Aug - 13 Sept                        £825              £520        £355

14 Sept - 29 Nov                        £575              £350        £245          

       

Prices are per week in Sterling and include hire of bed linen.  We do not provide towels, please bring these with you.        
Changeover day - Saturday, this is flexible outside of the main season.
A security deposit of £200 is payable and this is fully refundable if no damage to the property and left in a clean and tidy condition.
 A 30% deposit and a completed, signed booking form are required to confirm a booking. The balance (plus a security deposit) is payable 12 weeks before the rental period begins. 
A taxe de séjour of 0.44€ per person per night has been introduced by the Vendée and is payable by all aged 13 years and over to be paid with the balance and can be paid in GBP. 

The swimming pool is open from 18th May until 21st September 

Weekly bookings only during Peak and High Seasons.

From September to June a booking of a minimum of 2 nights can be taken - Please contact us for prices.

 

NO SMOKING ALLOWED

 

 

 

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Lovely house set in pretty gardens with a nice pool. The house is well equipped, and clean.

Central location easy access to interesting towns and villages, the coast and other attractions and also a lovely area for walking.

Restaurant in Cheffois 10-15 minute .drive was very nice. Large supermarket with petrol about 15 mins drive in La Chataingerait.

I would recommend for anyone who would enjoy a holiday in the French countryside.    Sept 2015

 

If you are looking for a very relaxing and an extremely well equipped and spotlessly clean gite this is the place for you. We have just spent two weeks in this delightful gite... the views, the pool, the garden and the surrounding area superb. Everything you might need has been thought of.  A huge thank you to Pat and Ian for all their kindness to us.   Sept 2011

 

Just returned from our summer holiday 2011. We stayed in the lovely maison in this gite and maison complex. The maison was everything and more and we did not need to worry about anything. Pat and Ian have thought of everything that the holiday maker may need for a short or long stay in their superb property. The first thing we encountered was the maison handbook. I might add at this point that you would be hard pressed to find as much detail and needed info in some so called professional publications. The handbook was vital reading giving local info as well detailed info regarding the maison and appliances and pool. We had four adults and four children in our party and there was ample room, bedrooms, pots, pans, etc for all of us. The garden and pool area is excellent and we spent a full day catching the little gecko lizards that come out to sunbathe. The children loved the pool and football pitch and there was no danger of them escaping out of the property due to the gated garden. When we ate at home we loved the terrace and sat out till late evening with bottles of wine looking out over the countryside. The view is superb and we enjoyed every family meal here. Special moments like that stay with you forever. The pool is a good size and deep at one end which I found useful since I am fairly tall and there is nothing worse than being in a pool that only comes up to your waist. The shallow end was suitable for our kids as they could stand up in it and they loved playing with the inflatables. The wife and sister in law loved the sun loungers around the outside of the pool area and caught a few rays in the hot vendee sun. There are lots of great walks in the area and cycle routes if that is your thing and if like me you are into canoeing then Mervent (30 mins away) is for you. We spent a full day idling down the river / lake Mere - another special day! Due to it's location you will need a car, but everywhere is within reach. The max drive we had for a family day out was 1.5 hrs away. If you have never been to France before then please remember to visit the local tourist info office. They use a card system for all the places of interest and you can take one of each and plan your days out in advance. I would not hesitate to come back here and if my lottery numbers come up I will be making Pat an offer she can't refuse tho' I would not blame her if she didn’t. Thank you once again for a superb summer holiday 2011. Brian / Sam and girls. Darren / Mandy & boys

 

Nous avons passé un excellent séjour. La maison est confortable, propre et très bien équipée. Ce week-end de l'Ascension n'était pas très ensoleillé, mais nous avons malgré tout profité de la terrasse couverte et son barbecue, du terrain pour jouer, des canapés pour lire... Le jardin est très joli et bien entretenu, l'environnement est très calme, la vue agréable, et on n'entend que le chant des nombreux oiseaux. Les commerces ne sont pas très éloignés, et il y a de belles ballades à faire à quelques km (Vouvant et Mervent par exemple). Bref, ce fut vraiment une pause agréable pour nous tous (et les ados qui nous accompagnaient).

 

 

 

LOCATION

Located near a hamlet of Cheffois. It is situated in Western France, in the Vendée, south of the Loire valley and between the cities of Nantes and Poitiers. It is close to Le Grand Parc de Puy du Fou and the Mervent -Vouvant forest.
Local amenities
Shops  -  In Cheffois (4 km), there is an afternoon post office in the Mairie, a boulangerie and hairdressers. The closest small town is La Châtaigneraie (6 km) where there are several boulangeries, three supermarkets and a range of other shops including clothes, shoes, pharmacy and newsagents as well as the post office, garages and church. Hypermarkets can be found in the bigger towns of Fontenay-le-Comte and Chantonnay.
Restaurants and cafes  -  In Cheffois there is a bar/restaurant and in La Châtaigneraie, there are several restaurants including Hotel La Poste opposite the post office, Le Relais Delice opposite the square and Le Stelvio’s on the road to Fontenay-le-Comte. You will find bars, restaurants or crêperies in most small towns and large villages in the area.
Markets  -  There are markets in most towns. Only in the bigger towns are they held every week and it is best to arrive early as they close at lunch-time. Information on markets is in each ‘house information book’.
Places to visit
There is lots to see and do in the locality and its surrounding countryside – walking, cycling and horse-riding are available as well as swimming, fishing and water sports in the locality. Especially beautiful is the Mervent Vouvant Forest with its large lakes and forests which is about 20 mins away. Fishing permits for lake and rivers can be purchased at local Café des Sports and the 100 hectares fishing park of Pescalis is near Moncoutant, about ½ hour away. There are at least five 18 hole golf courses within an hours drive.
For the more adventurous there are also micro-light trips and bungee jumping near Breuil-Barret, and go-karting at a track at Fontenay-le-Comte.

The famous chateaux and grounds of Le Puy du Fou, devoted to the history of the Vendée, are well worth a visit being about 45 mins away; it’s evening Cinéscénie presentations are quite spectacular although you will need to book for one of these before your holiday begins. It is also well placed for day trips to the chateaux of the Loire Valley, Futuroscope at Poitiers, and the coastal towns of La Rochelle, La Tranche and Les Sables D’Olonne all being between 1 and 1½ hours away. The Venise Verte, an area of waterways created by monks in the 13th century, is about 40 mins drive away.

Lots more information is available on the beaches, attractions, activities etc in the links box at the top of this page, marked "The Area"

 

Travel

Ferry Ports: St Malo - 3 hours Caen - 4 to 4.5 hours Cherbourg - 4.5 to 5 hours Calais 6.5 hoursAirports: La Rochelle 50 minutes Nantes 1 hour, 15 minutes, Poitiers - 55 minutes