Beautiful, luxuriously appointed, south facing 18th century house with large private heated pool. 5 large bedrooms plus further occasional 2nd floor mezzanine with double bed, sleeps 12/14. 4 bathrooms/shower rooms (2 en-suite). Huge 50m2 reception room with comfortable sofas/chairs, cd music system and a grand piano. Big 36m2 TV room with woodburner. 50'' flat screen tv and Bose cinema surround sound system. Several hundred varied dvds freely available. Wi fi access. Extremely well appointed kitchen with 2 full size ovens and separate 5 burner hob, dishwasher, fridgefreezer and large stainless steel topped workstation. Adjoining dining room with fireplace, sofa and woodburner. Utility room with washing machine. Ground floor cloakroom. The gardens and heated pool to the front are fully enclosed, private and south facing. There is plenty of space for sun bathing and a choice of areas for alfresco dining, including a lovely covered shady area with it's own seating and fireplace.
Stunning 18th Century House Set in South Facing Gardens with Private Pool
- Chateau / Country House4305 sq. ft.
- Sleeps: 14
- Bedrooms: 6
- Bathrooms: 4
- Half Baths: 1
- Min Stay: 4 - 13 nights
House Near Cognac, Charente, France - Rural Location, 3 Or 4 Mins To Nearest Bakery. 10mins To Town With All Commerces And Weekly Market.
Bedrooms
Owner
Robert Barrow
- Languages:
- english, french
About Robert Barrow
Hi, my name is Robert ( Rob ). After years of renovating houses and interior designing in Britain, my partner and I, bought and renovated this beautiful charentaise " Maison de Maitre" [ Masters house] Being one of six children, we have always had plenty of family and friends staying here with us, and so knowing how well this house accommodates everyones needs, whether old or young, we have decided to rent out the house. I hope you love it as much as we do.
Robert Barrow purchased this Chateau / Country House in 2004
Why Robert Barrow chose Criteuil-la-Magdeleine
The area is stunning. The house is surrounded by fields of vines and sunflowers. The area boasts the second highest amount of sunshine hours in France, second only to the south coast. This is a rural setting, with quick and easy access to towns, shops, bistro's and activities, and only an hour from the great beaches of the Atlantic coast and Bordeaux
What makes this Chateau / Country House unique
The house is very private with enclosed gardens and separate, enclosed and secure pool area. The rooms are huge, and because there are lots of different seating areas both inside and out, there is room for everyone to have a little time and space to themselves. The Covered BBQ area with its large fireplace and seating area is very popular for relaxed evenings. You can just step outside the gate to enjoy the beautiful countryside either on foot or by bike. We have Six bikes (free of charge) and also are registered with bike hire direct for any extras or accessories. www.bikehiredirect.com
Amenities
Featured
- Swimming pool
- Internet
- Pets Welcome
- Fireplace
- TV
- Satellite or Cable
- Children Welcome
- Parking
- Heater
Bathrooms
- 4 Bathrooms, 1 Half Bath
- bathroom 1 en-suitetoilet, shower
- 1st Main bathroomtoilet, shower
- Shower room en-suitetoilet, shower
- Second main Bathroomtoilet, tub, shower, Bath and separate shower enclosure
- Bathroom 5toilet, Downstairs cloakroom
- En-suite to bedroom 1 with walk-in shower, basin and wc. Bathroom with large shower enclosure, wc and basin. En suite to bedroom 5 with large shower enclosure, wc and basin. Bathroom with bath, large shower enclosure, wc and basin. Groundfloor WC.
Location Type
- Rural
- Village
General
- HeatingAvailable when applicable.
- Linens ProvidedAll good quality Egyptian cotton sheets.
- Washing MachineOutside washing line and covered area for a clothes airer.
- FireplaceWood burner Outside fireplace under covered BBQ area
- Parking
- InternetFree WI-FI
- Towels ProvidedWhite towels Some Pool towels
- Wireless Internet
- Wood Stove
- Iron & Board
- Hair Dryer
- Basic Soaps
- Living Room36m2TV room: 50'' flat screen and surround sound system. DVD player, 100's Dvds. Freeview Uk channels. Sofas/chairs. Woodburner. Bookcases/books. Salon:50m2 Sofas/chairs. Music system. Grand piano: Dining room: large dining table/chairs seating 12
- Free Wifi
Kitchen
- DishwasherFull size
- RefrigeratorOne fridge/freezer One drinks fridge
- Stove5 ring gas hob
- OvenTwo full sized ovens
- Microwave
- Grill
- Coffee Maker
- ToasterBreville architect 4 slice
- Pantry ItemsThe utility room has; Food mixer crêpe maker Extra worktop
- Dishes & UtensilsFull range of dishes and utensils
- KitchenFully equiped kitchen: 2 built-in full size electric ovens. 5 burner gas hob. Fridge freezer. fridge Dishwasher. Plenty of worksurface including freestanding stainless steel topped workstation. Toaster, steamer, food processor,coffee machine etc
- Kettle
Dining
- Dining Area
- Child's Highchair
- DiningInside dining area Outside tables for dining al fresco, including under BBQ area Plenty of seating and tables.
Entertainment
- Television50'' flat screen and surround sound system.
- Satellite / Cable
- StereoConnection to Iphones,ipods and other mp3 players
- DVD PlayerBlue ray player
- BooksMany books available
- Foosball
- Game RoomOutside covered area with Table tennis ,dart board, and Pool table
- GamesA selection of board games and puzzles outside a Pool table, table tennis, table football, badminton, boules, dart board
- Ping Pong Table
- Pool TableOutside under covered area
- ToysSelection of board games and toys
Outdoor Features
- Lawn / GardenPrivate and enclosed large garden. enclosed and secure pool area with flower beds
- Kayak / CanoeAvailable in several towns Cognac, Saintes, Jarnac
- BicyclesExtra bikes can be hired from "Dispovelo" WWW.dispovelo.com or www.bikehiredirect.com
- BoatBoat hire in several towns, Cognac, Saintes, Jarnac
- Deck / PatioWith seating and tables
- Outdoor Furniture
- TennisTennis court in the village
- GolfGolf in Cognac, 20 minutes away or Angouleme around 30 mins drive.
Suitability
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- smoking allowedSmokers are welcome, but we do ask you not to smoke in the house. We have a dedicated covered area just outside the back door (in case it rains) And of course you will be spending most of your time outside anyway, where there are lovely seating areas.
Pool / Spa
- Outdoor Pool
- Heated Pool
- Private PoolWith wide steps for easy access by everyone Heated when necessary, within normal season.
Notes
- Notes on accommodation: The house is enormous but still very welcoming. The vast ground floor rooms have been sympathetically decorated using Farrow and Ball colours and flow effortlessy from one to another.It is south facing and all of the windows look out over the beautiful gardens and pool area. The kitchen window overlooks a pretty mill and stream which runs behind the house. The gardens are private and secure. The only available access to the rear grounds is through the kitchen door. Therefore, the stream should not be an issue for families with very young children. Parking is available either at the front of the house, or the rear, which people tend to find more convenient when carrying shopping, luggage etc. There is Wi fi access. The house sleeps a maximum 14 people Discounts: We are able to offer discounts for smaller groups (Not during high season),who wish to enjoy the luxury and space the house provides. Please contact us to discuss options. Outside: Large private and enclosed garden, with several seating and dining areas. Seperate, private and enclosed pool area. Heated Pool 10x5m with sun loungers and chairs. Beautiful enclosed roofed bbq area with fireplace, seating and dining table and very large gas bbq. Perfect area for an afternoon snooze in the shade. Logs are available for the fire, so dining on cooler evenings out of season can become very cosy and inviting. Private parking for several cars at the front gates or within the grounds at the rear of the house. Utility Room: Washing machine and microwave. Plenty of storage space and worksurface, shelving Second fridge for drinks and food for large groups. Towels / Linen / All towels and linen provided.. Supply of pool/beach towels available. All bed linen is superior quality white Eygptian cotton. Cleaning/maid service can be requested at extra cost.
House Rules
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date. 50% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date.
16 Reviews
Perfect setting for a glorious sunny, summer holiday with the family. Beyond all expectations!
The owners were the perfect hosts, with lots of thoughtful touches which absolutely made our visit! The place was spotlessly clean and provided everything we could possibly need. The beds were comfy, the rooms beautifully furnished and all situated in a quiet peaceful setting. The outdoor areas; pool, various dining spaces, games room and fireside den meant that there was little or no reason to leave. All agreed it was our best family holiday to date!
Excellent location and amenities.
Lots of character and well designed rooms.
Party of 7 with 4 dogs and we all thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Robert and Philip were great hosts, available if needed but otherwise unobtrusive.
Would definitely recommend this to others and we hope to come again sometime.
Also, good value for money.
5 star venue for a family reunion - with on-site service to boot!
We had visited here on a recce last September, preparing for a family reunion this year and were most impressed. The property is in terrific condition, all as described in the listing. What tops this compared to other properties is the presence of the owners Phil and Rob in their adjoining but discrete property next door.
We were arriving from all points of the globe and utilised Rob and Phil's offer on arrival of preparing a meal for us saving either risking delays or us having to cook on the first evening. A fabulous feast at a reasonable price was delivered saving much stress.
Their attention to every detail and daily maintenance of the pool was most appreciated, removing the worry of other establishments that if anything goes wrong it will not be immediately rectified. Their helpful, yet unobtrusive presence and tips meant a most enjoyable week.
Highly recommended, this is a terrific place to enjoy a good get together, with fully equipped kitchen for home catering, wonderful reception rooms with real character and tastefully furnished. Complete with grand piano as well as plenty of restaurants, supermarkets and boulangeries within short travel times.
The Charente valley is an undiscovered haven for culture and water sports, un-touristy, certainly for the Brits who tend to congregate further south in the Dordogne. We loved Angouleme, Cognac, Jonzac, Saintes and the sea at Royan - don't miss it!
Excellent and Relaxing
Excellent property that catered for our large family including two dogs. The facilities are extensive. The outdoor area is cleverly designed into three areas: secure pool and games area, BBQ, and main garden. Indoor facilities are large and extensive. The owner was very accommodating and flexible to our requirements. The house is totally private to ensure a very relaxing holiday and location excellent to explore this part of France.
Beyond all expectations!
Where do I start, well we had two glorious weeks at this property and have nothing but praise for Robert and Phil. Everything about our
stay was fantastic, the beautiful house and grounds, the glorious weather, the fantastic pool and not forgetting the lovely chickens!
I would return in a heartbeat and if I win the lottery this weekend I might just move to Cognac as it is such a lovely area. Thank you,
Thank you, Thank you! You were the perfect hosts and I am so very glad we got to stay at your amazing home.
A wonderful way to spend Summer in France...
We had a fantastic stay. It is always a challenge to find a house to suit 10 family members across 3 generations but this was perfect. Lots of space, places to relax and areas for play.
Inside, the house feels like a real home (which it is during the winter), the garden was big enough for the children to play various sports and everyone loved to relax by the pool. It is always a treat to eat outside and there was lots of different spots to do this - we were particular fans of the local farm shop which we used to stock up for our daily barbecues.
Robert and Philip were great and it was really helpful to have them nearby to ask for local advice. The house is located in a attractive and quiet area of the Charente, but there are enough local restaurants and places to visit if you can drag yourselves away from the pool. We especially enjoyed a morning kayaking at Jarnac.
We are all looking forward to returning for another family holiday.
Map
Coast/Beach:
The Atlantic coast is less than an hours drive away with the Côte Sauvage offering some of the most stunning coastline in the South-West. La Rochelle is around 1hr15mins away and from here you can also explore the beautiful islands of Ré and Oleron just off the coast.
Travel:
Bordeaux airport is the most convenient, and is one hours drive; car hire is necessary, and very easy to arrange at the airport. Other airports within easy driving distance include Poitiers, Limoges and La Rochelle. The channel port of Calais is around 625km away with Caen and St Malo being 411km and 383km respectively.
Several groups have come by train and then hired a car at Angoulême
Distances:
The nearest town is 9km and has a choice of several supermarkets,bars and restaurants, a weekly street market and pharmacies, banks and doctors. The pretty town of Cognac is a 20min drive.
Join us on Facebook;https://www.facebook.com/LaVieilleMaisonDeMaitre
CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR ....Why not spend the festive period with friends and family ensconced in our lovely home. The house, although huge, is incredibly warm and cosy during the winter months, thanks to the modern oil fired heating system and woodburners.Seasoned oak logs are supplied for the logburners.Beautifully interlined drapes and gorgeous throws on sofas and beds complete the picture.
The kitchen is an amazingly well equiped/appointed space...even the keenest of cooks would be happy to cater for very large groups.
Many local fetes/festivals.
Cognac Blues Passion July 2012...headliners, including Sting and Tom Jones...the biggest Blues festival outside of the USA. 4 days of fabulous music held at various venues (Outdoor and indoor) around the beautiful town of Cognac.
Circuit des Remparts, Sept .....A weekend of classic car rallies culminating on Sunday with an thrilling day of racing around the streets of Angouleme. This event is not to be missed and attracts entrants from all over Europe.
Rates & Availability
Changeover Day: Saturday is our changeover day. We ask you to arrive at 4 o'clock or after. Departure is before 10 am. We can be flexible on this out of season. Notes on prices: From £1200 to £2800 per week.