Luxury French Farmhouse and adjacent Barn with private pool.

This converted complex is a very large property dating back to 1842. Situated in the Charentaise countryside, in five acres of grounds and gardens the Farmhouse and the Barn form part of the courtyard setting and at the height of summer the whole of the property is surrounded by maize, vines and sunflowers. In the grounds we have a play area with swings, a slide, table tennis and football nets. We also have a trampoline to keep our younger guests entertained. This property offers spacious accommodation for 3/4 families or large groups of friends wishing to holiday together or celebrate a special event. There are lots of places to visit during your stay and we have highlighted a few of our favourites. For more information of local attractions, things to do and places to visit www.discover-poitou-charentes.com. Aubeterre considered to be one of the most prettiest villages in France, and it’s easy to see why. Stroll round the village taking in the architecture, visit the shops, make sure you see the monolithic church and then have lunch in the square. Make a day of it. Canoe in the morning, have lunch after the canoe trip at Bonnes and then visit the village in the afternoon. Late afternoon make your way down to the beach to catch the last of the sun. Brantome is the Venise of the Perigord. The river runs round the town and it is very picturesque with riverside restaurants. Make a day of it.If you go to Riberac market on the Friday morning you could pick up some wonderful local produce including roast chickens, salad, melons, strawberries and tarts ….. and not forgetting the wine. Perfect ingredients for a picnic and then travel onto Brantome and picnic by the river. Perhaps take a boat trip and meander through the town visit the cathedral and the shops built into the side of the rock face. Dune de Pila has the highest sand dune in Europe. And although it’s a few hours a way it is without doubt stunning to see. There are steps to walk up it but after you reach the top its just sand, sand and more sand. The view at the top is worth the hike. Make a day of it. Make sure you visit Arcachon and its bay and make sure you try the oysters. Bordeaux is a historic city and well worth the visit just for the architecture alone. It has some wonderful shops but for teenagers we would probably recommend the shopping mall at Auchan Commercial Centre near the Lac. If you are spending Christmas or New Year at Chez les Rois you must visit Bordeaux at night to see the Christmas lights and the Christmas village. Local artesians come to sell their goods in log cabins, you can sample 'vin chaud' and roasted chestnuts. There are several groups that come to play music across the road at the Theatre and if you make your way to the quays there is also ice-skating. St Georges de Didonde is on the Atlantic coast and only one hours drive from Chez les Rois. We first discovered St George when our kids we little. It’s a brilliant beach and there is also lots for the kids to do. Teenagers can wind surf, take small boats out and at the end of the beach is an adventure playground where kids can climb and swing through trees. Meschers is just a few minutes down the coast and has the famous troglodyte, caves. There is a museum which shows people living in them a hundred years or so ago and what life was like then. In fact people still live in a few of them today. Talmont is one of my favourite places. A small fishing village with lots of character……small whitewashed cottages, turquoise shutters, cobbled streets lined with hollyhocks. A picture in the making ! Talmont was once one of the dropping off places for the pilgrims making their way to Compostella in Spain. The church there is built on a rocky peninsula that juts out into the Gironde Estuary. Make a day of it Visit the caves in the morning, have lunch at Talmont and then relax on the beach in the afternoon. There are a host of small coves around this area. Royan is a great sea side town and has something for everyone. La Palmeyre is famous for its zoo and its nudists beach.Make a day of it Visit the zoo in the morning. Be warned it gets very busy in summer. Then see Royan during the afternoon. Il d’ Oleron is reached by a very long viaduct from the mainland. It’s a beautiful place to see. St Pierre is the islands capital with “dinky” shops and lots of fish restaurants. Bouyardville is also worth the visit, you can even take a boat trip to see the famous Fort Bouyard. Il de Ré Il de Ré is where the Parisians holiday. White sand and turquoise waters. St Martin is the capital of the island and has a small harbour with many yachts. Lots of really nice shops here and restaurants but you will need to put the visa card in the freezer when you get back. Pay a visit to the old fort and you will be able to see the Donkeys of Il de Ré with their trousers on! La Rochelle is one of my favourite places to shop and very cosmopolitan. After a mornings shopping treat yourself to lunch at one of the many fish restaurants surrounding the harbour. It is also a very historical town and if you have time its great to walk round the harbour.Make a day of it Well, I could spend a day in La Rochelle, a day on the Il d’Oleron and another day on the Il de Ré but if you are trying to do something for every age group then head for Il d’ Oleron. Blaye on the Gironde Estuary is quite an interesting place. Its an old citadel dating back to Roman times. It has a lively Saturday morning market and then after you could have lunch in the citadel and then walk round the old fort, and even take a boat trip up the river. St Emilion is world famous and just one hours drive away. It is a lovely place to visit and has a tourist train that will take you around the town. Have lunch at the Bell Tower and then go to sample the wines at the many Chateaux surrounding St Emilion.