Stone farmhouse and pool surrounded by vineyards under an hour from Bordeaux.

Our holiday home is an old stone farmhouse with adjoining barn in the “Girondine” style which is very typical of this part of France. The main rooms (3 bedrooms and lounge) are at the front of the house and are south facing so are filled with light and enjoy a wonderful view of the countryside. Two of the bedrooms, both with double beds, are upstairs where there is also a small "lingerie" or linen room with a clothes rail and ironing board. Downstairs to the front of the house is a large bedroom with three single beds and a cosy lounge with exposed stone walls and a wood burner in the restored stone fireplace. Towards the back of the house are the bathroom and shower room, both with WC, and the kitchen - again with exposed stone walls - which opens onto a covered terrace. The kitchen is fully equipped with hob, oven, microwave, fridge freezer, kettle, toaster and ample crockery and cutlery, pots and pans. The terrace has a large table and plenty of seating and a charcoal barbecue. From the terrace there is a short pathway leading to the pool which is tucked away in a mature garden surrounded by wooden decking and with a backdrop of vines. The pool is exclusively for the use of our guests as is the 2000m2 garden. La Girondine is situated in St Exupéry, a hamlet of about 10 homes. The nearest shop (for basics) is about 2 kms away in the village of Morizès. The nearest supermarkets and restaurants are in La Réole, a charming medieval town on the Garonne river, and Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, both of which are about 8kms away. Both of these towns and many others in the area hold weekly markets. What attracted us to this house when we bought it in 2006 was its authenticity as it has many original features (period fireplaces, beamed ceilings, timber floors ) still intact, and in our restoration we tried to respect the simplicity of the vernacular achitecture while making the house into a comfortable holiday home. St Exupéry is a working hamlet in an agricultural area with many of the local people involved in the wine industry and working in the vineyards. So during your stay, there may well be tractors going past the house and depending on the time of year, work going on in the vineyards around about. There after many pretty towns and villages to visit within a short drive of the house. The historical homes of Toulouse Lautrec and François Mauriac are only about 15 minutes away and well worth seeing. As this is a wine-producing region, there is an abundance of vineyards and wineries to choose from for those who enjoy wine tasting. The beautiful wine property of Chateau Lavison, parts of which date back to the 13th century is a 10-minute drive away. The countryside around the house is very peaceful and pleasant for walks and cycles. Bordeaux is just under an hour away and has a lot to offer the visitor.