Juniper Gîte, Country views, Pool

A renovated farm-worker’s cottage with two en-suite bedrooms and everything you need for a comfortable stay. Heated chlorine-free swimming pool, wonderful south facing views and enclosed child-friendly grounds. Located in the south of the Charente-Maritime region, South West France, Juniper Gîte comes equipped with all you need for a comfortable self-catering holiday. Renovated from an old farm building and well maintained, it provides a modern living space yet maintains a great deal of character. The open-plan living area in Juniper has a well-equipped kitchen with table and chairs to one side, and a comfy seating area to the other. The kitchen has a dishwasher, oven and hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, toaster, kettle and coffee machine. For entertainment, there’s UK satellite TV, DVD & CD players, Bluetooth speaker, Wi-Fi and a selection of books and board games. Upstairs there are two large bedrooms with exposed oak beams. One is a double and another can be made up as either a double or twin as required. Both bedrooms have their own en-suite shower-room, with large shower, wc and washbasin, making it especially suitable for 2 couples. Outside it has its own private fenced area with a covered patio and brick-built barbeque. You will also have use of the shared on-site facilities including the swimming pool and games room, so there is ample opportunity for you to do as much or as little as you like during your stay. The 10m x 5m heated, saltwater swimming pool is surrounded by a large terrace offering both sunny and shady areas with lots of space for everybody. From the terrace there are lovely views over the surrounding countryside. Sun loungers and parasols are available and pool towels are provided. There are toilet facilities located near the pool. The open-sided barn faces away from the gîte and offers a beautiful vista over the fields. Here you’ll find table-tennis, table-football and a dartboard. There are also tables and chairs, and a further barbeque for communal use. There are numerous outdoor games available, including: Boules, Quoits, Cricket, Croquet, Swingball and Rounders. Nestled in the small orchard there’s a hammock should you want a relaxing read (or sleep!). When in season, the fruit from the orchard is available for guests to enjoy. In the grounds you’ll also find a slide and some swings for our smaller guests. There are adult bicycles available to use (free of charge) should you wish to venture a little further afield with local maps to borrow. On a more practical note, there is a laundry room on-site, separate from the gîte. In here there is a washing machine for guest use, with washing powder and conditioner provided. There is also an iron and ironing board. Behind the electric entrance gates there is a large, gravelled parking area for guests, just a few steps from the gîte. We live on site so are on-hand if you need us, but out of the way if you don't! Despite being in a rural location, we are by no means isolated. Montendre, our local town, is only 8km away and boasts two supermarkets and a weekly market. There are numerous places to eat-in or take-away, including the Michelin recommended La Quincaillerie. During July & August there is also a wonderful evening market. We provide guide books of the local area for you to use during your stay so you can browse for things to see and do; but here are a few suggestions: Jonzac is a very pretty small spa town (21kms north) with a lovely chateau and market place (Friday morning for the market). Also here is a huge indoor / outdoor water park (CenterParcs style) with a beach. Cognac (49kms north) is, as the name suggests, famous for Cognac and you can visit various distilleries to discover how it's made. Don't miss the town centre however as it's great for shopping and admiring the architecture. It also hosts a great music festival in June. Bordeaux (65kms south) A big city with a Park-and-Ride which uses the tram network, making it very easy to enjoy a day out. Superb architecture and various wine tours just in case you crave some bustle. Royan and St Georges-de-Didonne (77kms west) boasts a super sandy beach and a well kept zoo. St Emillion (70kms south east) very famous for its wine and a lovely little town to visit. La Rochelle (147kms north west) a gorgeous port with lovely streets and an interesting Aquarium. The Dune de Pyla and Arcachon (135km south). Arcachon is a superb chic coastal town, sandy beaches and a long promenade full of restaurants and shops. The dune is a bit further round the coast and is the largest sand dune in Europe, it is breath-taking (and recently voted the second best beach in the world by The Guardian newspaper). Angoulême (65km north) is an old city with panoramic views from the ancient ramparts. It is an internationally renowned centre for Cartooning, with a festival and museum. In September, the Circuit des Remparts is a gathering for classic cars racing on the ramparts and a rally through the Charente countryside. We don’t want you to feel that you’re moving house when coming on holiday so we provide all linen and towels, including pool towels, all of the cleaning materials you’ll need, and all consumables for the dishwasher and washing machine; we even supply the loo paper! On arrival, the kitchen will be stocked with some basic staples and a welcome pack will be waiting for you.