Welcome to Calm, Tranquil Chassignolles

Rural relaxation. Honeysuckle at the gate. Simply sit and relax in the garden . Choose a hammock under an oak tree, a picnic next to a pond, a shaded terrace. The dream was to make a “home from home” & see stars in the night sky. We are in Indre, Centre, Val-de-Loire, in historic Berry. Explore Georges Sand country, La Chatre, 3 Lakes area, medieval chateau & villages. Or simply set off on a walk from the garden. Restaurants a short drive away or choose a picnic style evening meal . Welcome to our French house. The dream was for a place in the countryside, to make a “home from home” and escape from work. Guests stay in a studio type room called ‘Gite Hirondelle’. You have your own entrance, a bed-sitting area and a dressing room/bathroom/shower room. Hirondelle is close to the Hosts’ small farmhouse. The style is purposefully simple in furnishing & design, with quirky antiques, a brass double bed (painted sunshine yellow), fluffy pillows, artwork and a sink area with tea/coffee and china teapot & cafetiere. There is wifi (it’s adequate) & you can borrow a portable wifi for the garden. There is no TV, but music and books to read. A Chromebook (laptop) is provided. Everything was chosen for our “get away from it all” retreat. This began as our own holiday house and is now our permanent home. The garden is developing. The wildness, copse & wild flowers will always be here, but we are working with the landscape to create a place of tranquility. Now there are roses, trellis, wooden sculptures (from a fallen tree) a herb garden, a small mindfulness garden and an ‘area pique-nique’ with traditional table and benches next to a pond. Listen to the fountains and come across a windchime or a swing-seat. There is a small terrace outside Hirondelle and several planned ‘sitting areas’ around the garden in shade or dappled sunlight. Breakfast is available & served on a terrace surrounded by lavender, rosemary and Russian Sage. If the weather is unkind then breakfast can be taken in Gite Hirondelle. There is more to read and photos on our website: (Website hidden by Airbnb) You have access to Gite Hirondelle & the garden. Ruth & Nigel will greet you and start your break with tea or homemade lemonade in the garden. Enjoy scones, cake while Ruth tells you about Champ de la Grange and the local area. Breakfast (contintental) can be arranged. You can choose a leisurely breakfast or if you need an early start on a journey then a basic breakfast can be left in the fridge in Hirondelle. We are committed to being available or giving you privacy and take our lead from you. We are happy to share our love of the area or give you space and privacy on your 'vacance'. Ruth the host writes books about Mindfulness & relaxation. So if you like a simple, French countryide style, with quality a priority in comfort in duvets, pillows and linens then this is your type of place. The property is in a small hamlet with a single track road leading to the last house before a grass track and farmland. Berrichonne cattle graze and as I type this there is a field of sunflowers closeby. There are walking tracks, the old roads used in the past and we can suggest routes from the house or further afield. The house is in the Commune of Chassignolles which has a museum of rural living and was the setting for a book called Celestine by the author Gillian Tindall. We are close to Crevant with its bakers and general store and its lovely Parc des Parelles. It isn't far to the nearest restaurant in Chassignolles or Pouligny-Saint-Martin. A wider selection of restaurants, street cafes and markets in La Chatre and St Severe. As guests may have driven a long way there is an option of a prepared picnic basket (with china and glasses of course...this is a holiday) in the garden. La Chartre and Aigurande are larger market towns and it is 30 minutes to Argenton-Sur-Cruese and its river & Roman Museum. This is Georges Sand country and the chateau and tearoom are not far away. The castle or Sarzay is in the next commune to Chassignolles. Basically your break can be as busy or peaceful as you choose. If you are 'stressed out' and would like a guided mindfulness session in the shade of an ancient oak tree then Ruth is happy to offer a mindfulness relaxation session. Golf & horse riding are available at Pouligny-Notre-Dame. There is also water ski-ing near the Dryades Spa/Hotel. Being on the border of Creuse and Indre means it isn't far to Lake Eguzon or the 3 Lakes Area with watersports, lake beaches and views. There is more information on our website: (Website hidden by Airbnb) You really need a car to appreciate the area, unless you are content to spend time walking and enjoying the garden. The area is good for cycling with gentle hills and lots of options. Transport from Chateauroux Railway Station can be arranged. We wanted a house close enough to drive from the coast and near to an airport so we could visit for weekends. Limoges Airport is 90 minutes away with a choice of either a scenic route or the motorway. The roads are quiet between the house and Limoges. Car Hire at Limoges airport or Chateauroux Railway Station. Caen is the nearest port and a 4 hour drive. If you travel from Dover then you can drive in a day, but it can be more relaxing to stop off in somewhere like Chatres or the northern Loire Valley. The website gives further information about the house, the locality and further afield. We specialise in welcoming overnight guests, perhaps breaking off their journey south utilising the A20 free motorway. Stay for 1 or 2 nights or linger for longer. It is hard to describe the property. It isn't fitted out as a Gite and doesn't have a kitchen although it does have a fridge and tea/ coffee making facilities. It is more than a bedroom. It is a spacious studio with tea/coffee provided with a separate little room (called the dressing room) which opens into the bathroom. There is a double bed in Gite Hirondelle. If requested we can add a single 'camp bed' (put-u-up). There is a woodburning stove and we can provide you with logs on chillier days. There is an oil filled radiator in the dressing room and a calorgas Provence heater. There is also a new hot/cold fan for days when it isn't cold enough to light a fire but feels chilly in the morning. We like what we have created and we have kept the original features of the barn so it has a rustic identity. We are still considering whether to extend electric lighting into the bathroom. For now we think the lanterns create a lovely effect and it works well. We offer reduced rates to academics working on their thesis or book. Our daughter is an academic and quiet places to work are not easy to find. IF YOU DO A SEARCH ON CHAMP DE LA GRANGE YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ONLINE. We can send you details of our website when you book.