La Girondine, traditional farmhouse and pool

Surrounded by farmland and vineyards, La Girondine is an ideal location for an "away from it all" holiday just 45 minutes from Bordeaux. The area is ideal for cycling and hiking. The tiny medieval village of Castelmoron D’Albret is a short drive away as are the larger medieval towns of St Macaire and La Réole and the bastide towns of Sauveterre de Guyenne and Monségur. There are plenty of colourful local markets and many small vineyards offering wine tasting. A traditional “Girondine” style farmhouse built in the mid 19th century, La Girondine has been restored while keeping its simple, unpretentious charm and authenticity and retaining a lot of the original features such as stone and marble fireplaces, timber ceilings and exposed stone walls. The hall opens onto a cosy lounge a large stone fireplace fitted with a wood-burning stove. A fully equipped kitchen with farmhouse table is situated at the back of the house. It opens onto a large covered terrace with - enclosed on three sides - where you can eat whatever the weather. There are three spacious and light bedrooms at the front of the house, decorated and furnished in keeping with the style of the house. There is a full bathroom and a shower room - both with WC, and a utility room with washing machine. The terrace opens onto a lovely 9 X 4 metre pool surrounded by timber decking and backed by vines. La Girondine is totally private and is set in 2000 sq metres of mature garden with fruit trees. The pool is private and so is exclusively for the use of guests staying at La Girondine The house is completely independent. You will be left to yourselves to enjoy the peace and quiet. This traditional stone farmhouse, built in the "girondine" style, is situated in the hamlet of St Exupéry near the bastide town of Sauveterre de Guyenne in the heart of Entre deux Mers, a particularly pretty part of the Bordeaux wine growing area with many small vineyards producing reasonably priced local wines. The house is surrounded by vineyards, fields and woodland and is less than an hour's drive from Bordeaux (35 miles). Nearby Sauveterre (8kms) has shops, supermarkets, restaurants and a weekly market. The old railway line between Sauveterre and Bordeaux provides 55kms of idyllic, dedicated cycle track. Many historical buildings dot the area. St Exupéry's own Romanesque church is a listed building. Many famous painters and writers lived locally and you can visit the châteaux of Montesquieu, Mauriac and Toulouse-Lautrec. The St Emilion wine-growing area with its UNESCO listed medieval village and prestigious wines is only a 30-minute drive from the house. The railway station at La Reole (7 kms) provides easy access to Bordeaux. If you prefer to drive, Bordeaux is reachable by motorway from Langon (50 mins) or along the beautiful D10 road which follows the Garonne valley. Atlantic beaches and the bay of Arcachon are just over an hour’s drive away, with miles of sandy beaches. The sand dune at Le Pyla is the highest in Europe and is a great favourite with families. As La Girondine is in a rural area, a car is essential. La Girondine is the first house in a hamlet of about 10 houses in St Exupéry. The nearest shop is 2 kms away (Morizès). There is a full range of shops in Sauveterre and La Réole both of which are about 8 kms away. There are also weekly markets in both towns as in many others in the area.