Barn with heated pool . In village with shop & bar

Converted stone barn, in the heart of the lovely village of Dampierre-sur-Boutonne. With village shop, bar/cafe & Renaissance Chateau within 400 meters A lovely romantic getaway for 2, as the bedroom has a Super King Size bed, but can sleep 4 if required. A spacious living/kitchen/dining area and a large covered terrace area with your own BBQ. The property has a gorgeous heated pool (10 x 5m) with sun terrace, games barn with pool table, table tennis and other games, sun deck and lawn area. The Barn is one of three gites at La Petite Ferme Gites, Dampierre-sur-Boutonne, which was originally a working farm in the heart of the village. The Barn has been lovingly restored keeping it's original stone walls, exposed beams and even the rings where the animals used to be tethered. You enter the Barn from the large, private terrace. The front door opens into a large, airy (and cool in the summer) kitchen/living area. The kitchen is fully equipped and contains all the equipment and utensils you should need during your stay including oven, hob, microwave, fridge, toaster, kettle and filter coffee machine. The lounge area has a double sofa bed, arm chair, coffee table and TV, with a dining table and 4 dining chairs. Upstairs is a large bedroom with stone walls and exposed beams. There is with a super king size bed and 2 single beds. The single beds are in the eaves, with restricted headroom, so are more ideally suited to young children. With the sofa bed in the living room, there are a number of possibilities for sleeping arrangements. There is room for a cot if required. There is hanging space and two sets of drawers, bedside tables and bedside lights. The shower room leads off from the bedroom. The outside private terrace is large and airy, with a table, chairs and BBQ. Plenty of room for sunbeds should you wish to relax. The back half of the terrace remains in the shade all day long, so is the perfect place to keep cool and chill out. It is a lovely spot to relax and eat in the evenings. There is a beautiful and newly refurbished 10 x 5 m heated pool, with ample sunbeds and parasols. The pool area is in the sun the for the whole day. There is a large patio and pebbled area surrounding the pool, with rattan sofas and parasols making a lovely pool lounge area, perfect for relaxing during the day or watching the sunset from in the evening. There is also a large games barn to amuse both the children and the adults alike. It is equipped with a pool table, table tennis, table football, darts and a number of board games, books and DVDs. We also provide equipment that can be used on the lawn area such as badminton, football, boules, mollky and frisbee. Excellent Wifi and English TV (freeview) or French TV are available in the gite. We have 2 friendly cats who live with us on site. Bath towels and bedding provided, but we ask guests to provide their own pool/beach towels. There are laundry facilities are on site, including a washing machine, clothes driers, iron and ironing board. There is also a freezer and ice maker available. The Barn is one of three gites at La Petite Ferme Gites, the other two being The Farmhouse (sleeps 6) and Fig Tree Cottage (sleeps 2). Each gite has it's own private terrace/eating area and BBQ and do not overlook each other, so you can feel secluded. The guests do share the heated pool, games barn, sun terraces, lawn, laundry and parking. All three gites can be rented together should you require. There is ample space for parking on site and the property has gates which can be closed during the day and are locked at night. We are happy to accommodate bikers and cyclists and have a locked and secure garage that you can store your motorbikes and cycles in while you are with us. We have good practical knowledge of local running/walking, cycling and motorbike routes that we are happy to share with you if you would like. Access to all communal areas including the heated pool, the games barn, the sun terraces, the lawn and the laundry with washing machine. The facilities are shared with the other two gites, The Farmhouse which sleeps 6 and Fig Tree Cottage which sleeps 2 people. Each gite has their own private outside area, with garden furniture, for dining and relaxing. All 3 gites at La Petite Ferme Gites, can be rented together if you wish. We will be there to welcome you with a drink and the keys when you arrive We live on site, so will be available to answer any questions during your stay should you need, but will not intrude on your holiday in any way. La Petite Ferme Gites have the relaxed tranquillity of a gite in the French countryside but with the benefits of being in an active little village. A two minute walk to get your freshly baked baguette and croissants from the village shop in the morning or to pick up supplies for the day. The village cafe/bar, "Garage a Papi", is a quirky, chilled out place where you can sit and enjoy views of the sun setting behind the Chateau. The bar has indoor seating, but also has outdoor seating in it's large orchard, next to the river. Often musicians play on summer Sunday afternoons. Dampierre has a weekly Thursday evening market, with local producers and artisans selling a range of products. The village cafe/bar, "Garage a Papi", is a quirky, chilled out place where you can sit and enjoy views of the sun setting behind the Chateau. The bar has indoor seating, but also has outdoor seating in it's large orchard, next to the river. Often musicians play on summer Sunday afternoons. The Chateau de Dampierre is a beautiful renaissance chateau open to the public, with stunning gardens to walk through. They offer daily guided tours, as well as allowing you to freely explore by yourself. Throughout the year they have a range of art exhibitions and musical events. The river Boutonne flows through the village and around the chateau. Fishing, hiking and cycling are all accessible in the village. We can give you information on local routes and fishing spots. We can arrange bike and canoe hire or fishing trips. Aulnay, a charming little market town, with it's bar, restaurants, shops, twice weekly market and large supermarket (Intermache) is an 8 minute drive, while the larger, lovely market town of Saint Jean D'Angely is a 15 minute drive. Here you will find a number of supermarkets, bars, restaurants, twice weekly market, Abbey and a cinema as well as a range of leisure activities such as karting, boating, canoeing and swimming. Both towns are on the Santiago De Compostela pilgrimage trail and have stunning churches and other historic buildings to visit. There are very helpful tourist information offices in both towns. 3 miles away is the world famous Asinerie du Baudet du Poitou (Poitou Donkey Farm) home of the rasta donkeys and Zoodysee wild life park in Chize is a 15 minute drive away. Water sports, including paddle boarding, water skiing, kayaking and canoeing are a 25 minute drive away Ideally situated to be within a 60 minute drive of a number of historic and beautiful towns and a range of activities. The beaches and marinas of La Rochelle, Royan and Rochefort as well as a number of equally gorgeous, but lesser known beaches such as Fouras and Chatelaillon Plage are all less then a hour away. Stunning Charente towns worth a visit include Cognac, home of the world famous cognac houses of Martell, Hennessy and Reme Martin and an 18 hole golf course and Jarnac, a beautiful riverside town, home of Courvoisier. Saintes, Niort, and Angouleme are great towns for culture, sights and shopping. The Marais Poitevin, the Green Venice of France, is a great day out for boat trips and cycling. We provide each gite with a large pack of information on the local area and have range of maps including cycle and walking routes that we can share with you. La Petite Ferme Gites is the ideal place to relax and unwind and enjoy the tranquillity of the beautiful Charente Maritime, but there is plenty to do and lots to see in the area for those who want to explore. Plenty of space for car parking on site. Secure locked garage for motorbikes and bicycles No public transport We have 2 friendly cats, who live on site