House with pool in medieval village in SW France

When you stay here, you will get the best of both worlds. An idyllic retreat with undisturbed views of the gentle Gascon rolling countryside and the Pyrenees on the horizon, together with all the charm of traditional French village life on your doorstep. This is a relatively undiscovered part of South West France, where life rolls by at a very gentle pace. The area is famous for its medieval "bastides" and "castelnaux" and the village of Bassoues is one of the most vibrant and prettiest. I've mixed vintage pieces with more modern to make a comfortable and stylish retreat. The kitchen / dining room has everything you need to prepare simple and delicious meals. Electric oven / Gas hob / Dishwasher / Fridge / Food mixer, blender, weighing scales / plenty of wine glasses. The comfortable sitting room is the perfect spot to relax, when you've had enough of the sunshine. You can watch some UK terrestrial channels, choose from the selection of DVDs or connect your devices by HDMI cable to watch your favourite shows on Netflix etc. Entertainment: Bluetooth Bose wireless speaker / CD player / DVD player / TV. Selection of books and games. The cottage sleeps 4-6 comfortably. Bedroom 1 (upstairs) - large room with 160cm bed (larger than a UK King, between a US Queen and Super Queen). Access to a balcony which is the perfect spot for morning coffee - or evening sundowners. Bedroom 2 (upstairs) - 160cm double bed or 2 x twin beds Bedroom 3 (downstairs) - 160cm bed This is the coolest room in the house because part of one of the walls is slightly below ground level. There are two bathrooms: a family bathroom with shower/bath upstairs and a shower room downstairs. There is also a "cave" with a fridge-freezer & storage space on the ground floor accessed either from the outside or from the downstairs bedroom. This room is partially below ground level. Outside there are plenty of spaces to enjoy: sit or snooze in the shade on the veranda by the pool, try out the hammock or enjoy eating or sun-bathing on the terrace or by the pool. 7m x 3.5m pool, which is cleaned with "active oxygen", so you won't smell of chlorine. You have sole use of the pool. The pool has a hard cover (which conforms with legal safety requirements) but it is not fenced and it is not heated. Pool normally open from end May/beginning of June to end of September / early October depending on the weather. Bath towels are included in your rental, but please bring your own pool towels. Boules & darts are in the cupboard with the other games BBQ There is parking in front of the house and also several spots nearby. The village is a two minute walk away. The village of Bassoues was established as a "bastide" in the 14th century, although there has been a community here as far back at 978ad. Some of the 14th c architecture can still be admired today: the market hall ("halle") which sits astride the main square and still hosts the Sunday morning market and tables for lunch or dinner at the Café, the 43m high keep ("Donjon") which you can see from the cottage, the chateau remains, the ramparts & the two churches. Walk to the bakery to get your fresh baguette & croissants, enjoy a “prix fixe” lunch or dinner (13e - carafe of wine included!) or just a coffee or cold beer as you watch the world go by at the Café de Sport in the main square. A walk up to the top of the Donjon is well worth the effort for the panoramic views of the area. Go for a stroll around the lake, where you can also fish (with a licence available from the Mairie). There are tennis courts and a boules pitch. There’s a vibrant rugby club and you shouldn’t miss a home game during the season. There are two potteries, three vintage / brocante shops, a handful of pop-up artisan shops, a clothes shop & a gallery run by a resident artist. You can even get a haircut. The bakery also has a shop which sells essentials and specialities from local suppliers. All in all, you can entertain yourself without having to get in the car. When you do fancy a change of scene there is plenty to do within an hour’s drive or just a little further afield the Pyrenees or the Atlantic coast awaits. A car is essential to enjoy the surrounding area.