Rose - B&B equipped for the able & less able.

We are located in the heart of a small village close to the medieval town of Pons (6 kms). Cognac, Saintes and Jonzac are 20 minutes away. Bordeaux and La Rochelle around 1:15hrs away. There are many restaurants in the local towns and villages giving you a choice between menu du jour and gourmet. The coast and its famous safe, sandy beaches are 40 mins to the west. The islands of Oleron and Ré are within 1 hrs drive. In the summer we are surrounded by fields of sunflowers and vines. Our chambre d'hôte has been designed to cater for both the able and less able guest. It measures 36m2 and includes a bedroom area, sitting room area and large private en suite bathroom. The bedroom contains a king size bed and a beautiful cherry wood armoire (wardrobe) with plenty of hanging and shelf space. The lounge area has a small settee and armchair facing onto the television and dvd player. We have a selection of both books and DVDs in our library, both in French and English. The en suite bathroom a large walk in Italian shower which is accessible to wheelchair users and has a seat and handrail. There is no vanity unit under the sink so the specially designed sink is wheelchair friendly. The WC is also slightly higher than normal and has a handrail to ensure ease of use by all our guests. The room is heated by the same pompe à chaleur (heat pump) that heats our house. It operates 24/7 keeping the room at an ambient temperature of around 20 - 21C. There is a small kettle, cups and saucers, tea bags and coffee etc in your room. You will have full access to all the facilities on site. These include: 1. Our heated (28C) salt water swimming pool (11m x 5m) which is open from April to October. 2. The laundry / library houses 2 washing machines, a iron and ironing board, a collection of French & English DVDs and books and tourist information. 3. An indoor games room with table football, table tennis, board games and games for the garden. 4. We have a large covered and secure toddler's play area in the garden with a ball tent, swing, slide, colouring desk etc which is open throughout the spring and summer. 5. We also have a magnificent Grande Salle (function room). This former Chai (wine storage barn) measures approximately 88m2 and is an adaptable space. It can be hired for a multitude of events such as receptions, exhibitions, exercise classes etc. We can arrange catering for large parties. It can also be used for small business meetings, seminars or conferences with additional indoor and outdoor breakout areas. We have a 2.1 x 1.3m mobile whiteboard with integrated projector. 6. Free Wi-fi is available throughout the property, including the gardens and pool area. 7. In the garden, during the spring & summer, we have a study swing and slide combination, terrain de boule , various games, picnic tables and chairs. We like to socialise with our guests when the opportunity arises but we are not intrusive. When we are on site we are always pleased to answer (or try to!) any queries that our guests may have, offer advice etc. We are in the heart of our village in the Petite Champagne and Haute Saintonge regions. We have several local ‘vignerons’ (wine growers) in the village producing wine for the cognac houses. There is also a small distillery, which produces ‘eau de vie’ for a leading cognac house. We are surrounded by vines and, in the summer, by fields of sunflowers. We are 6kms from Pons, a medieval fortified town on Le Chemin de Jacques de Compostelle. The medieval Hôpital des Pèlerins, built for the pilgrims, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area is teeming with sites to visit from the prehistoric Paleosite, just north of Saintes, the Roman amphitheatre in Saintes, medieval churches, Chateaux, the infamous Oradour sur Glane, the troglodyte caves at Meschers and more. The Charente meanders nearby with inviting walks. It runs through to Rochefort via nearby Cognac and Saintes. In Rochefort you can visit the old Arsenal and La Corderie Royale. The old dockyard is the home of L’Hermione, a working replica of Lafayette’s frigate that played a part in the American War of Independence. The sandy beaches of the Gironde Estuary and the Atlantic beaches of the Côte Sauvage are only 40 to 50 mins away. We are in a small village approximately 6 kms from Pons, our nearest town. A car, motorbike or other form of transport is therefore essential. We do have two old cats that live with us and made the journey over from England in 2015.