Whanui (Haven) in Paille

Light and airy 3 bedroom house offers a quiet haven to relax and explore the Charente Maritime region. With additional living space upstairs, a large lounge, separate kitchen and pergola in the garden there is plenty of space for you to enjoy some wine and unwind. This three bedroom semi-detached house is in the Charante Maritime region of France in the village of Paille, just over an hour’s drive from La Rochelle, Poitier and Cognac. Featuring exposed beams, original stone walls and a wood burner in the lounge, the house sleeps 6 people in comfort and has been renovated to include all you need including a tv and internet. Paille is a small village characteristic of the region, with its own grocery store and café. The village lies on the famous Santiago de Compostela footpath, the section that runs from Aulnay to St Jean d’Angely. Aulnay is only a 10 minute drive away, where you will find the 12th century Romanesque church of St. Pierre. Aulnay also has a weekly food market held in the square, and a range of good local restaurants. The other nearby town of St Jean d’Angely is larger and has a twice weekly food market. Here you will also find a range of restaurants, a lake with boating activities and a large indoor aquatic centre. Both of these towns also have supermarkets and petrol stations. The Atlantic coast provides numerous good safe beaches, lots of small towns and villages with great cafes and restaurants specialising in fresh local produce, including a wide variety of seafood, and of course the famous local drinks of cognac and pineau (a blend of cognac and wine). In addition there are a number of chateaus and local artisans to visit. HOUSE - Lounge – The lounge provides a relaxing comfortable space, with two sofas, a TV with DVD player, a range of books and board games, ideal for unwinding after a long day exploring the area. Kitchen and Dining Area – A well equipped spacious kitchen offers all you need to prepare meals, and the dining table provides seating for up to 6 people. There is also a washing machine provided should you need it. Adjacent to the kitchen you will find the downstairs bathroom with walk-in shower and WC. The built in oven is electric, the hobs are gas, which is supplied by gas bottles located at the rear of the house. Bedrooms – Upstairs there are 3 good sized bedrooms, the main bedroom has a king size bed, while the other two have either a king or a double. There is also a day bed on the large open planned landing area that can be used as a single bed. Bathroom – The upstairs bathroom contains a walk-in shower, wash basin and WC. Wi-Fi – Is provided throughout the house. Cleaning – Apart from the washing machine, also provided is a vacuum cleaner, ironing board and iron and a variety of cleaning products. A final clean must be done by the guests, or if preferred can be available at an additional cost of 60 euros, to be paid locally. Garden – The garden is located at the entrance to the property, most of which is grass, planted with a mixture of fruit trees, including fig, apple and cherry. There is also a wooden pergola with a grape vine growing over it to provide shade, here you will find a large wooden dining table and chairs, a great space for eating meals at any time of the day. There is plenty of room to park vehicles on the gravel drive both in front and to the side of the house. BBQ – There is a small BBQ in the pergola you are welcome to use. If you do use it then please clean afterwards and replenish any used fuel. No smoking – No smoking allowed in either the house or the garden. Pets – Sorry, no pets allowed. We will be just a phone call away and our local representative will make themselves available should you expereince any difficulties during your stay. Airports – main airport that operates all year round is Bordeaux (167 km): Flights from the UK also fly to La Rochelle (87 km), Poitiers (90 km) but they are more limited – an easy drive usually just under an hour. Trains – There is a local service that runs through St Jean d’Angely from Niort to Saintes. From Sainte you can travel onto other destinations Within 2 hours of the property there are theme parks (Puy du Fou - the second most popular theme park in France after Disneyland Paris), Futuroscope at Poitiers is just over an hour away and there are a number of water parks across the region. La Palmyre, Vallee des Singes, Zoorama are exhilarating family days out. The famous Venice Vert is within an hour’s drive with boat trips, eateries and pretty villages that attract artists from around the globe. Cycling is a hugely popular activity, especially on the local islands of Ile de Re, Ile d'Oloron and the car-free Il d'Aix. There are plenty of Tourist Information Offices available in local towns with the closest being in Aulnay and the property owners have left a supply of booklets and information to help you explore