Le Beau Gite

Le Beau Gite is one of 6 lovely, child friendly gites at the stunning 
Le Beau Chateau.

What Penny thinks ....

Le Beau Chateau is a real treasure nestled on top of a hill on the edge a small village in the Charente countryside. The small 15^th century Chateau and the gites in the grounds have been lovingly renovated by its charming owners to provide a wonderful family holiday destination.

At the end of the terrace this gite benefits from fantastic views of the rolling Charente countryside. Its three bedrooms and spacious living accommodation are well suited for a family, perhaps with accompanying grandparents.

No compromises are made here by Nicki and David and this delightful cluster is a wonderful reflection of their hospitality and enthusiasm - the grown-ups will be thrilled by the attention to detail, the cleverly renovated properties and the views - whilst the children will delight in the myriad of amenities that have been laid on just for them! Set away from the complex, down in the meadows, are a variety of farmyard animals, children seem to quickly incorporate a daily visit into their routine to feed the goats, chickens and sheep. The weekly wine tasting evening (held early in the week) is an ideal chance for parents to have a "night off" and get together with David & Nicki and the other guests staying at the Chateau. Equally popular is the Pizza evening, with a separate sitting for the children. Pizzas are freshly made and cooked in front of your eyes in the fabulous oak fired pizza oven.

This is a fantastic place to take your family away on holiday.

Downstairs, the split-level open plan kitchen and living area is idea for family life, with a large dining room table and comfortable sitting area. The well equipped kitchen provides enough space to rustle up a wonderful meal from the delicious ingredients you can find at many of the local markets. Wherever possible, the brickwork remains exposed to highlight the original character.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms; the master double with ensuite and two twin rooms all large enough for a cot to be added. There is also family bathroom with an over bath shower.

With their attention to detail and to ensure you have everything you might need for your small people Nicki and David can provide you with a large variety of equipment including black out blinds, just ask nothing appears to be too much trouble.

'We really liked the crisp white bedlinen.'

Parent Point: The living area is split-level with one step between levels.

Le Beau Gite has its own BBQ and semi-private terraced area with table and chairs a lovely spot to enjoy an Aperitif before supper.  Overlooking the centre of the cluster it is ideally located to keep a close eye on the children as they play happily outside with the other children.

‘The kids are spoilt for choice and will have the time of their lives!'

Like the others, this gite benefits from the enormous number of facilities available at Le Beau Chateau - the shared solar heated swimming pool, huge sand pit (not visible from Le Rosier or Le Coin), trampoline and swings sets in designated play area and the list goes on...

For the children...if the solar heated pool, trampoline, sand pit and climbing frames are not enough there is always La Bergerie - the indoor play barn - that has been beautifully renovated to provide a safe and shady area for the children to play in. The barn has been set up with differing areas for different age groups, a comfortable area with floor cushions and seating so that a dvd or two can be enjoyed during those quieter wind down periods of the day, there is a spot for the younger ones to get creative with all manner of age appropriate toys and a wonderful dressing up box. The older kids certainly haven't been left out here with table tennis, table football to name just a couple of things but also a mezzanine area where they can escape and just hang out!

As for the grown-ups...well, if the children are happy then - with a glass of chilled rose in hand - the chances are they will be too! Nicki and David are past masters at putting on some wonderful evenings to bring the families together. They regularly host wine tasting evenings and from their oak fired pizza oven produce fantastic pizzas all served on a communal terrace beside the play barn (kids happy) overlooking the stunning views down the valley.

Located down in the fields away from the main Chateau complex are a number of farmyard animals -

As well as chickens and guinea pigs, there are some lovely friendly sheep and dwarf goats, just waiting to be fed!! they are a delightful addition to Le Beau Chateau all giving your children a wonderful opportunity to get to meet some fabulous farmyard animals up close.

• Enclosed swimming pools (adult and toddler pools)
• Enclosed grounds
• Saferty gates
• Bed guard
• Cots and cot linen
• Baby monitor with 'walk about' handset
• Microwave
• Steriliser
• Highchair(s)
• Booster seat
• Hand blender
• Plastic plates, cups and cutlery
• Potty
• Step
• Changing mat
• Bath toys
• Bouncy chair

Please note that as this is a cluster of properties, not all this equipment is made available in every gite and please request the items you need from the owner when you book.

and for the children (big and small) ........

• Outdoor climbing frames
• Trampoline
• Huge sand pit
• Large outdoor games eg Giant Jenga
• Toy barn
• Table tennis, table football
• Boules court
• 5 a side football pitch
• Archery
• Mountain bikes for hire
• Library of books
• TV with video library in play barn
• Games and Toys for all ages
• Tots zone in the play barn
• Horse riding at nearby stables

And not forgetting the grown-ups ........

• Wine tasting
• Pizza evenings
• Home cooked meals
• Babysitting
• Relaxation treatments
• Maid service
• Golf at nearby courses

Surrounding Le Beau Chateau is some stunning countryside leading you on plenty of gentle walks straight from the door, to explore rural French life.

Just a short drive away (less than 10 mins) is the beautiful village of Villebois Lavalette. In the center of this old town, there is an old wooden covered market that dates back to the 16th century. It was restored in the 19th century and is now an historic monument. There is a small, but lively market every Saturday morning. A 17th century sundial can be seen on a house that overlooks the market hall. The town is a reasonably small one but you will find most things that you need with banks, cash machines, newsagent, chemists, 2 boulangeries, a tourism office, garages, a large supermarket, doctors/dentists, cafe, and an excellent restaurant.

For those of you that would like to excite all your senses the local markets are a must, experience the fantastic local produce and take something special back to cook up a real taste of French cuisine.

Nearby Aubeterre is one of France's "plus beaux villages" and is the place to go for a bit of gentle, family canoeing (ideal for children from about the age of 3 onwards). We would highly recommend packing a picnic and your swimming costumes and preparing for a gentle morning on the river or sitting on the sand covered river beach where there is a good place to take a dip. The hillside town is definitely worth a visit with a great choice of restaurants around a sleepy village square with quaint shops and a fascinating subterranean church.

The town of Brantôme (just 45 minutes away), set in the lush green hills of the northern Dordogne, represents what is for many, the ideal French town. Lying beside the wide and tranquil waters of the River Dronne, where you can hire a canoe for a very gentle tour around the town. Brantome also has several places of interest including the imposing Benedictine Abbey, the atmospheric cloisters, the Medici Fountain, the Renaissance Pavilion with its distinctive round towers. There are elegant walled Italianate gardens, riverside churches and a lovely bridge, the Pont Goudé. Brantôme, for all its history and culture, contains many more modern delights and offers plenty of good shops, bars and restaurants. The riverside cafés are ever popular, combining good French food and drink with an extremely picturesque setting. 

Before booking, please read our Terms and Conditions. Bookings are generally taken for full weeks and the calendar below shows 7 night blocks; however many Owners are happy to consider bookings for additional nights and to consider different starting and departure dates outside of the busy periods.  Please enquire by clicking on an available period in the calendar below.

Please note that in the peak period from mid July to the end of August, the minimim booking period is 2 weeks.