Abelia

This family friendly gite is a purpose converted section of a barn and great care has been taken over the finishing details.

Whilst retaining many of the old features, it is equipped with all the necessities of modern living. The gite is set within the 1.5 hectare grounds of a 200 year old Charentaise farm, with beautiful walks direct from the property. The enclosed pool is surrounded by lovely countryside views and make a perfect area for the whole family to relax and enjoy themselves.

It is just a short car journey to all the local amenities and there are pony treks for any riding enthusiasts just down the road - all in all an excellent place for a great family holiday!

The style throughout this gite is a well balanced mixture of old and new, with exposed stonework and beams alongside new limed wooden flooring. Plenty of natural light pours into the gite, making it feel light and cool. You enter the house from a private patio area through large French doors which open directly into the open plan L shaped living, dining and kitchen areas - much easier for supervising little people whilst preparing meals.

The living room houses two new modern leather three seater sofas, an inset log burner, flatscreen TV with English and French Satellite TV and DVD. The woodburner keeps the property lovely and warm for those out of season holidays and electric radiators for the bedrooms can be provided if it is particularly cold.

The dining area has a farmhouse style table and will seat six comfortably. The kitchen is fitted with fantastic oak units and a range style cooker, dishwasher, washing machine, large fridge freezer and microwave - everything you could need on holiday!

On the first floor, there are two double bedrooms and one twin bedroom, all finished to a very high standard with simple yet stylish decoration. They are served by a modern shower room with separate shower cubicle (a baby bath can be provided on request).

A phone is provided should you need to contact the English houseowners without searching around the farm. They are a charming family who will do everything possible to make your stay as pleasurable as possible.

The farm buildings are set within a 1.5 hectare plot of farmland, overlooking fields and woodland. Through the large French doors you are led outside the property to the private patio area, complete with BBQ, looking out onto fields. There is plenty of garden furniture not only on the patio but throughout the grounds should you need it, newly planted flowerbeds and even a herb garden.

At the side of the property is the fantastic heated enclosed pool (shared) which is securely gated. The pool area is kept locked, but you will be given a key on arrival. 

The pool area has a gazebo providing pool-side shade, and a poolside loo and wet room, invaluable for little people who can't wait!

Opposite the property is the enclosed and gated car park, keeping any traffic away from children.

On a field situated away from the gite and gardens there is a traditional Yurt sleeping 4 people. This yurt is a traditional wood and canvas construction, with proper beds, wooden floors and doors. The yurt is available to rent as additional accomodation if required. Please enquire for details.

Parent point: There is a low wall (70cm) to the side of the patio area surrounding a raised level flower bed which little climbers may be tempted to scale so supervision may be needed here.

• Enclosed saline swimming pool
• Enclosed grounds
• Outdoor climbing frame/swing
• Selection of toys for the under 5s
• Child safety window catches
• Stairgates
• Bed guard
• Cots and cot linen
• Baby monitor with `walkabout` handset
• Microwave
• Steriliser
• Highchairs
• Booster seat
• Hand blender
• Plastic plates, cups and cutlery
• Potty
• Step
• Changing mat
• Bath toys

For the children…
Abelia has a lovely enclosed garden with plenty of space to play and run around. Opposite the gite is a field with several very friendly ponies and goats, all very keen on a bit of attention from the children! A brand new timber children’s play area with a climbing frame and swing was installed in Summer 2009.

There is also a selection of children’s and adult bikes and there are plenty of ride routes direct from the property, without ever having to use a public road.

Set in beautiful Charentaise countryside, surrounded by farm and woodland, there are plenty of lovely walks and cycle rides direct from the property. There is Fishing just a short walk from the gite and licences can be arranged for you by the house owners. Within a five minute drive there are some stables with child and adult pony trekking available - a perfect way to entertain the whole family.

A 10 minute drive away at Mansle, a very pretty riverside town, you will find all the local amenities such as supermarkets, banks and a pharmacy. For those in search of some great French food, there are numerous restaurants in the area with the closest being only 5 minutes away; if you prefer to cook your own feast, there are several markets in the surrounding towns for lovely local produce.

Apart from the many 'caves' offering tastings of the local Charentaise tipple, Pineau, a trip to Cognac is also well worth planning, with its numerous world famous cognac houses, a beautiful town to wander around and a lovely park with play areas in the centre.

A great attraction for the whole family is Vallee des Singes (Monkey World), a fantastic park with over 300 monkeys living in the trees above you as you walk around - not a cage in sight! There is a petting zoo, an adventure play area and even a place to stop and have a meal or just a coffee whilst the children play. There is also Futuroscope, a French theme park which has extreme thrills, images in giant-screen format, breathtaking shows, interactive adventures that will delight your senses and more.

Beaches at Royan and La Rochelle are under two hours away and in the more immediate area, lake beaches offer that essential bucket & spade time, most with water sports available. For the more energetic there is canoeing at Mansle, Ruffec and Montbron.

Angouleme is just half an hour away and it is a beautiful university city, set on the top of a hill surrounded by ancient ramparts. The city offers great shopping and has some of the best restaurants in the Charente, not to mention the numerous cafes which allow you time to just sit and watch the world go by. Angouleme is also host to an exciting Vintage Street Rally around the ramparts in September.

Before booking, please read our Terms and Conditions. Bookings are generally taken for full weeks and the availability tab 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 Pricing and Availability tab above.

Price includes: linen, towels, electricity and heating