The LONGHOUSEIN MAY, JUNE AND JULY 2007 prices held over this year. Genuinely within easy driving distance to superb beaches at the mouth of the Gironde and on the Atlantic coast - convenient to Bordeaux, Cognac, Royan and La Rochelle. We realise that, during the early months of the year, airplane and ferry timetables don't necessarily conform easily to a Saturday to Saturday rental week. So, contact us and we'll see about a schedule that fits with your particular travel opportunities. We're offering a discount of 25% off the Out-of-Season prices for visits to the 26th of April '08. The Longhouse at Maison Borges is a two story house spanning the entire end of a Charentaise barn. Like many traditional rural French dwellings, The Longhouse is effectively a stand alone house with its outlook to the North, West and East and is shielded to the South by the barn - the massive stone and oak-beamed grange. The cool and shady, north facing veranda overlooks the swimming pool and provides panoramic sunlit views of the surrounding vineyard and sunflower quilted landscape. This spacious, fifteen metre long elevated veranda, perfect for dining and socialising, is our inspiration for the name, "The Longhouse" - a configuration evocative of the longhouses native to the jungles of Borneo. Main floor - upstairs The open plan living room - Salle de Commune - is on the first floor*. This main room is large, about 75 sq metres, 750 sq ft. It's 15m long north wall is nearly all glass, with 4 double "French windows" and two double "French doors" which lead onto the veranda. There are two leather sofas, a superb glass fronted, cast iron, log burning stove, a DVD player and monitor, sound system and a bookcase containing a selection of books, CDs and DVDs as well as about a 500 volume "vintage" science fiction book collection - well we had to put it somewhere! The island kitchen allows the "cooks" to look out onto the room and enjoy the landscape beyond. The kitchen is fully equipped with a large refrigerator and freezer, a dishwasher, drawer units, an extra wide all gas cooking stove, coffee maker, juicer, etc. The dining room table comfortably seats 6 to 8. A full set of dishes, cutlery, serving crockery and tableware completes the furnishings. Tucked in behind the staircase surround is a sleeping nook with two full sized single beds for the extra accommodation of two adults or children. Downstairs The back entrance, which gives direct access to the swimming pool and the car park, opens on to a wide corridor. Beside the door is a vestiaire (cloakroom) which provides a private hand basin and WC for those using the sleeping nook. The vestiaire also contains the clothes washing machine; and the vacuum cleaner, mops and brushes are closeted there. The master bedroom, with exposed beams and Charente stone walls is spacious. It has either a queen sized, double bed or two single beds, depending on the needs of occupants. There is a settee, hanging space and a drawer unit, as well as under-bed roll-away storage units.
It's en suite bathroom has a large (180cm, 6ft) bathtub along with a hand basin and WC. Leading off the main bedroom is the Morning Terrace, a private patio which catches the morning sun (to about 11 AM in the summer!). The second bedroom is of the same stone and wood-beamed style. It, too, has either a double bed or two single beds, a hanging space and it's en suite shower room with hand basin and WC. Décor and style. Generally, the style of the renovation of The Longhouse is traditional tradifage pointed Charentaise stone walls, selected areas of white wall to reflect light, exposed structural wood including massive beams in the salle de commune and a wooden vaulted ceiling. The main entrance, kitchen and all of the downstairs floors are of ceramic tiles. The main living room has wall-to-wall "Berber" wool carpeting. Out-of-season (Oct/Nov to Mar/Apr) heating including, in the living room upstairs, the "friendly" log fire, an easy to use glass-fronted cast-iron wood burning stove which tops up ambient temperature or "stays in" throughout the night. Pictures decorating the walls are selected from a unique set of photographs taken for "Time Life Books" by photographer Anthony Howarth, while living for several months on the island of Borneo, "up river" in central Sarawak, in a traditional Iban longhouse. For some people, the pictures on the walls, or the nostalgic collection of books alone, would be reason enough to chose the Longhouse at Maison Borges for their holiday. For others, there is the grand swimming pool and walled gardens with the mature Lime and Walnut trees of Maison Borges; and the calm and quiet; and the delights of the Charente-Maritime countryside, towns, antiquities and attractions. And then, there are the glorious sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast and the Gironde estuary; the seafood restaurants; the wineries and distilleries of Bordeaux and Cognac; the fresh sweet oysters sold on the local church steps every Sunday morning.... The Swimming Pool The Polynesian Pool is a 15 metres x 15 metres swimming pool, fully fenced in, with generous sunbathing space on it's wide, surrounding tiled terrace, and a beach, and "Wildcat Island". Heating and log fireplace. Private parking space. A large number of bicycles are available on a non-exclusive, bike-pool basis - gratis. A few bicycles are specifically suitable for children.
WHERE IN FRANCE?
Our nearest village of Gémozac, with supermarkets, 2 weekly street markets, 3 patisseries, 2 chemists, doctors, dentist, etc., is just 5 minutes away. It's an easy bicycling distance for fetching the morning's fresh croissant. Sandy beaches go from our "local" Meschers-sur-Gironde and Saint-Georges-de-Didonne (20 minutes), and continue on and on, both south and north of Royan. Our nearest town is Saintes(20 min) - one of the world's beautiful small cities. Maison Borges is situated close to Jonzac (25 min), Royan(30 min), Cognac(40 min), La Palmyre(40 min), La Rochelle(60 min), Bordeaux(60 min) and Arcachon(90min). ACCESS It is easy to get here: Cheap flights to La Rochelle, Bordeaux or the more distant Limoges from many countries. From the North by car, A10 autoroute south to exit 36, you're less than 10 minutes away. From the UK by car and ferry or tunnel: St Malo about 450 kilometres, péages €17; Caen 550km €30; Le Havre 640km €30; Paris 500km €40; Calais 790km €60; good highways, remarkably uncrowded out of season.
[I used routier: http://www9.mappy.com/?lang=en]
Private airfields include Saintes, 15min away. And, we have a wire and tree free field next door for helicopter landing. CHARENTE-MARITIME
(even the name sounds good) Big sky country; gently undulating, rural, sparsely populated, well wooded and coppiced and astonishingly well stocked with classic birds of prey. On the Atlantic Coast, this seaside department, in the region of Poitou-Charente, is also great walking country and superb for cycling and horse riding. Stress-free region; little traffic, almost no crime - no pressure. Even buzzzz bikes are rare. In the high season it is still possible to find un-crowded roads. Beaches, Sports and Pastimes
There are marvelous beaches: Locally, or towards and beyond La Rochelle, and south from Royan to the great sand dune of Arcachon, there is about a 100km of perfect silver sand. Water sports of all kinds, include surfing, sailing and boating schools. Sea, river and lake fishing can be arranged. Fine golf courses, riding stables, tennis, karting, motocross and all-wheel drive eventing is in the area. Horse racing and trotting, rugby, of course, and soccer at local and national levels. Other pastimes include bird watching, flying kites (superb) and flying machines including micro-lites, etc. - closest airfield field, 15km. DAY TRIPS
La Palmyre - one of Europe’s most innovative zoos.
La Rochelle - Yacht harbours and a very special Aquarium.
Royan - seaside promenade and a superb orchid house.
Poitiers - Futuroscope theme park is not too far away.
Toulouse - an unexpectedly grand and interesting city. At Cite de l’espace you can walk through the Mir Space Station and rub shoulders with an "Ariane 5" space rocket. WINES AND FOOD
We are situated in a triangle with Cognac and Bordeaux; distilleries and wineries abound and are fascinating to visit. The Charentaise wines, drunk locally, hold up well against their more illustrious neighbours. Oysters, sold on the steps of the churches on Sunday mornings, are sweet, superb and cheap. The general standard of coquillage and other sea food is exceptional. HISTORY
Saintes, once the capital of the Roman province of Gaul - amphitheatre, a triumphal arch, etc.
Territory of Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard the Lion Heart and “bad” King John, and, “by the wrath of God, Queen of England” when she had divorced the French King, Louis VII, to marry Henry II, King of England.
As part of Europe's Celtic fringe, southwest France was home to the Arcadians who, like the Scots and the Irish, were "encouraged" to emigrate, often forcibly, to The New World, giving their name to the Cajuns and to Canada.
Classic Romanesque facades built onto Charente-Maritime farmhouses testify to profits made from shipping (smuggling more likely) millions of bottles of claret and cognac to England’s south coast over several centuries. Prices: We've kept last year's prices. Out-of-Season: September 07 through June 08
(Spring Discount -- 10% off these prices!) GBP 945* Maison Euros 1190 per week. GBP 710* Longhouse Euros 890 per week. GBP 615* Dovecote Euros 770 per week. GBP 590* Atelier Euros 740 per week. GBP 355* Source Euros 440 per week. Our Out-of-Season schedule includes holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Easter, Spring, Autumn and Winter school breaks. High-Season: July (July discount -- 15% off these prices!) & August; GBP 1415* Maison Euros 1790 per week. GBP 1125* Longhouse Euros 1420 per week. GBP 999* Dovecote Euros 1270 per week. GBP 945* Atelier Euros 1190 per week. GBP 535* Source Euros 670 per week. * Prices are in Euros. These GBP sterling equivalents are given for your convenience and are at today's rate of exchange (1st June 2008). We will update these approximates from time to time, as energy and the mood takes us. We accept Euros or GBP sterling at the current exchange rate at the time of confirmation of the booking. Please see our General Terms and Conditions.
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