IN MAY, JUNE AND JULY 2007 prices held over this year.THE SOURCE - The Source cottage is a perfect hideaway for a couple; or anyone who just feels a need to "get away from it all". It's an in-expensive retreat. It is rural and quiet, here. The local town, shopping, fresh bread and croissants, is an easy pre-breakfast bicycle ride away; is about five minutes by car. 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. What we have is a tree lined drive with lavender borders, extensive, wooded walled gardens with wonderful old stone buildings scattered around - restoration with imagination and style. When we first came to the little hamlet of La Tournerie, the well, which is alongside the main barn, was our only source of water. We used the old cast iron pulley to draw up the bucket. It was some time, before we realised that the wall behind the well had originally contained a high archway giving access from inside the barn. It had been filled in with stones. Once it was cleared, and the tall arch revealed, the concept for the Source cottage at Maison Borges was born. Genuinely within easy driving distance to superb beaches at the mouth of the Gironde and on the Atlantic coast - near Royan, convenient to Bordeaux, Cognac and La Rochelle. Upstairs:
A large, 30 square metre (300 sq ft), carpeted bedroom with a big double bed, capacious mohogany chest-of-drawers, old mahogany wardrobe with hanging space, and ensuite bathroom with ceramic tiled floor and a luxurious shower, hand basin and WC. And, there is a bathtub. Downstairs:
Vestiaire (cloakroom), utility room with washing machine, hand basin and WC.
Open plan living room, dinning room and fully equipped kitchen.
There is a sofa, easy chairs, book case, and DVD/CD player. The Source's high insulated ceiling helps cool the cottage during the summer. With it's Scandinavian style glass-fronted wood-burning stove/fireplace, The Source is cozy and warm out-of-season. We supply the logs. The Source has Charentaise stone walls, exposed wooden vaulted ceiling with huge main beams in the bedroom.
The view through the well window is of the garden we call The English Park, because of it's Northern European trees: walnut, lime, oak, birch, ash and maple. (The young gingko hales from farther afield, having come here with us by sailing ship.) The Source has parking and private terrace. Then there's the pool! DéCOR AND STYLE Generally, the style of the renovation of The Source is traditional tradifage pointed Charentaise stone walls, selected areas of white wall to reflect light, and exposed structural wood. The main entrance, kitchen and all of the downstairs have ceramic tile floors. The upstairs has floors of wall-to-wall "Berber" carpeting in the bedroom and ceramic tiles in the bathroom, and a wooden vaulted ceiling with massive beams. Outside, there is the grand swimming pool and walled gardens with the mature Lime and Walnut trees; and the calm and quiet; and the delights of the Charente-Maritime countryside, towns, antiquities and attractions. 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.... SWIMMING POOL A 15 metres x 15 metres pool with generous sunbathing space on it's wide, surrounding tiled terrace, and a beach, and an island, too. Heating and log fireplace. Private parking space. Bicycles are available on a non-exclusive, bike-pool basis - gratis. 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. Private airfields include Saintes, 15min away. 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. You can find fine golf courses, riding stables, tennis, karting, motocross and all-wheel drive eventing 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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