La Gueriniere, La Chataigneraie nr Fontenay-le-Comte - Pool - Sleeps 4/6/12 (3 gites)
These three adjoining properties – the Gîte (sleeps 4), the Cottage (sleeps 6), the Farm Maison (sleeps 9/12) – are in a rural setting with a shared swimming pool and each with its own mature garden and private terrace. They look over the lovely rolling farmland towards the distant hills of the windmills.
The small nearby town of La Châtaigneraie has all the necessary amenities while a short drive away are the Atlantic coastal beaches, Venice Verte and theme parks of Puy de Fou and Futuroscope.
La Guérinière - La Châtaigneraie - Vendée
La Guérinière is a hamlet of the commune of Cheffois. It is situated in Western France, in the Vendée, south of the Loire valley and between the cities of Nantes and Poitiers.
The property was built between 150 and 200 years ago but has been renovated and modernised over the last few years. The original farm cottage and barns have been converted to three properties - a farm maison and a recently renovated cottage and gîte. It is part of a hamlet of five houses, in an area of gently rolling open and wooded countryside farmed for agriculture and cattle. The area is known as the “bocage”.
The properties stand in around one acre of private and secluded gardens, with many areas of flowerbeds, lawns and some shady corners.
Steps lead down to a patio next to a fenced 10 metre long swimming pool. This pool is ideal for swimmers with one end having a depth of 2.1 metres and the shallow end being 1.25 metres deep. Sun beds are provided and there is also a table-tennis table under a rustic gazebo.
A path leads from the pool across a wooden bridge over a water channel through the trees to a more open area where, during the cooler parts of the day, the children (big and little!) can play football and other games (football nets provided).
Year round hire is possible because in all properties most rooms are equipped with electric convector heaters.
All properties are non-smoking and no pets please.
The Farm Maison - (Sleeps 9 – 12)
The entrance is through large green gates into a gravelled courtyard.
Downstairs - Entering the Maison through a vestibule you are immediately in a large open lounge, kitchen and dining area, the whole of which has a beamed ceiling and attractively tiled floors in the French manner. The lounge is comfortably furnished with three settees, a stool and a coffee table. There is a television, video (UK format), DVD and CD player. There is also a further seating area with another settee which converts to a double bed if necessary.
The dining area has a large pine farmhouse table and chairs and a dresser containing crockery, glassware and cutlery. The kitchen is well equipped with a dishwasher, automatic washing machine, microwave, cooker, fridge-freezer, kettle, toaster and coffee machine. The cooking pots and pans are in cupboards in the kitchen. A storage cupboard containing brushes, vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket etc., are accessed from the vestibule.
Upstairs - The varnished wooden stairs ascend out of the corner of the lounge up to a landing off which are the four bedrooms - two doubles, one triple and a family room. One of the doubles has a further single foldaway bed. The family room has a double bed and two single foldaway beds. All of the bedrooms have ample storage/wardrobe space.
There is a bathroom with bath (shower over), washbasin and toilet, and a shower room with shower, washbasin and toilet.
The upstairs extends into the roof space, the heavy roof beams being exposed, and apart from one of the doubles and the family room which have roof windows, the windows are, as you would expect, quite low.
Outside - There is a large covered veranda at the back of the house overlooking the rolling countryside – its an ideal place for barbecuing and eating outdoors, catching the sun from late morning until sunset. Garden furniture and a barbecue are provided. The veranda steps lead down into the gardens and access to the pool.
The Cottage - (Sleeps 6)
The entrance is through wide gates into a gravelled parking area and garden.
Downstairs - The main door of the Cottage leads straight into an open plan lounge and dining area with an extra seating area on the mezzanine above. The lounge and dining area, where the beams have been left exposed, are comfortably furnished with settees, table and chairs, television and DVD player, CD and tape player. Wide steps lead down under low beams into the well-equipped kitchen (cooker, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, kettle, toaster etc.). The cooking pots and pans, crockery and cutlery are housed in the kitchen cupboards. A doorway leads from the lounge to an inner hall and the varnished wooden stairs. A double bedroom and the bathroom (bath with shower over, toilet and washbasin) are accessed from the hall.
Upstairs - A double bedroom and low ceilinged and beamed shower room (shower, toilet and washbasin) are accessed from the landing at the top of the stairs. Going through a low doorway you find yourself on the mezzanine above the dining area. The twin bedroom (more suitable for children because of another low beam!) is accessed from the other side of the mezzanine.
Outside - Access to the Cottage’s own patio, the pool and gardens are from the main door of the Cottage. Garden furniture and BBQ are provided.
The Gîte - (Sleeps 4)
The main entrance to the Gîte is from a gravelled parking area adjacent to the lane.
Downstairs - The hallway leads into a large lofty lounge/dining/kitchen area with exposed beams. It is comfortably furnished with a settee, easy chairs, table and dining chairs. There is also a television, DVD player and CD/tape player. The kitchen area is equipped with a cooker, fridge, microwave, toaster and kettle and with pots and pans, crockery and cutlery. The shower room (shower, toilet, washbasin and washing machine) and the bedroom with two single beds are accessed off the hall.
Upstairs - The varnished wooden stairs ascend out of the lounge to a low-beamed double-bedded mezzanine bedroom.
Outside - The Gîte’s own patio, the pool and gardens are accessed through the French doors from the lounge. Garden furniture and BBQ are provided.
Local amenities
Shops - There is a boulangerie and part-time post office in Cheffois (3 miles). The closest small town is La Châtaigneraie (4 miles) where there are several boulangeries, two supermarkets and a range of other shops including clothes, shoes, pharmacy and newsagents as well as the post office, garages and church. Hypermarkets can be found in the bigger towns of Fontenay-le-Comte and Chantonnay.
Restaurants and cafes - In both Cheffois and La Tardiere, there are Café des Sports and you will find restaurants and crêperies in most small towns and large villages in the area. In La Châtaigneraie, there are several restaurants including Hotel La Poste opposite the post office, Lion d’Or opposite the square and Le Stelvio’s on the road to Fontenay-le-Comte.
Markets - There are markets in most towns. Only in the bigger towns are they held every week and it is best to arrive early as they close at lunchtime.
Places to visit - There’s lots to see and do in the locality of La Guérinière and its surrounding countryside – walking, cycling and horse-riding are available as well as swimming, fishing, golfing and water sports in the locality. Especially beautiful is the Mervent Vouvant Forest with its large lakes and forests which is about 20 minutes away.
For the more adventurous there are also micro-light trips and bungee jumping near Breuil-Barret, and go-karting at a track at Fontenay-le-Comte. It is also well placed for day trips to the chateaux of the Loire Valley, Futuroscope at Poitiers, and the coastal towns of La Rochelle, La Tranche and Les Sables D’Olonne all being between 1 and 1½ hours away. The Venise Verte, an area of waterways created by monks in the 13th century, is about 40 minutes drive away.
The Vendée has the second best climate in France after the Mediterranean taking advantage of the Atlantic Gulf Stream on the coast to the west.
It is a region steeped in history having been fought over many times by the English and the French; the most significant wars being the Hundred Years war, the Wars of Religion and the Vendéen war when the royalist peasants and nobility fought against the republican armies. After much fierce fighting, the republicans finally got the upper hand - thousands of people were shot or guillotined and to prevent more uprisings, the government of the region was moved from Fontenay-le-Comte to La Roche-sur-Yon, where it is today.
The famous chateaux and grounds of Le Puy de Fou, devoted to the history of the Vendée, are well worth a visit being about 45 minutes away; its evening Son-et-Lumiere presentations are quite spectacular although you will need to book for one of these before your holiday begins.
How to get there
Driving from the UK - The cross channel ferries from Portsmouth and Poole to St Malo, Caen and Cherbourg in Northern Brittany give you the least driving time in France (2½ - 5 hours). While the Dover-Calais routes give the shortest crossing time, travelling time in France increases to around 7 hours.
By plane from the UK and Ireland - It is now possible to get cheap flights from many of the regional airports in England, Scotland and Ireland to La Rochelle, Poitiers and Nantes. These airports are all approximately 1¼h drive from La Guérinière.
For details of availability and pricing, please see our website: www.la-vendee.co.uk
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