Information
Description Inside Property:
Alouette is a charming courtyard cottage near Cognac and Angoulême, situated in a quiet hamlet amidst peaceful, undulating countryside, sunflowers and vines, perfect for that 'get away from it all' holiday, yet only 20 mins away from historic Angoulême with its many attractions.
It is an old Charantaise farmhouse, tastefully restored and quaint, with lovely views of the courtyard, fields of sunflowers and vines.
It consists of a lounge/diner with two double bedrooms (one with a double bed, the other with three single beds), sleeping up to 5 in all.
The lounge area has ample seating for 5, with Satellite HD TV/ HD DVD player with expanding DVD library, a range of books and games and free WIFI internet access (Broadband).
The kitchen area is fully equipped with a large range of utensils, crockery, cutlery, glassware, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, cooker, toaster, kettle and microwave.
There is also a wood burning stove, making it cosy for those cooler autumn evenings and ideal for long winter lets and those wishing to house hunt in the area.
There is a separate toilet/shower room and also utility room with washing machine, iron, ironing board, airer, vacuum cleaner etc.
Outside, there is gated private parking in the courtyard, use of garden furniture, BBQ, parasol etc.
All bed linen and towels are provided, including pool towels. Utilities are also included in the price.
A Welcome Basket is made available for you on arrival, as we know what it is like to arrive tired and weary after a long journey when all the shops have closed for the day.
There is easy access via a door in the courtyard to our large garden with ball games/kite flying/frizbees/croquet/boules in the Boules Court/ table tennis on our quality outdoor TT table, and the 11x7m heated pool.
You can relax by the pool and soak up the summer sunshine whilst choosing from an abundance of activities and places to visit in our area.
Description Outside Property:
Parking within the gated courtyard.
Description of Facilities:
Free WIFI internet connection (Broadband)
Additional Information
Description of Local Area and Activities: A vast variety of sights and activities await you here, all within striking distance. Here are a few tasters, but for more detailed information, please visit www.visitcharente.com
SOME PLACES FOR YOUR 'MUST VISIT' LIST
ANGOULEME : (18k) the capital of Charente and home of Comic Strip. Take a walk on the Circuit of Wall Paintings to discover numerous wall paintings (20 in all) by famous comic-strip authors. Angouléme is also famous for its' paper mills industry, Le Nil being the main museum. Angoulême is a real must visit with hundreds of places/museums etc. to enjoy, and that Al Fresco meal at any time of the day or night.
PLAN D'EAU : a 40 hectare leisure lake on the outski
rts of Angouleme (20 mins) has fishing, boating, sailing, wind-surfing, tennis courts and swimming. Spend a day there and take a picnic.
COGNAC : (44k) Besides its famous cognac producers, Cognac is a well-visited historic town with shops, museums, boutiques, bars and restuarants to suit every taste and cafés. For more about the history and economic impact of the cognac industry, a visit to Le Musée des arts du cognac is well worth a visit.
For tennis enthusiasts, the Cognac Tennis Club has a choice of 18 courts to choose from. For a more relaxing idea, try a river cruise on the Charente.
BRANTOME-SUR-DRONNE : (45k) A picturesque medieval village on the river Dronne in the Dordogne. Shops, boutiques, market, history, restaurants and cafés, canoe hire. A popular place well worth spending a day there.
AUBETERRE-SUR-DRONNE : (35k) Another picturesque medeival village with steep lanes, boutiques, market square with shops and restaurants and has the finest underground church in Europe, the church Saint Jean. Aubeterre has it's own sandy man-made beach where a lifeguard guarantees safe swimming during the tourist season, also canoeing for all abilities.
ROUMAZIERES : (74k), has the 'Velo Rail' (cycle rail). A great fun-day's outing, so be sure to take a picnic for the family.
OTHER ACTIVITIES/VISITS : All within easy reach of us. Biking, horse riding, quad bikes, Go Karts, golf, fishing, rambling. FUTURESCOPE at Poitiers, LA PALMYRE ZOO at Royan, harbourside cafés and restaurants at La Rochelle.
So enjoy a glass or two whilst deciding upon a few adventures in our area, or simply relax by the pool here and chill out !
FOR MARKET LOVERS
Local markets are a must for a variety of local produce, smells and buzz. Here are a few to add to your list :-
Angoulême : The town's main market in Les Halles, is open daily. The building itself is 19th century with ornate metalwork.
Chalais : (25 mins), is a pretty market town in its' own right. Market day is on Mondays and stalls occupy many of the quaint streets and roads. After your shop, you can relax over a coffee in the shaded 'Place de la Fontaine'.
Riberac : has a massive market each Friday in a large square surrounded by cafés and restaurants. Put a compass in your shopping bag for fear of getting lost!
Villebois Lavalette : has a Saturday market held under the 300 year covered hall (Les Halles) where a variety of produces can be bought.
Remember that the market traders begin packing away their goods around 12 noon.
EATING OUT LOCALLY
Many restaurants are to be found serving local to Haute Cuisine food, which can be discovered around our area.
Mouthiers-sur Boëme (our local village, some 4 minutes away from Tillac-Gites)) has a bar/tabac/restaurant which is well visiting at lunchtimes and serves a quality 3 course lunch for 12€ including wine.
Blanzac (10 mins away) has a bar/restaurant known as 'Le Diapason', again serving 3 course quality lunches for 12€ including wine. It's ambience is typically French, and the restaurant is situated in a tiny square overlooked by a 12th century church. It's English 'patron' will give you a warm welcome.
'Le Grain de Sel' at the tiny village of Nonac (15 mins). provides quality food at around 12€ for 3 course menu, which includes wine.
'La Forge' in Torsac provides high quality meals at lunchtimes and evenings. Situated in a small village about 20 mins away, it is well worth a tasting.
'Le Moulin à Poivre', a little further afield at Roullet Saint Estephe, serves excellent lunches at €12.50, with T.Bone, steaks and grills a speciality, and serves evening meals as well. Visit Le Moulin à Poivre.
'Le Winger' restaurant, opposite the station in Chalais, is a must when you visit the local market on Mondays. Forget breakfast if planning a visit, because the quality food served will be more than ample for the whole day. Be sure to get there for 12.15pm to secure your table. Excellent value for money (12€ including wine & coffee).
A more romantic setting is 'La Lavalette' in the medeival village of Villebois Lavalette (15 mins away). Booking is a must in the high season due to its popularity and Haute Cuisine.