Charming countryside retreat

Relax and unwind in this spacious and peaceful old winery on the border of Charente-Maritime & Charente, only an hour from the coast & half an hour from Angouleme. Nestled among vineyards and sitting on an acre of mature gardens, this lovely Charentaise house offers space for 7 people to enjoy the French countryside. There are a number of options for alfresco dining, a private heated pool, a BBQ and firepit, and for the cooler evenings there is a wood burning stove in the main living room.

This former winery offers lots of charm and consists of; a large kitchen, a living room with wood burning stove, a snug that could be used as a TV or games room and a downstairs toilet on the ground floor. Upstairs you will find 3 bedrooms, one bedroom with a super king bed, one bedroom with a double bed and one bedroom with 3 single beds. A travel cot is also available on-site. A main bathroom with double sinks, toilet, shower and a separate bath completes this floor.

Outside you will find a courtyard to the rear of the house, which can be accessed from the living room and the kitchen. In the courtyard you can relax in the shade of the olive tree or dine alfresco. There is also a covered games area with a pool table, a basketball game and a dartboard.

Beside the stone barn you will find the south facing pool area, which is ideal for enjoying the sunset or having lazy days by the swimming pool (3x6m, salt, heated, mid April-mid October subject to weather), with umbrellas and sun loungers. This area overlooks a large enclosed lawned garden, ideal for children. Here they can play football, badminton etc. There are views over the surrounding organic vineyards belonging to the winery 100m away. Why not enjoy a bottle of wine from their shop while enjoying the sunset over the very vines that produced the wine.

The other side of the garden has lots of space for private car parking through a secure gate. A firepit area can also be found tucked away in the mature garden with its many lavenders, trees and shrubs.

Our closest neighbours are Le Cep Enchante, they are a 7-generation family winery 1 minute walk from the house. There you will find a shop selling old cognacs, ranges of white and red Pineau as well as their award-winning wines from organic farming. The vineyard extends to over 65 hectares. Le Cep Enchante also offers activities such as an escape game, treasure hunt, journey through the vineyards and swin golf. Also on offer are tasting workshops, where you can chose between spirts and cocktail tasting (booking is required).

https://www.lecepenchante.fr/

The village of Neuvicq-le-Chateau (2 mins) has a chateau which is open to the public. There is also a village boulangerie.

The village of Macqueville (3 mins) offers a small grocery shop, post office and restaurant, as well as a 12th century church.

The nearby towns of Rouillac (10 mins), Jarnac (17 mins) and Cognac (20 mins) provide amenities including supermarkets, markets, restaurants, bars and shops.

The Charente river runs through the region and provides opportunities for canoeing, swimming, relaxing on inland beaches, fishing, walking and cycling. The Flow Velo, an amazing cycle/walking path along the Charente, can be found less than 20 mins from the house.

Angouleme is just over half an hour away, it is the largest urban centre in the area. Here you will find many restaurants and shops. The old centre, with its elevated position, is worth exploring. There is also a TGV station, from where Paris can be reached in about 2 hours, and Bordeaux in about 40 mins.

With its Roman remains, amphitheatre and cobble streets, Saintes is worth a visit. It only takes 45 mins to reach and could be combined with a trip to the coast.

Famous coastal places like Royan (1 hr 10 mins), La Rochelle and Ile-de-Re (both 1 hr 25 mins) with their beautiful beaches, lots of history, culture and things to see and do, these are all worth a daytrip too.

The closest train station is in Jarnac (17 mins).

The nearest international airports are in La Rochelle (1 hr 20 mins), Poitiers (1 hr 20 mins), Limoges (1 hr 35 mins) and Bordeaux (1 hr 45 mins).

Accessibility from the ferry ports in Saint-Malo (4 hrs 15 mins) and Cherbourg (6 hrs) is great. While the drive from Calais takes about 7.5 hours.