What can I say, not only the property is a gem, but also the hosts, who are incredibly nice and helpful. We loved the pool, which we had completely to ourselves and the spacious house with everything you need in there. Don't hesitate to book this one.
Beautiful cottage and grounds. Super clean pool which we had all to ourselves. The cottage was very well equipped with everything needed to start the holiday. Excellent hosts who were really friendly and helpful. They were knowledgeable about the area and were happy to book trips for us and advise us on places to visit. A lovely welcome and we felt very relaxed and at home. We are keen to go back again.
This beautiful gitĂȘ is the perfect couples get away. We stayed here for our honeymoon and it was amazing. Mark and Lydia were the best hosts; friendly and available if needed for anything at all. Their lovely dog,Poppy, was an added bonus visiting us frequently. The gitĂȘ is well appointed with everything you need and the bedroom and en suite are luxurious. The outdoor space is a winner with an outdoor kitchen for those long summer nights. Everywhere is beautifully clean and the pool a welcome break from the summer sun. It exceeded our expectations and we will definitely be back.
We had a fantastic time. Mark and Lydia were both brilliant hosts.We were given their local knowledge on where to visit, where to cycle and ideas on places to eat out. They went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time. Thanks both!The property is lovely, the pool is superb, Poppy (the dog) is welcoming and fun to be around.Genuinely we would recommend this very highly.
Couldn't have asked for better hosts in Mark and Lydia. Nothing was too much trouble. Gave us excellent suggestions on anything from where to eat, places to visit etc. Even offered to book restaurants and wine tastings for us. The gite was perfect for us as a couple. Plenty of room and also very tastefully decorated. The bathroom was huge with an equally large walk- in shower. The swimming pool, outdoor kitchen and seating area really is something else. It's stunning! Beautifully surrounded with mature trees. If you're after a quiet spot for reading, you can't go wrong relaxing on the double swing seat with the only sound coming from some birdsong. It was pure bliss. Thanks again Lydia and Mark for giving us such a fantastic holiday.
Thank you Mark and Lydia for the lovely week .We had a lovely time .The pool ,the garden ,the very well equiped cottage and even your very friendly dog,everything was perfect
Beautifully maintained cottage set in lovely grounds in the Charente valley. Mark and Lydia were charming, helpful hosts who made us feel most welcome.
Beautiful location, Gite is absolutely amazing as is the pool area, outdoor kitchen & BBQ. Hosts Lydia & Mark were such a pleasure to meet and did everything possible to make our stay something special.
Fantastic place with perfect hosts. Bed extremely comfortable, swimming pool, vegetable garden and summer kitchen excellent. Great base for cycle rides around the area. Lovely bars and restaurants in Cognac and Jarnac. Lydia, Mark (and Poppy, the dog) are very friendly and knowledgeable hosts. Highly recommended!!
This really is a delightful place to stay. Itâs located in beautiful surroundings; within easy reach of Cognac and Jarnac. The gite is beautiful, comfortable and well appointed with everything you need for a comfortable stay. The gardens, pool and outdoor kitchen are really special. Mark and Lydia are the best hosts weâve ever experienced. We will be back!
Beautiful gite, stunning location and wonderful hosts
Such a lovely place to stay. Lydia and Mark were extremely welcoming and shared their knowledge of the local area based on our interests as well as sorting out our daily bakery order!
The gite was perfect and ideal for those who like to chill out by the pool, savour a glass of champagne in the sun or cook up a feast using the veg from the amazing veg patch!
It's also really well located to do some exploring of the local area with Cognac and many villages just round the corner, as well as Bordeaux and the coast within easy driving distance too.
A lovely relaxing break, if only the weather had been a bit better!
We stayed at Mark & Lydia's gite for a week, and thoroughly enjoyed our holiday. The gite is amazing, particularly the luxurious French style bedroom which is simply beautiful.
The outside kitchen and pool area was excellent and we loved eating outdoors, sometimes cooking, sometimes simply enjoying some wine & cheese.
Mark & Lydia provided a lovely welcome pack, and a most generous introduction on our first evening there - thank you both so much. They were always on hand to provide advice and suggestions and were wonderful hosts.
We didn't venture out too much, but very much enjoyed a trip to St Palais sur Mer which was a beautiful spot by the sea, a visit to the Hennessy Distillery and we also a visit to Angouleme during the classic car rally.
The only disappointment for us was not having the pool area to ourselves for the entire week as 4 house guests
arrived midway through our stay and shared the pool area.
A beautiful gite, superbly equipped & decorated, with fantastic pool/cooking/seating area
Two fantastic weeks spent at Mark & Lydia's immaculate gite. Very tastefully decorated and furnished to an extremely high standard throughout - from the superb comfortable bed, walk-in shower, his/hers sinks, to the kitchen with everything for the keen cook, including sharp knives!
The pool area was an important part of our rental decision and it didn't disappoint! On hot days it was blissful. It is very private with ample sun lounger space at one end and at the other end, sofa seating, large dining table and a plancha for cooking al fresco.
The surrounding area is perfect for exploring by bike - they very kindly provided storage for our bikes - the roads are almost empty and the Charente river track is a short distance away. Cognac, Jarnac and beyond are all within easy reach and the river track is absolutely stunning.
Kayaking on the river was especially rewarding, with plenty of kingfishers and other wildlife to be seen. The area is not teeming with tourists and everything felt very laid-back and nowhere was crowded.
In conclusion, the holiday exceeded our expectations in respect of the gite, the surrounding area and our helpful, discrete, entertaining neighbours Mark & Lydia!
Es war eine sehr erholsame Woche. Lydia und Mark sind sehr liebe und hilfsbereite Gastgeber.Wir können diesen Ferienort ohne Bedenken weiterempfehlen. Falls es die Zeit ermöglicht, kommen wir gerne wieder
Lydia is French and Mark is English. After leading busy work life-style, Mark & Lydia who love entertaining, decided to stop it all in the UK and to move to France to start a new life in the beautiful shire of Charente with their friendly dog Poppy and now few chicken. Enjoying arts, antics and gastronomy, we will be very happy to share with you our experiences and favorites places to visit.
The beautiful semi-detached Charentaise house was full of potential with many historical features. Set in the vibrant region of Cognac, it offers all sorts of attractions. Also the detached cottage was very quaint even it needed a full refurbishment to bring it out to XXIst Century! It was a dream come true. After a short and hard 4 months of renovations, the gite was now ready to start a new life & welcome new friends.
The lovely size of the detached cottage was offering a huge potential to create a fabulous holiday destination. Also, the large gardens allow you to have privacy and also to choose different ways to relax: from the summer lounge & pool area newly extended to the woods, meadows, ornamental or vegetables gardens. We have created a space for you to unwind & enjoy the delights of the region: with the Cognac, wines, food, golf & many events such as music festivals to the famous classic cars race of the walled city of Angouleme and the international comic strip festival. We are delighted to share all this with you.