Taste life in the real France!

COME TO THE FABULOUS LIMOUSIN REGION

IT IS JUST PERFECT -

COMPETITIVE RATES FROM ONLY 330 EUROS A WEEK!
BOOK NOW FOR 2012

WHY IS THIS THE IDEAL OPTION?
* A truly delightful cottage located in the hamlet of MONTERNON, within an idyllic region of France. It is the most tranquil, rural countryside and often called "SECRET FRANCE" because it is in the Limousin Region, which has the lowest population density of the whole of mainland France.

Here you will find authentic France with friendly and courteous local people, with no hint of brash commercialism and traffic noise.

In total contrast, Monternon is in the heart of the French countryside, set within a green and peaceful, undulating landscape. Here the only traffic maybe a tractor or the postman. The cottage is located above a river valley, with truly amazing views. It is part of the commune of St Martin le Mault and has everything you need at hand.

* MONTERNON IS 3 HOURS SOUTH OF PARIS and offers a very high quality living or holiday environment with so much local interest. The cottage is ideally placed between THE LOIRE VALLEY to the north, THE DORDOGNE to the south and LA ROCHELLE COAST to the west and just minutes from the main A20 non-toll Motorway.

* FULLY EQUIPPED & COMFORTABLE. The original house was built before Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in France from Corsica which at that time was part of Italy. Since then this charming, solid stone house has been tastefully extended and updated to modern standards with heating and modern appliances.

However, the house does retain it's ancient charm with massive stone walls to guarantee it stays cool in the heat of summer, or with the choice of both a log burner and central heating, it stays warm and cosy during the cooler months.

MORE PICTURES? - Click on: SLIDE SHOW (ABOVE LEFT)

In addition to our very low rates, there are no last minute extra charges, whether your stay is for a week or 3 months.

* KINDLY NOTE. In our experience English speaking visitors to France usually need someone on hand to offer advice, to provide site-seeing or good restaurant suggestions (see RESTAURANT link above left) and to generally advise or translate - to help make your holiday a great success.

So unlike most holiday options who may provide a "Things To Do" folder at best , we live nearby and are usually available to help - and all in English! This can make a very big difference to your holiday enjoyment. (please see VISITOR COMMENTS - above left)

The 3 bedroom property sleeps 5 but with the put-u-up in the sitting room, you may sleep 2 more. The driveway to the house passes through through two tall pines and the house is completely secure and shuttered.

It has a small conservatory, 2 double bedrooms and 1 single bedroom plus the double bed settee in the sitting room, plus a modern shower-room and separate WC.

The recently modernised kitchen has cooker, microwave, fridge-freezer and ample cupboard space. The large living room has a traditional tiled floor and a stone fireplace with wood burner, plus an ancient fitted oak cupboard and a range of oak bookshelves, 2 further low cupboards plus dining table and chairs, with satellite TV.

Small appliances such as kettle, toaster, iron etc are also provided, plus washing machine in a separate utility room. In addition to front and rear lawns, there is also a spacious and private 1st floor sun terrace.

* FABULOUS, RELAXING ENVIRONMENT. This part of rural Haute Vienne, Limousin is very green and rustic, so is the best place to discover the authentic, genuine France. There are rivers, lakes, woodlands and forests nearby with traditional country markets and ancient Chateaux to visit.

CLICK ON "FRANCE'S LARGEST OPEN MARKET" above left

The cottage is located in a tranquil cul-de-sac in a quite quarter of France but very easy to reach from all parts of the world. It also has all the essentials such as restaurants offering plat de jour, a la carte or fresh pizza, bars, shops, doctors, pharmacy, bakers etc nearby. The nearest restaurant and shop is a short 5 minutes away at Jouac with another restaurant and bar only 10 minutes away in St Martin le Mault.

The tranquil River Benaize is a very short stroll from the cottage and set amongst quiet, peaceful woodlands. There you may take leisurely walks along the river and through the woods. Perhaps you may be lucky enough to share the serenity of the dappled shade of the woods with one or more of the many wild deer to be found there.

* LOTS TO DO - PLACES TO GO - BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - THE PERFECT CENTRAL LOCATION. Your French base is located in an idyllic setting but you are still within easy reach of fast modern motorways (20 minutes) and busy international airports (55 minutes).

So Monternon is easy to reach by visitors from AUSTRALIA, NZ, USA, UK Etc.

PARIS and many Inter-Continental airports are just a few hours away. Ideal if you plan to hire a car or take the train from Paris to a local station.

Monternon, in Haute Vienne, Limousin, is between the Dordogne region to the south and the Loire Valley the north.

SO EASY TO REACH FROM UK AIRPORTS USING LOW COST AIRLINES.

These superb connections enable you to get here easily and cheaply.

So you have the benefit of a low cost, base where you can stay in comfort and are centrally placed for exploration, with low rates for a week or so or up to a year if you wish to explore the Region or Europe.

There is lots so much to do on the doorstop (SEE THE - "TO DO LOCALLY" LINK)

RATES:

THE WEEKLY LOW SEASON RATE IS 330 Euros (October) AND THE MAXIMUM, HIGH SEASON RATE IS ONLY 520 Euros (August) PER WEEK -

CLICK ON WEEKLY RATES (above left) FOR FULL DETAILS

DETAILED SUMMARY OF ACCOMMODATION:
SLEEPS UP TO 7
The accommodation includes a roomy and bright double bedroom with a very comfortable Kingsize bed. This delightful room faces south, with traditional shutters. The second double bedroom is also newly decorated and faces the rear garden with shutters with 2 single beds. The third bedroom also has shutters and a single bed. There is also a very solid Put-U-Up for 2 in the sitting room.

The spacious beamed sitting / dining room has a traditional French stone fire-place fitted with a modern wood-burning stove. This is connected to the radiators in addition to the central heating oil boiler.

The sitting room also has a beautiful original 18th century fitted cupboard with fine polished oak doors plus further fitted oak bookshelves with 2 cupboards below.

The kitchen, the tiled shower-room and separate WC are all newly equipped. There is also a utility room with washing machine, points, drainage and dry storage.

The house is perfectly located and is approached via it's own attractive drive with 2 large elderly pine trees with ample, secure off road parking.

There are a table and chairs for relaxing in the garden or outside dining.

The property has been completely rewired with heating supplied by a fabulous English Coalbrookdale, cast-iron wood/fuel burner with a back boiler- plus an oil fired central heating boiler plus satellite TV.

At the front there is a south facing lawn area for plus an entirely safe, sealed ancient well. This is fed by a natural spring and is only used to water the garden. At the rear is a further larger lawn area with cherry and apple trees.

In addition, it has a south facing conservatory plus a separate roof/sun terrace approached by rear stairs. The property has secure shutters to all external doors and windows. Being built with very thick solid stone walls, the cottage is cool in the summer but retains heat in the coller months.

KINDLY NOTE: Many houses for rent in France can be tired, drab and even bizarre. In total contrast this is a rare find - it is fresh and bright with a new kitchen, comfortable neutral decor but with a very traditional French feel.

Built before Napoleonic times, it is a few hundred years old with great charm and some quirkyness but brought up to date so one immediately feels comfortable and relaxed.

It has mains water and electricity and the new kitchen has ample wall and floor standing cupboards.

CLICK "Send a Message" to check availability or to request more details, or you may contact the owners on: 00 33 555 684880.

ADDITIONAL LOCAL INFORMATION:
2 very friendly and high quality local restaurant / bars are within just a few minutes. There you may sit and take a drink or coffeee. Or perhaps enjoy a weekday lunch menu starting at 9 Euros! Or choose the a la carte, evenings and weekends or try the fabulous pizzas to eat in or take away - here all Chef Phillipe's food is made in house - not from the freezer.

A wide range of other shops and services including a traditional bakers, a supermarket, a pharmacy, doctors, dentist, post office, hairdressers, 2 more restaurant/bars, petrol/diesel station, paper shop, tabac etc are all within a short drive.

The quality, beauty and tranquility of the location cannot be over-stated. The unspoilt River Benaize and the surrounding woodland (see picture below) are a short stroll down a quiet path leading to a footbridge over the river with trout and other coarse fish plus many birds including kingfishers.

From here, one could take a walk and possibly not meet a soul, apart from wild deer perhaps which are seen, although the shy sanglier (wild boar) who often feed in the nearby woodland, are very shy so you have to be lucky to spot them.

Location: In the Limousin between the Loire Valley to the north, the Dordogne to the south and the Charente and the coast to the west. 5 minutes from St Martin le Mault.

The river Benaize (illustrated below left) is at the bottom of our sheep meadow. It defines the northern boundary between the departments of Haute-Vienne (87) and Indre (36) going to the north.

The Cottage is just 20 minutes from the charming medieval village of St Benoit du Sault (one of only 400 "Plus Beaux Villages de France") and the historic walled town of Le Dorat and Magnac Laval to the south. It is only a few minutes from the nearby villages of Lussac les Eglises and then on to St Sulpice les Feuilles.

EASY ROAD ACCESS: From UK is easy - 5-6 hours from Ferry Ports or Tunnel - 3+ hours from Paris

FAST AIR ACCESS via Ryanair, Fly-be etc from Stansted, East Midlands, Liverpool, Southampton and Newcastle to either Limoges Airport (50 mins) or Poitiers (1 hour+). (Car Hire available at Limoges and Poitiers)

The location is easily reached from the primary north-south non-toll Autoroute - the A20. This Autoroute is a main central road artery of France to enable visitors to easily reach and explore the South of France, The Pyrenees, Spain and Portugal etc.

Kindly reminder - we have a few freindly sheep and lambs on our meadow - so sadly NO DOGS.