Beautiful holiday home on the Charente/Dordogne border in Southwest France
Guests have exclusive use of the exceptional solar heated pool which extends to 20 metres for lane swimming. As well as the swimming pool, guests also have a private garden with barbecue and outdoor eating area; a private sports field; games barn with pool, table-tennis, darts and table-football; and an outdoor petanque co
urt. The property has wifi internet connection and english freesat television with 3D BluRay. Belle Etoile is suitable for year-round use. Its deep stone walls keep it cool in summer and warm in winter, with wood burners and oil-fired central heating to keep you cosy. The four-bedroom farmhouse can sleep up to 12: 2x double rooms, one with an additional French day-bed and pop-up spare, and 2x rooms each comfortably accommodating three children/teenagers. There are two bath/shower-rooms. The converted barn sleeps up to 5 in two en-suite bedrooms, and a cot is also provided for an infant. It is open plan, spacious and very well equipped to provide all home comforts to a high standard. It has been tastefully renovated with retained original features such as oak beams and exposed stonework. An additional self-contained en-suite bedroom can accommodate an additional couple, and there is one further wet-room providing facilities for guests using the pool. It is in a truly peaceful location with outstanding panoramic views from the principal rooms and balcony, the private garden and the pool. All this and yet it is just 3 kilometres to an excellent supermarket, restaurants and all services. The relatively traffic free roads and gentle terrain make this an ideal area for walking, cycling and touring. Belle Etoile is much more than a holiday home. It is a true home from home and is ideally suited for two or three families wishing to holiday together away from the crowds, but affording each sufficient space of their own. The property is situated on the Charente/Dordogne border in the ancient hamlet of Isle, where hollyhocks abound from June to September, just 3 kilometres from the historic village of Villebois Lavalette, with its Knights Templar chateau and medieval, covered market square. Villebois Lavalette has excellent restaurants, shops and services, including: butcher, baker, newsagent, supermarket with petrol station and car hire, tourist office, post office, doctor, dentist and more. The Saturday market is delightful and friendly, where people meet for coffee, to catch up on news, to eat fresh oysters and to buy local produce and crafts. Within easy reach are a number of weekday street markets, e.g. Chalais on a Monday and Brantome or Riberac on a Friday. Even closer to Belle Etoile is the village of Ronsenac; this is 2 kilometres away and can be reached by footpath. Ronsenac has a lively ex-pat bar which serves food, a well-equipped children's play area and a public tennis court. Frequent cultural and traditional village events take place locally throughout the year. Nearby at Aubeterre there is a sandy river beach (to all intents and purposes just like the seaside) and water sports. The monolithic subterranean church at Aubeterre is one of many fascinating ancient sites to visit locally. Just 12 kilometres away is the hilltop city of Angouleme, the national centre for graphic art, which has a charming old quarter with numerous cafes, restaurants and excellent shops and museums. The famous annual vintage car rally, the 'Circuit des Ramparts', takes place there in September. The Cognac distilleries and wine producing areas, such as St Emilion, Bergerac and Bordeaux are close enough for easy day trips. Cognac also hosts a popular annual blues festival in July. Belle Etoile is 25 kilometres south of Angouleme, Charente, Poitou-Charente
Le Havre 335miles; Caen 315 miles; Calais 430 miles
Eurostar to Angouleme, 7 hours from St Pancras & Ebbsfleet, via Paris or Lille
Economy flights to: Bergerac, Limoges, Bordeaux, Poitiers. Car hire at airports, Angouleme train station and locally in Villebois Lavalette
