Property Location

The small towns of Mareuil and Villebois Lavalette are conveniently 20 minutes away with their small supermarkets, shops, banks and Châteaux. Nearby is the market town of Brantome situated on the river Dronne with its beautiful abbey and art exhibitions. Busy Angouleme is about 30 minutes away with its hypermarkets and museums. Further afield lies Périgueux with its excellent shops and restored medieval streets opening onto squares with colorful pavement cafés. The nearby Cognac region abounds with famous distilleries offering guided tours and free samples. Bergerac and St.Emilion with their vineyards and wine-tasting are within easy reach, also Limoges with its potteries, Bordeaux with its airport and shops and Futurescope where you can experience life in the third dimension.

Description of Property

Charras is situated in SW France between the towns of Angouleme and Périgueux. It is very peaceful and very rural. Borderie du Moulin a Vent lies on the edge of the village which has beautiful views over the surrounding countryside. The village has a bakery with freshly-baked bread each morning, a small grocery shop which sells everything from bottles of turps to bottles of wine, bar/restaurant, post office, hair dresser and 12th century fortified church. The 'Gîte' adjoins the owners restored farmhouse and is fully modernized whilst retaining features such as beamed ceilings, wooden staircase and original window openings. Upstairs there is one double bedroom with electric wall heater, one twin bedroom and one single bedroom. The modern shower room has WC, washbasin, bidet and wall heater. Downstairs is a fitted kitchen with cupboards electric oven, fridge and kitchen equipment. The sitting room which has settee, chairs and wood-burning stove adjoins the dining area. Both rooms lead to a private terrace with garden furniture and barbecue. The west facing terrace overlooks fields and woods and there are often spectacular sunsets. In autumn the woods are full of wild mushrooms and chestnuts and the hedgerows full of blackberries

Local Facilities/Places of Interest

Local country markets abound where goats cheeses, wines, pates and home-grown fruit and vegetables may be bought. There are traditional festivals with music, dancing and repas or feasts where tables are laid out in long rows and a meal lasting two or three hours with non-stop wine and music can be enjoyed for a modest amount. There are many historical buildings and sites which can be visited. These include the11th century monolithic church at Aubeterre, the 11th/13th century abbey at Bassac, the 12th century cathedral at Angouleme, the 15th century Château at Montmoreau, the 17th century manor house of Alfred de Vigny, the Gallo-Roman amphitheater at St. Cybardeaux and various grottos and prehistoric sites. Sporting activities in the area include water sports, swimming, tennis, golf, horse riding, Canoeing, cycling and walking. Bicycles may be hired from the local bar/restaurant and there are walking trails (long and short) marked out through the local countryside with maps available. The Gîte is run by two artists who can arrange a day's painting with materials for a small fee (weather and time permitting). There is a wealth of subjects for artists in the area. Magnificent chateaux, fortified churches, old stone Cottages and barns, stone crosses and old stone washing places. In the appropriate season undulating fields of sun flowers nod their heads and maize and sweet corn ripen in the sun. Endless rows of neat green vines disappear into the horizon in the Bordeaux area beyond Angouleme. Wild flowers such as primroses, cowslips, daisies and buttercups abound in field and hedge row attracting numerous butterflies. The unspoiled countryside attracts many wild birds including swallows, hoopoes, buzzards and owls. There are rivers, streams, water mills and lakes for those who like water. In the Summer months many small towns and villages organize painting competitions when artists are invited to paint in the street for the day. The paintings are judged at the end of the day and prizes awarded. The owners are available for help and advice if necessary.

Please note that the prices quoted are for the property per week, and not per person.