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Direct booking, independent holiday breaks throughout France, in privately owned self catering country houses, cottages, gites and apartments, villas and traditional farmhouses, or in a choice of delightful Bed and Breakfast Chambres d'Hôtes. | |
Holiday Homes In France 1998-2008 |
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Two Country Cottages with Heated Pool in the Heart of France
Le Chatelet, 250 km south of Paris, in the Loire
Maison Giolan, 2 bedrooms, sleeps 6/8. Lavender House, 3 bedrooms, sleeps 6 people.
Giolan
The Cher is the very heart of France, 250 km south of Paris, between the Loire Valley and Burgundy, so you have the best of all worlds. Giolan is situated in the countryside overlooking a valley, just outside the charming village of Le Chatelet, 25 km from La Châtre, a medieval market town that is simply lovely. This is a relatively undiscovered part of the Loire, natural and unspoilt, where people are open and friendly. The climate here is mild, the colours of Spring and Autumn are stunning in different ways and the Summer can be as long and hot as the South of France.
Maison Giolan has recently been completely renovated and the Lavender House is newly built. The cottages are separated by a high hedge of evergreens to ensure privacy and each has a terrace with sunbeds. There is a beautiful garden with a wonderful tree house for children and a heated swimming pool. The two cottages are ideal for families with children at any time of year and can be taken together for larger families or by a party of friends.
Maison Giolan has a warm, welcoming atmosphere and lots of charm. There is a living room with fireplace, which is great at Christmas time, television and a sofa bed if needed, a dining room and a fully equipped kitchen, which includes an oven, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine, fridge and various small appliances. The master bedroom has a king size bed and a large armoire. Upstairs is a big open space with four handcrafted wooden beds; wonderful for the kids. The bathroom is downstairs. The Lavender House got its name because of the various types of lavender that surround it. The cottage has a spacious living room with a fireplace, a bathroom and a kitchen equipped with a microwave and fridge. A washing machine and dryer are available to guests in the basement of Maison Giolan. Upstairs are three bedrooms with double beds and there is a cot, a chest of drawers and a playpen.
The Area
In a region where time has stood still, the countryside is perfect for hiking and biking and within a half hour drive of Giolan, is a lake with a beach and water sports facilities. The village has essential shops including a boulangerie. La Châtre has a greater choice of shops and supermarkets, as well as cafés and restaurants, and a weekly market on Saturday mornings (look for crotin de Chavignol, delicious local goat’s cheese). The Café du Commerce on the corner of the market square is a good place to stop a while and linger over a beer or a coffee and an opportunity to try a kir berrichone, cassis with red wine. St Amand-Montrond, 20 minutes from here, is another shopping option. Just North of La Châtre is Nohant, home of the prolific and influential 19th century writer George Sand. She lived most of her life there and entertained some of the most celebrated writers and thinkers of her day. Her most scandalous love affair was with Chopin, a relationship that lasted for nine years. The house is open to visitors and she is buried in the cemetary of the small church behind it. The pumpkin fair at Tranzault, west of La Châtre, is held on the second Sunday of October each year and thousands of people attend the event. The village is closed to traffic and open to pumpkins and ornamental gourds of every possible variety. There are hundreds of exhibits, plus live entertainment and food stalls throughout the day. The little village of Sarzay has a magnificent feudal castle dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, remarkable in that it was rescued and painstakingly restored a few years ago by a local electrician and his family. Many of the great chateaux of the Loire Valley are about an hour’s drive from here and the vineyards of Sancerre and Burgundy itself, are less than an hour away to the east of Giolan. Travel Information
Availability Check
Prices and booking information
All prices are per week Saturday to Saturday arriving at 4pm departing at 10am Linen and towels are 10 euro per person, per week Final cleaning on departure is 70 euros per house Discount of 10% for both houses taken together A deposit of 30% is requested on booking with the remainder paid 6 weeks prior to arrival. A returnable damage deposit of 400 euros per house, is requested on arrival
Telephone: (USA) International + (0) 845 266 5057 Or: (USA) + (0) 845 853 3564 Please mention Vacation France when contacting the owner
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