A detached vacation rental that has been renovated while retaining its rustic charm. The house, located in a small hamlet, is situated near a former farm dedicated to raising and training racehorses, where two horses still remain.
A golf net, a ping-pong table, and a large green space with a badminton net and balls are available nearby, shared with another cottage:
The village is a peaceful haven where life is good. In the morning, as soon as you wake up, let yourself be charmed by the song of sparrows (the “pioux-pioux”), blackbirds, and pinsons.Si. If you get up early enough, you’ll witness stunning sunrises, especially in the off-season, when a light mist lends a magical air to the landscape.In the evening, the sky is often ablaze with stunning colors
If it rains in the summer, you can go out to collect “petits-gris”—those famous Charente snails, or “lumas,” which have earned the people of Charente their nickname, “Cagouillards.” It’s true that the people of Charente are laid-back; they love good food, good wine, and their little cognac, warmed for a long time in the palms of their hands before being sipped in small sips.It’s also a pleasure to visit the distilleries in Jarnac or Cognac and see their magnificent stills
If you’re a fan of confit, foie gras, and sautéed potatoes with Bordeaux porcini mushrooms (which you can forage in season in the surrounding woods) from our friends in the Dordogne with their such warm accents, then you should head to Périgueux, with its quaint narrow streets and St. Front Cathedral, or to Nontron and its cutlery shops
You won’t want to miss a visit to Angoulême either, with its painted walls, narrow streets, African museum, and comic book museum.
Water-based activities are everywhere. Anglers will head to the banks of the Nizonne (or Lizonne, depending on where it flows…), just 500 meters away, which was once teeming with crayfish but still has trout, pike, and roach. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy canoeing on the Charente River in Jarnac (Mitterrand’s hometown) or on the Dronne River in Brantôme (where you shouldn’t miss the monolithic church).Kids will love going to the St. Estèphe pond to go canoeing, as well as riding pedal boats and shaking the enormous “wobbly rock”
Finally, nearby, Villebois Lavalette is a must-see, with its castle and its 12th-century market halls, where a small farmers’ market featuring local producers takes place on Wednesdays and especially on Saturdays. Villebois Lavalette gave its name to the stage name of Bernard de Fleury, known as Bernard Lavalette, who, following in his grandfather’s footsteps, was the castle’s owner for many years. In the summer, performances take place within the castle grounds, to which the locals remain very attached
Another, much larger market is held every Friday in Ribérac (including the “au gras” market from November through February)
Finally, we’d be happy to introduce you to small local producers, and we’re here to help—if you’d like—by recommending scenic spots for walks, so you can enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation...