A beautifully, comfortable, tranquil, gite with private pool; sorry no children

A delightful, tranquil single double bedroom totally refurbished gite with private use of heated swimming pool and terrace. Situated in the heart of south west France close to the Charante/Dordogne border this gite offers living room/kitchen, double bedroom with luxury bed and lovely views through the kiwi fruit vines and an en-suite bathroom with underfloor heating. There is a separate laundry room with washing machine and space to store golf clubs, riding gear etc etc. TV and wifi with English and international channels. Sorry but this is a child free zone and sadly no pets allowed. Through the living room and through the french doors, there is a totally private decked terrace and garden area with barbecue for al fresco dining and relaxing. Ample secure parking for cars and campers and space in our barn for motorcycles and bicycles. All quality linen, towels etc are supplied, together with a comprehensive welcome pack. The heated pool is only 10 paces away from the decked terrace and has its own terrace. Loungers are supplied but do bring your sun tan lotions, it gets very hot on the terrace in the spring, summer and early autumn. Le Mas is a small friendly hamlet situated close (about 15 mins) to the wonderful town of La Rochefoucauld with its chateau built in the 11th and 17th century. In the town you will find all the amenities including restaurants, cafes, shops (including 2 large supermarkets) weekly markets and throughout July and August live concerts in the 12th century convent cloisters. Everything from Jazz, blues, rock, folk and classical is usually on offer usually free of charge. From La Rochefoucauld you can travel by train to almost anywhere in France. Situated in one of the most renowned gastronomic areas of France it is not surprising to find a number of fine dining restaurants in beautiful rural locations throughout the region yet within easy access to the gite but for those who just fancy something simple and convenient, pizzas and burgers etc are equally available. Angouleme, the capital of the Charente is only 30 minutes away and boasts a host of restaurants, boutiques, museums, sports facilities including ice skating (superb during the 35+ degree summer of this year), sailing, golf, and just about everything else you can think of. There are many festivals in and around Angouleme throughout the summer and a visit to the old town and its cartoon murals is a must. Angouleme can be accessed by car down the N141, by train from La Rochefoucauld or by bus from Montbron, only 10 minutes away, for the amazing cost of 1euro return! By car, Bordeax is 2 hours, Bergerac appx 2 hours, Limoges appx 1 hour and to reach us by car from either of the UK ferry ports or the tunnel it is about 7 hours. In Le Mas there are 2 riding centres offering tuition, and hacking round the beautiful countryside. Please enquire when booking for reservations. 12 Minutes away from Le Mas through country roads is one of the reasons we live here namely La Preze International golf course. Maggie and I have played golf in many countries but the restaurant at La Preze takes some beating! There are 2 courses, the international championship course and the 18 hole par 3 (not as easy as it looks). OK La Preze is not the most manicured course in the world but with temperatures of over 30 degrees for 8 consecutive weeks there are obvious challenges, but the layout, the tranquility, the welcome and the challenge of a course where no 2 holes are the same, is a joy to experience. If you have an eye for nature on the way round, in the spring and early summer you can see coypu, hoopoe, cuckoo, kite, osprey, and deer. As a single handicapper (going on 28!) at St Mellion International, it took Maggie and I a long time touring France to find a course that we could play over and over again without becoming bored and that continued to inspire, well for us La Preze ticks all the boxes. If golf and horse riding are not your thing then cycling and walking in superb surroundings may be your thing, but beware of the traffic, on average about 10 cars a day pass the house! For those interested in modern history, Chasseneuil has Le mémorial de la Résistance de Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure en Charente, - The memorial to the Resistance - and it is worth visiting although sobering. Continuing on this theme although even more harrowing, 40 minutes away is the remains of the town of Oradour sur Glane where, on June 10th 1944 the Wafen SS murdered 642 townsfolk and destroyed the town. This tragedy so appalled the French that General Charles de Gaulle declared that the town should remain as the Waffen SS left it as a reminder of the mindlessness of war. If none of the above appeal then just sit, swim, indulge, chill and relax. It's your holiday so enjoy it your way.