In a small hamlet just outside the market town of Montpon-Ménestérol, experience the charm of this 19th-century traditional Girondine Maison De Maitre, which has been beautifully restored using quality materials, to create a fine home full of antiques, artwork and beautiful soft furnishings. Close to the banks of the River Isle, spend time walking, cycling and pottering around local villages, visit the vineyards of Saint-Émilion and Bergerac or head to the grand city of Bordeaux.
In this Maison you'll appreciate the original tiled flooring and the cherrywood staircase as you step into the home’s inviting hallway. Find a spot to relax in the south-facing living room with its Smart TV and fireplace or socialise in the spacious and brilliantly equipped kitchen, next to the elegant dining room. From the balcony upstairs you can gaze out to the hamlet’s church and the River Isle beyond before retiring to one of the three en suite bedrooms whilst the children’s room will delight younger guests with its bunk-beds, games and books.
A wonderfully converted double height barn with mezzanine levels offers yet more space with two further bedrooms and a lounge with a Smart TV. From here there’s easy access to the home’s bikes and scooters as well as a pretty fishpond, the hamlet’s well and an outdoor oven – a lovely spot for a glass of local wine and home-cooked pizzas.
You may prefer to gather to barbecue al-fresco in the summer kitchen by the heated swimming pool before a game of football on the field. Then there’s the trampoline and table tennis for more family fun. You can even wander through the grounds towards a nature reserve, a lovely place for walking peacefully amongst the streams and bridges or seek out fishing and cycling opportunities by the River Isle. In such an attractive setting with the background sounds of church bells and cockerels, this is authentic French country living at its best.
Pick up all sorts of fresh produce from the weekly market in Montpon-Ménestérol, just a 10-minute drive away and on the banks of the River Isle. Across this area look out for canoeing opportunities, summer swimming in nearby lakes as well as an open-air cinema and night markets in local villages in August.
The banks of the Dordogne river are easily reached with the beautiful town of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande just half an hour by car, home to one of the region’s best markets on a Saturday morning, then drive to Bergerac for its historic charm, wineries and boat trips.
The vineyards of Saint-Émilion and Bordeaux are also not to be missed, nor are the enticing markets and historic sights of Périgueux. For a truly stunning day out, head to the coast and climb Dune Du Pilat, surf the Atlantic waves or swim in the calm waters of Étang de Lacanau before returning to your characterful and welcoming French maison so ideally placed for exploring the glorious regions of Dordogne and Gironde.
