Self Catering Family Friendly Gites de Brives, near Cognac, Charente Maritime
(click here for map)

Holiday Cottage Accommodation Summary (FR230)

Special Offers:

• May bank holiday week of 25th May - La Grange (3 bedroom & 900 euro per week), Le Marronnier & Le Figuier (both 2 bedroom & 750 euro a week)
• 24th August - La Grange (3 bedroom & 900 euro per week), Le Marronnier & Le Figuier (both 2 bedroom & 750 euro a week)
• Late booking 100 euro per week discount on above. Also 20% off with Brittany Ferries for your crossing.

We live surrounded by vineyards, sunflowers and swathes of wild flowers in the pretty village of Brives sur Charente, bordering the majestic Charente. Our luxury, family friendly Gites de Brives are 10 mins from Cognac, sharing exclusive use of a large swimming pool, children's play area, boule court, table-tennis and gym.

Share the tranquillity and the wonderful climate of the Charente Maritime - relax in an idyllic setting in Poitou-Charentes.  Our luxury family-friendly gites and Bed & Breakfast (chambres d'hôtes) are near Cognac in the heart of the 'Grande Champagne', the grape growing region that produces the world renowned Cognac brandy and the local aperitif, pineau.

Our spacious gites (for 2, 4-6 or 6-8 people) have been sympathetically restored and furnished to a high standard, blending contemporary with traditional features (with beautiful old oak beams and honey-coloured stone).  All gites have a flat screen satellite TV, DVD, stereo, microwave, cooker, washing machine, dishwasher and WiFi together with a private patio and BBQ for dining alfresco.  All our family-friendly gites have particularly well-equipped, modern kitchens.

There is a mouth-watering choice of places to visit locally (the beautiful beaches of the Cote Sauvage, Royan, La Rochelle, Cognac, Pons, Saintes, Angouleme, Bordeaux, La Palmyre Zoo and sleepy villages) and a host of activities, including walking, cycling, fishing, canoeing, horse-riding, golf, tennis, swimming and surfing. You can enjoy a relaxing walk or cycle ride to the nearby village for your breakfast croissants or bread. Or - if you are feeling lazy, wait for the daily boulangerie van to sound its 'klaxon' and buy your fresh croissants/bread!

The family friendly holiday accommodation available at Gites de Brives is as follows:

• Le Marronnier (sleeps 4-6, 2 bedrooms) - a bungalow/gite
• Le Studio (sleeps 2, 1 bedroom) - a first floor apartment
• La Grange (sleeps 6-8, 3 bedrooms) - a two storey gite with one bedroom on the ground floor with an additional en-suite shower
• Le Figuier (sleeps 4-6, 2 bedrooms) - a two storey gite

We can always accommodate additional guests or visitors in the 4 attractive en-suite B&B rooms in our charentaise farmhouse. We provide egyptian cotton bedlinen and towels (not beach or swimming pool towels).  Gites are cleaned weekly.  Cots, highchairs and stair gates are available at no cost.  All of our gites have WiFi.  We have a selection of bicycles available for hire. 

Should guests want to taste some delicious home-cooked meals, 'washed' down with good local wine and followed by pineau or cognac, then dining in our B&B for table d'hôte is also an option!

Reviews made directly to “Recommended Family Holidays”

Please send us a review of these family friendly self catering gites in the Charente near Cognac by clicking: "Make a Family Holiday Recommendation".

17 family holiday recommendations, average rating 4.9 out of 5

Set amongst fields of sunflowers and grapevines, this is a great place to get away from it all and unwind. It feels like you are miles away from anywhere and yet Cognac is only about 10 - 15 minutes drive away. The bread van deliveries each morning adds a quaint little touch. Phil and Glynn are great hosts, they are not at all intrusive but have a wealth of local knowledge if you want it. The gites are extremely comfortable, well kitted out and nicely decorated. The BBQ is absolutely brilliant - we cooked on it every night. The pool was also a welcome addition with sun loungers. Phil & Glynn have a wide range of different bikes for guests. We did some lovely cycle rides and were out for about 3 hours only meeting one car until the final few minutes back on the village road. A boat trip on the Charente from Cognac was a great way to spend an afternoon and Cognac tasting in a local distillery was a real experience - try the Pineau! If you're desperate to keep in touch with normal life there is excellent wi-fi and UK TV. We didn't use many of the facilities while we were there - table tennis, boule, fitness room etc. as this place just makes you relax and enjoy each others company. I think we'll need to go again to test these out! Rating 5 out of 5, Jenny, Aug 2012.

We used 2 of the gites in our party. Both were really, really well specified and very clean. Everything you needed was in there from kitchen utensils to tabletennis bats to a good library for holiday reading. There was a very helpful welcome pack provided by the hosts, Phil and Glyn, so we could settle in straightaway and dive in the pool. There are lots of thinhgs to do on site - the pool is lovely and well-maintained, table tennis, badminton, boules and cycles to hire so you can explore the surrounding countryside. The beaches are about an hour's drive away and well worth it if you like sand and waves. Cognac is a lovely town with several distilleries you can visit - well worth it, even if you aren't a fan of whisky. The hosts were incredibly friendly and helpful which made the stay more special and memorable. Our kids are teenagers and they really enjoyed the area, but I am sure younger children would be equally happy. And the weather was glorious - a bit hot for the first 2 days but really pleasant for the rest of the week, which I gather is the norm. Rating 5 out of 5, Maggie, Aug 2012.

Thank you for a fabulous holiday. The house and all facilities were immaculate and perfect for our family. The children made great use of the pool and other outdoor activities. Everything was thought of. Thank you again. Rating 5 out of 5, Nina, Aug 2012.

A great place! Lovely pool and loads to keep kids occupied -boules, park, football. table tennis etc. My kids would have stayed on site the whole two weeks if given the choice. The accommodation was well equipped with plenty of space for a family. The layout of the outdoor space makes it very private too. The area is great -we enjoyed the beaches and spent a lot of time by the river in Cognac (lovely activity area for kids.) Have already booked for next year! Rating 5 out of 5, Yvonne, Jul 2012.

We stayed in la marronier for 2 weeks in july .weather as in most parts of eurpoe was mixed but the acccommodation was excellent -good facilities like swimming pool, bikes , table tennis and sky tv .owners were never less than solicitous ad friendly .the gite is surrounded by vines and sunflower fields and is utterly peaceful and yet is near to beautiful towns like cognac and saintes.Beaches are only 30-40 min away and attractions like Palmyre zoo and Paleosite prehistoric museum are easily within reach.So all ages can be satisfied by this accommodation - a great place to unwind from the stresses of working life. Rating 5 out of 5, Malcolm, Jul 2012.

My wife and I stayed in the Gite de Brives in May 2012. We had originally intended to stay for one week but ended up staying for two. The accommodation was superb, spacious, light, airy, with all mod cons, including swimming pool, English language t.v. channels, DVD player etc. and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside; but even better than the accommodation was the welcome and hospitality we got from our hosts Phil and Glyn who on more than one occasion went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that our stay was all it could be. We felt as welcome as long lost friends returning. It was a wonderful experience. Carlsberg don't do "hosts" but if they did......... We had expected this to be a beautiful part of France and we weren’t disappointed, 10 minutes from the charming small city of Cognac with the beautiful Charente river and surrounded by picturesque villages of every shape and size, the Gite had everything we could have hoped for. Rating 5 out of 5, Ed, May 2012.

We have just returned from a lovely family holiday from Gites de Brives. Phil and Glyn who own the properties are extremely welcoming and and thoughtful - happy to help in any way they can. Very much on hand if needed, but not at all intrusive. Le Figuier is very well equipped with appliances, furniture and bathrooms thoughtfully decked out to a high and comfortable standard. The pool and grounds are well maintained and our two children very much enjoyed the facilities - they had a great holiday. Very clean and comfy. All the gites maintain their privacy and have individual areas for sitting out/bbq. Good location for families - the local area is very pretty with Pons/Saintes and Cognac all worth a visit. Just under an hour drive for us to the beach and Zoo at La Palmyre - well worth a visit where you can feed elephants/giraffes/zebra etc. Other beaches are a little closer too. Highly recommended and we will definitely return. Rating 5 out of 5, Sally, Aug 2011.

This was our second visit to Gits de Brives and it was just as fabulous as the first. The accommodation is delightful, with attention to detail and everything you could ever want. Gites de Brieves achieves the perfect French family holiday giving a great balance of peace and tranquility with like minded souls to chat to around the pool. Our daughter thoroughly enjoys the boules, badminton, gymnasium, table tennis and swimming and has always made a friend to play with. Phil and Glyn are exceptionally friendly and do everything possible to make your stay one to remember. We'll certainly be back. Rating 5 out of 5, Garry, Aug 2011.

We were looking for a quiet, relaxing holiday in a gites with good facilities and a nice swimming pool. We certainly found this at Gites de Brives. Phil and Glynis were friendly and very helpful hosts who work hard to keep the place looking tidy and the pool clean and welcoming. It was harvest time and our 2 year old loved watching the tractors and combine harvesters on the local roads. The gite itself, however, is quiet and relaxing! The area is very rural but only 10 minutes drive from Cognac, with large supermarkets and cognac tasting if you fancy it. All in all I would heartily recommend Gites de Brives and Phil and Glynis as hosts. Rating 5 out of 5, Will, Jul 2011.

La Marrionner: Very comfortable, very clean, every detail thought of. Ideal for families or a break for a couple - the Cognac area is a lovely place to visit. Rating 5 out of 5, Peter, Sep 2010.

Beautiful, well maintained and equipped gites in a stunning rural French setting. The pool was superb and never overcrowded due to the limited number of gites on site, this also contributed towards the relaxing atmosphere - a thoroughly enjoyable experience for our whole family. Furthermore Phil and Glyn were wonderful hosts who did everything they could to ensure our holiday was perfect in every way. I would have no hesitation in reccommending Gites De Brives to anyone who wants a real taste of France - we've already booked for next year, this is a place not to be missed. Rating 5 out of 5, John, Aug 2010.

This is a beatiful holiday let. Everything is thought out very well; from the accommodation through to the landscaping, pool and games areas. Having stayed in many self catering properties it was very refreshing to find that everything was on hand e.g. all kitchen utensils, pans, glasses, bottle opener etc. The hosts are very astute to your needs and will be on hand as much or as little as you like. They are always willing to accommodate you and happy to share advice and things to do in the area. The hosts try to make everything convenient for you by offering bicyle hire, maps and walks of the area, days out. There is a mobile bakery van that delivers to the gites which is great for the morning. You really will feel welcome and relaxed at this property and adults and children are catered for by the thoughtful settings and layout of the games areas and swimming pool. There is a bbq at each gite along with seeating areas and terraces. You really can take advantage of the beautiful views and scenary. The gite is surrounded by Sunflower fields and vines. Plus if you like wild life you will have plenty to view. We saw some Buzzards and a deer on our first day! A really restful setting but easy access to some large towns. Great! Rating 4 out of 5, Cara, Summer 2010.

I am more than happy to recommend Phil & Glynis Silvester and their Gites de Brives. We had a very relaxing, enjoyable time. The facilities were great, everything has been thought of that you could need and the quality above expectations. The location is great for relaxing or visiting local sights. Walking or cycling in the beautiful surrounding area to be recommended. Phil & Glynis were great hosts, always very welcoming and helpful, great with valuable local knowledge and recommendations. We look forward to staying there again and are already booked in for 2011. We have stayed there twice now, most recently August 2010, and give it a rating of 5 out of 5, Sharon, August 2010.

A warm and friendly welcome awaited us, accommodation was fantastic and the place itself was very child friendly, always a good sign.  Within easy reach of places to visit as well as the larger towns if you are having withdrawals from shopping! We would give Gites de Brives 5 out of 5. Su, July 2010.

We stayed there in July 2010. Our accommodation was The Studio and we would say it was a good size and good value for money. We are happy to give a 4 out of 5 rating for Gites de Brives. Simon & Mary, July 2010.

We stayed in one of the new apartments, it was lovely, very clean and well equipped. The pool area also is lovely and we had a private patio and BBQ that we used as much as we could. One of the best things for us is that as we have just the one child it was really good that there were other children the same age for her to play with. Also because the area is so quiet and safe the children(all over 5) were able to have a relatively high degree of freedom. They particularly enjoyed waiting at the play area each morning for the bakery van. Phil and Janet left a very thoughtfully put together welcome pack and also cooked us a delicious meal on our first night so we didn't have to do a shop immediately on arrival. Very thoughtful touches included giving our daughter a comic to read and an ice cream for dessert. They are both so welcoming and will do anything they can to make your stay as comfortable as possible. We also really enjoyed the bikes that we hired from Phil and Janet and actually had a couple of car free days as we were able to cycle to a riverside restaurant for lunch, also you could easily cycle to neighbouring villages. We didn't venture out much because there is no need but other people staying there did and there are plenty of places to get to so it's a great location. The surrounding country side is gorgeous, vineyards and sunflower fields and also fairly flat, again making it ideal for cycling. The only thing we didn't like was that at times the weather was a bit disappointing..but apparently that was unusual. It is very quiet and tranquil and perfect for us, ticked all the essential boxes and was everything we were looking for and more. We had a really lovely week and would thoroughly recommend Gites de Brives. Rating 5 out of 5, Susan, Summer 2010.

We stayed in the Studio in March 2010 and found the standard of accommodation to be excellent and great for a couple. The whole setting is superb and will visit again any-time that we are in Cognac, The owners are very friendly and welcoming and happy to provide various information on the local attractions and restaurants all of which were very good. Facilities at Gites de Brives are of a high standard, we didn't use the pool it looked great to cold in March. We rate Gites de Brives as 5 out of 5, Ronnie & Eunice, Mar 2010.

Holiday Reviews from the Owners’ site

'We found the gites at Brives an absolute haven of calm and tranquility. This was a wonderful contrast to our busy life at home and our two weeks were a wonderful break. Phil and Glyn, you were excellent hosts who were always available when required. The facilities in the gites were well beyond our expectations and had everything you could need for a family holiday. The pool and 'games' you provided also gave the children lots to do.' Julian, Caroline & Family - Herts., UK 2010.

'Once again, thanks for a most relaxing holiday, chez vous. From the generous welcome pack with your delicious home-grown tomatoes, to you kindly letting us 'hang around' on the final day, we really felt you looked after us. We really enjoyed being at the gite and our forays into the nearby towns. Just right, not too much excitement but certainly plenty to do. The pool provided a great focus for the children too. We would certainly recommend Gites de Brives.' Liz, Simon, Olivia & Matt Smith - London 2010

'We really enjoyed our stay at your place, the kids had a lot of fun both in the gite and in the attractions nearby. For us adults, it was a good opportunity to relax! Without doubt, we might try to come again before the kids are too 'young' to find this kind of vacation not exciting enough for them!' Alejandro, Kirsti & Family - Oslo, Norway 2010

'Just to say thanks a million for a great stay with you both. The accommodation was top notch and we will certainly recommend you to friends travelling to the area.' Kimmitt, Edel & Family - Drogheda, Ireland 2010

'We are now back in the UK having had a great holiday in France - the first week of which was at Brives sur Charente in your Studio.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and found the accommodation very comfortable and ideal for what we were looking for.' Simon & Mary - Addlestone, Surrey, UK 2010

'Wow! We had SUCH a relaxing time with you. Your gite was superb and we enjoyed fantastic weather as well - we'll certainly be back!' Sharon & Sean - Dorchester, Dorset, UK 2009

'We cannot believe how wonderfully warm it was in May.  What a relaxing break, it was just the tonic we both needed - see you next year!' Chris & Ron - Cubbington, Warwickshire, UK 2009

'Visiting your beautiful 'domain' was like going back in time.  We know quite a few other aussies (and poms!) who will be staying with you next year.  What a wonderful end to the European 'leg' of our trip.  Can't wait to bring the rest of the family in 2011!' Neil & Ann - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2009