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Skiing Holidays
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Family Holidays in Poitou Charentes | Recommended Self catering Family Friendly Holiday Cottages or Gites with pool |
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Self catering at La Garenne, near Aulnay, Charentes-Maritime, France
(click here for map)
Property Summary (FR001)
Special Offer: Up to 20% discount on the last remaining weeks in May and June
La Garenne is situated within a walled garden with beautiful rural views in a typically French farming hamlet. The six 2-3 bedroom gites surround a large enclosed swimming pool and heated toddler pool. There are lots of activities including a trampoline, a climbing frame, swings, tree ropes, new wooden playhouse in the garden for 2012 and even a hollow tree for hiding. All the gites face the play area, and have been tastefully restored to maintain their charming French character.
The gites contain a dishwasher, microwave, coffee machine, cooker, TV with satellite and a DVD player. There is a communal linen room with washing machines to be used free of charge. All the gites benefit from a large terrace area for outdoor living and relaxation. Some gites even have two terraces, offering private gardens at the back or side of the longere, with beautiful views to open farmland. Other family-friendly facilities include babysitting/kids club, welcome BBQ, home made French cuisine meal delivery, grocery delivery.
The accommodation available is as follows:
Le Pressoir: has three bedrooms. Le Pressoir: French doors lead from a front garden into a charming large and new fully-fitted kitchen and dining area, upstairs on the mezzanine level is the lounge and a “Romeo and Juliet” style balcony with beautiful views. There is also a separate, private outdoor dining area to the rear of the gite.
Rosier: has two bedrooms & sleeps 5. This is the largest of our two bedroom gites, approximately 120 square metre. The charming outdoor area is large with climbing roses, lavenders and hollyhocks. This is perfect for outside dining and enjoying cool drinks on hot summer days. From the terrace, large french doors lead to a charming open plan living/dining/kitchen area. This spacious room, complete with large oak beams and charentaise stonewalls, takes up most of the ground floor of the gite.
Jardin: has two bedrooms. You enter under a charming arch way with climbing flowers into your private garden and patio area full of flowers and French charm . From the garden there are views towards the communal garden, play area and pool. The perfect place to sit and relax with a glass of wine and unwind.
Maison Blanche: There is an open plan living/dining/ kitchen area with access to a rear private, outside summer kitchen with BBQ. Upstairs there are 3 bedrooms, 2 large double & one twin. The property currently sleeps 6 + cot
La Grange: has two bedrooms & sleeps 4. Situated on the end of the longere, La Grange benefits from two outdoor areas. A large area in front of the gite, equipped with BBQ and garden furniture, overlooks the garden, play area and pool. The second area is completely tucked away and very private overlooking open farmland.
La Maison Belle: is the newest edition to our gites and has been renovated to a very high standard. This stylish gite has gone through complete renovation and offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bath rooms and a large open plan kitchen/dining area. New for 2012 is an extended lounge with compy sofas and flat screen TV.
La Maison Belle is at the end of the 16th Century Longere,
and benefits from 2 outdoor spaces, one which is to the back of the property with a spacious and charming summer kitchen. Here you have wonderful views to open countryside and morning breakfast can be enjoyed in the sun. However when the sun gets too much the covered space is also very useful. At the front of the property there is a private patio with seating area overlooking the communal garden, play area and swimming pool. From here you can enjoy the afternoon and evening sun. Oak front doors take you to the open plan kitchen/dining area. Here you will find a new and well equipped kitchen with all the mod cons you should need while on holiday. Charming beams have been exposed as well as the beautiful Charentaise stone walls. One side of the kitchen takes you to the lounge with french doors leading out to the front garden and the other end of the kitchen area with double French doors takes you to the outdoor summer kitchen with BBQ. Down stairs you will also find a new and modern shower room with toilet.
A charming oak staircase takes you to the first floor where you have 3 bedrooms and a large family bathroom. The first bedroom is a small bedroom with 2 single beds, wardrobe and views to the communal garden. The second bedroom is of a good size with views towards the back and open countryside. There are 2 single beds which can be put together to create one large king size bed. There is a large wardrobe and the room has a nice French rustic feel with old beams and exposed stone walls. From this bedroom you have access to the modern family bathroom which has a free standing bath on lions feet. The perfect place to relax with a glass of wine. There is also access to this bathroom from the landing.
Off the landing is the 3rd bedroom which is of a very large size. Here you have a large king size bed, wardrobe and seating area for secluded relaxation. There are views to back and front garden and the room has beautiful old restored beams as well as exposed Charentaise stone walls.
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Reviews made directly to Recommended Family Holidays
Please send us a review of these self catering cottages in Poitou Charentes by clicking: "Make a Family Holiday Recommendation".
32 family holiday recommendations, average rating 4.8 out of 5
We had a very enjoyable week in La Garenne mid september. The gite itself is nicely presented and the area, although very rural, was fun to explore. Dorte and Richard made us feel very welcome. We made use of Dorte's offer to cook on a couple of occasions and were not disappointed! We were however disappointed with some of the facilities at La Garenne. In the gite we had a broken toaster and no cafetiere, although Dorte found us a cafetiere when asked. There was no mat for the bath or for the bathroom floor which became treacherously slippery when wet - our 2 year old took a couple of fairly hard tumbles. We has booked the holiday on the basis of some of the reviews we'd read which suggested it was very family friendly. We found, however, that the facilites we wanted to use with our 2 year old son were tatty and often broken: The baby swing in the garden was broken and unsafe to use; the Little Tikes car that our son would have loved to play in was also broken. Most of the toys looked as though they had seen better days. Rating 3 out of 5, Nikki, Sept 2011. Owners response - thank you for your feedback, we always take this sort of feedback very seriously and strive to do better, we will ensure all of your issues are addressed as all we want is for all of our guests to have a most enjoyable family holiday with us.
We have just returned from a fantastic fortnight at La Garenne. The setting is perfect, the gites are gorgeous stone cottages that look like they could be a film set for a period drama and the interiors are great too and mix practicality with french style to get effect. Dorte and Richard are great hosts always on hand to offer advice on where to go for a good meal or the following days weather forecast. The best part really though was the child friendly environment. We could let out 7 and 5 year old wander off in a really safe idyllic setting and when they're given that freedom we get a little bit of freedom too! Many thanks Dorte and Richard! Rating 5 out of 5, Julie, Nelle and Charlie's mum, Aug 2011.
We stayed at La Garenne for 2 weeks this summer and had a wonderful time. It is perfect for families as the pool and play area are safe, and children have the freedom to run about and play. Richard and Dorte are really friendly and helped provide lots of advice as to where to go and what to do. The gites are all very individual and very nicely decorated and the location of the gite complex is fantastic - surrounded by sunflowers so it is a real escape to the country. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to La Garenne and would also recommend the kids club and Dorte's cooking! A really easy and relaxing holiday in a lovely location with great hosts. We hope to return! Rating 5 out of 5, Rachel, Aug 2011.
It was the first time we had visited France so we were very much looking forward to it. Thankfully it didn't disappoint. La Garenne was exactly what we needed. The Gittes are essentially set in their own little complex which means that the kids could run wild with complete safety. As there were other Gittes, there were also other kids to play with. After a few days we would invariably go looking for them in other people's Gittes, it was just that friendly. The pool was great, being secured via a fence to stop the kids getting in without adult supervision. In addition to this the owners, Richard and Dorte, were always on hand to help or give advice for days out. I could go on and on but we will definitely be going back at some point in the future. Rating 5 out of 5, Peter, Aug 2011.
The gite complex is comfortable and clean and has excellent facilities. It had outdoor pool (in use practically all day!), trampolene and play equipment. It was a perfect location for family holidays especially if travelling with other families. Dorte and Richard were fantastic hosts and always on hand to give advice on where to go and how to get there. I would highly recommend this complex and although there is plenty to do on site, there were also lovely places in the locality to visit. The only minor downside is it was at least an hour from the nearest beach. Rating 4 out of 5, Sharmila, Jul 2011.
Our 2nd holiday at La Garenne with our 3.5 years old and the 1st time ever we are going back to the same place. Amazing holiday! The gites are spacious, very nicely decorated and have dishwasher, coffee maker, big fridge/freezer, TV & DVD. The facilities for the children are out of this world: slides, swings, bikes, skate boards, balloons, trampoline, toys for all ages, swimming pool & baby pool, books, DVDs. We did not bring a toy with us - absolutely no need. All the gites overlook the playground area, all the kids usually play together while the parents sit outside reading a book or sipping wine. Dorte (the owner) runs a kids club once a week & babysits in the evening. Together with her husband they organise a BBQ once a week with all the guests and she prepares delicious home-made meals twice a week so it's heaven for the parents. So much to do & see in Charentes for both kids & adults: islands (Re & Aix), beaches, aquarium, zoo, castles, distilleries, etc... We have now spent 3 weeks there over 2 years, fabulous. Rating 5 out of 5, Olivia, Jul 2011
La Garenne really fulfilled our expectations in providing an extremely enjoyable and relaxing holiday for us and our 6 year old son. The layout and facilities were highly suited to us all being able to let our son have a degree of freedom in playing with the many toys and on the play equipment, either on his own or with the many new friends he met. 'A watchful eye' from us was easy to maintain given the open layout and exterior seating and it really is hard to remember previous years where we have felt 'on alert' all day.
The 'gite' we had was fantastic, very open, light and roomy and it was a pleasure to cook and eat either inside or out. The welcome BBQ was delightful and delicious and a good ice-breaker for all. We also took advantage of the option of delicious 3-course dinners, cooked and delivered by our hosts. The location in Ferrieres is peaceful and idyllic but the ample shops and attractions are still so easy to reach.
Many thanks to Dorte and Richard for a wonderful holiday - all three of us are now big fans and will certainly be back. Rating 5 out of 5,
Mike, Fiona and Neil, July 2011.
Amazing place - we never thought it possible to have a relaxing holiday with a 3 year old and a baby in tow but we did! Beautiful location - sunflower fields all around - beautiful accommodation with everything we needed for the baby. The owners supplied all baby essentials even down to nappies and wipes on arrival and a hand held blender for all those purees! The gites all look onto a safe enclosed garden which had loads of ride on toys, train sets, slides, swings and of course a lovely pool and baby pool (totally safe and fenced off). We could open our door in the morning and let the wee one run out to play whilst we got on with tidying up etc. In the evenings once the kiddies were asleep we took advantage of the home cooked 3 course meals service delivered to your gite (beautiful standard) and we relaxed outside with many a glass of wine enjoying the sunshine. Thoroughly recommend this holiday to anyone with kids. Rating 5 out of 5, Claire, Jun 2011.
We had a fabulous 2 week holiday at La Garenne in June 2011. The weather wasn't brilliant but that didn't spoil it. I didn't imagine a 2 week holiday with a 2.5 year old and 1.5 year old could be relaxing but this was. Dorte, Richard and the boys were very welcoming. The barbeque and meals delivered to the gite were delicious and the whole set up made you feel at ease. The children loved the play area and made great friends that they still talk about now. Loads to see and do in the area and Dorte gave excellent recommendations. I would definitely recommend a holiday here. Rating 4.5 out of 5, Helen, Jun 2011.
We came with our two boys (2 & 4) on the recommendation of friends and had a great holiday. Everything is set up to make holidaying with young children as easy as possible from the availability of bed guards and stair gates to arrival meals and the welcome barbecue. Great advice from Dorte and Richard as well as from other guests on where to go and what to do with the kids when we could tear them away from their new found friends by the pool. I've already recommended La Garenne to other families. Rating 5 out of 5, Fran, Jun 2011.
Fantastic location, hosts, child-friendly atmosphere and beautiful part of the world - easy accessible and well directed too, great produce...most relaxing holiday with kids in 6 years! Rating 4.5 out of 5, Marie, Jun 2011.
This is a great location for a family holiday and the enclosed grounds make the property particulary suitable for young children (ours are 1,4 and 7). We stayed here in early June and while the weather could have been better we still found plenty to do around the grounds and within a manageable drive without remotely exhausting the long list of options Dorte and Richard can provide. We stayed in La Belle Maison which was comfortable and stylish with plenty of space. Dorte, Richard and their boys make hosting look easy! Rating 5 out of 5, Catherine, Jun 2011.
Just had our second holiday at La Garenne and can't praise it highly enough. We have two pre school children they both loved it. On both visits it's been the only time I've read a book cover to cover in a week since having kids it was that relaxing. This year we only did one trip out in the week as we had so much fun in the pool and with the other guests, there is however a wealth of attractions to visit nearby if you want to but why move when you get a week this relaxing with two kids!! Rating 5 out of 5, Catherine, Jun 2011.
Very easy holiday in a charming setting with loads to see and do. Whilst at the gite the kids had a ball whilst we could relax in total confidence that they were safe and happy. within an hour or two's drive, all directions, there was a wealth of things to do and see. Definitely take up the offer of supper delivered to your gite - DELICIOUS! Rating 4 out of 5, Lorna, Sep 2010.
This was the second time I and my family spent our holidays in La Garenne, France. I would strongly recommend this destination for families. La Garenne offers surrounds that we found to be peaceful relaxing and safe especially for younger children. The B.B.Q. held once a week gives families the opportunity to get to know each other. It also offers the facility of authentic french cuisine to be freshly cooked and deliveried to you (which we found to be great) and pottery classes for the kids was also great. They also hold a kids club once a week which gives mummy and daddy time to enjoy the fine restaurants near-by. The hosts Dorte, Richard and family will make your trip and stay extra special with the friendly advise and help they offer. We will be returning. Rating 5 out of 5, Mary Darren & family Ireland, Sep 2010.
We spent 2 weeks at La Garenne at the end of August with our children aged 6 and 8, and young baby. It is situated in a beautiful rural setting surrounded by vineyards and sunflower fields, yet is only a short drive to the nearest small town where there is a supermarket, newsagent, bars and a restaurant. La Garenne has all the facilities you need and our children would have been quite happy not venturing from the gite for the whole holiday. They made loads of friends with the other children staying there and really enjoyed the company of Oscar and Oliver, the children of owners Richard and Dorte. There are loads of possibilities for outings within a short drive of La Garenne. Bread and other essentials are available daily from a van that stops directly outside and you can also order delicious freshly-made meals to be delivered to your gite. We had a fantastic holiday. Rating 5 out of 5, Andrew, Sep 2010.
Beautiful setting, great hosts and lovely relaxing environment. Perfect for children and parents. A great formula for a family holiday. Rating 5 out of 5, Jo, Sept 2010.
We can't recommend this gite complex highly enough. The setting is stunningly beautiful, amid sunflowers and fields of corn, there is no traffic, no noise from planes...in fact the only noise you'll hear is that of your kids having a brilliant time. The large gated grounds are so safe, and filled with rope swings, slides, a trampoline, table tennis and toys for all ages, plus a seperately fenced in pool. All of the gites are beautifully decorated in Scandi/French farmhouse style with really comfortable beds and crisp white linen. The Hobson family welcome everyone like old friends and are a mine of information on the local region with fantastic advice on which days out suit which age children and exactly how far away things are. Even the dog and cat are a delight! There are lovely woodland walks, a great welcome BBQ, a weekly kids club and a charming local town with a weekly market. What more could you want?! Rating 5 out of 5, Jo, Aug 2010.
If you have young children then you'll know that if the children have a good holiday then you'll have one to. This was our third summer at La Garenne and, once again, it was just great. This girls had loads of fun making friends, learning to ride bikes, mastering the rope swing, inventing games on the trampoline and (kind of) swimming in the pool. Which meant that us adults could sit back in the shade and relax - marvellous. A highly recommended destination for families with children under 10 or so. Rating 5 out of 5, Mark, Aug 2010.
This is a charming location with good facilities for all the family. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Dorte and Richard are great hosts and the welcome BBQ evening is a fun way to start the week and meet other families. We enjoyed the additional facility of home cooked meals delivered to your gite which was a welcome break from cooking! Rating 5 out of 5, Trevor & Nicki, July 2010.
We have just had our 5th holiday and have already booked our 6th. We had a fantastic time and for the first time went tree climbing with our 4 and 5 year old - the smallest course is just 1 metre high and they go up from there. Roll on next year. Rating 5 out of 5, Lucilla & James (yes, editor), July 2010.
A simply lovely relaxing family holiday (yes I did say relaxing with kids!). La Garenne is a lovely setting with warm and friendly hosts providing clean and pretty accomodation. We visited La Garenne after recommendation from friends and have already booked for 2011 having had such a wonderful time. There are only a small number of gites so it is never too busy and you get to know all the families staying with you. The security gives you peace of mind to know the children are safe playing while you cook dinner or relax with a glass of wine. There is lots of things to do/visit providing you drive to La Garenne or hire a car and we enjoyed lovely trips out combined with relaxing round the pool. Rating 5 out of 5, Meg, Jun 2010.
La Garenne is a great place for a family holiday. The gites are all very nice and well equipped, with cots, highchairs etc provided if required. The children have loads of fun playing in the garden, there are lots of toys and it is safe. You can sit on your patio while they play with their new friends. The welcome bbq is great fun, Dorte and Richard are superb hosts and you get to know your neighbours. The welcome meal on arrival is a great idea and the fact that you can have your meal delivered in the evening is just superb, it means you can relax and don't need to cook every night. There is loads to do in the surrounding area if you want a day out or just a walk in the fields and woods is also very nice. Our daughter really enjoyed the kids club too. Needless to say, we are returning this summer for our third holiday. Rating 5 out of 5, Joanne, Jan 2010.
This is a family friendly location - a lovely setting which is safe for children. Richard and Dorte are great hosts. They can provide all the necessary things you need for holidaying with children - cots, baths, high chairs etc. which makes travelling a lot easier. The ideal place for a relaxing holiday with easy access to lots of attractions and places to visit. Facilities are excellent with a pool and a baby pool as well as swings, trampolines and slides. Rating 5 out of 5, Caroline, Nov 2009.
I would recommend this property for it's location in beautiful tranquil countryside, the beautiful setting, the right number of gites - not too large and not too small. The villa's are beautifully and stylishly presented all with their own character, complete with all mod cons, clean and spacious. The Grounds are perfect for children lots of space and safe. The pools are perfect for children not to deep and this year the addition of a baby pool. Rating would have to be 5 out of 5 as our 4th visit booked for next summer. Andrea, Oct 2009.
La Garenne is a place that is well geared up for families. The Gites are all set around a lawned play area and the pool so it's easy to keep an eye on the little ones whilst you relax. The Gites themselves have everything you should need and have been recently updated. The hosts, Dorte and Richard are very welcoming and go out of their way to help. There is a welcome barbeque, baby sitting and freshly cooked meals delivered to your gite 3 nights a week so no need to slave over a hot stove if you don't want to! Can't recommend it highly enough. Rating 5 out of 5. James, Oct 2009
The safest, most family orientated, friendly and peaceful place ever, to spend a family holiday. Perfect for those who like to relax whilst knowing the children are playing safely in the massive garden, which is stocked with table tennis, trampoline, jungle gym, climbing trees, and a huge assortment of toys. The front of the property has another massive garden with a football pitch and volleyball/badminton net. There is an endless array of country lanes to walk around in, (we loved the hazelnuts and berries) sunflower fields everywhere and absolutely no traffic. There is also a swimming pool with pool toys. My children loved the family pets, especially Chianti the cat. There are plenty of opportunities for day trips, we particularly enjoyed a visit to Cognac and to the beach. Dorte & Richard are very welcoming, friendly and happy to help with any query you might have. The Gites are well stocked for everything you might need and there is a fantastic local catering company which for a very reasonable price, deliver home cooked fabulous food to your table for you. This is a wonderful service as with children, its not always easy to go out for something to eat and it's nice not to have to cook. There is a feeling of tranquility and calm in La Garenne and its a place I would highly recommend to anyone with children looking for a safe place to holiday where Mums and Dads can relax too. Rating 5 out of 5, Marie, Oct 2009.
We returned to La Garenne this year for the second time and have already booked up for next summer. Dorte and Richard (not forgetting the kids and Meg)are great hosts and have gone to great lengths to provide a wonderful location for a holiday. There is plenty to do in the surrounding area or alternatively just let the kids run around the garden. They'll soon make friends and you can sit back and relax, perfect!! Rating 5 out of 5, Alex, Oct 2009.
Great set up. The kids had a fantastic time playing in the beautiful gardens and they could have a lot of freedom to play with their new friends. They loved the trampoline, the swings and the swimming pool. Dorte and Richard are very welcoming and helpful. We liked the way that fellow guests were sociable but also gave us space and privacy. The weekly barbeque for all the guests was great fun with the local wine flowing and the kids running around having fun. The 3 course meals which you can have delivered to your property were superb. The weekly kids club gave us the chance to escape for a grown up lazy lunch. Rating 5 out of 5, Vivienne, Oct 2009.
Everything you want for a relaxing holiday with children. Plenty to keep them entertained, they are safe , there is kids club once a week which they loved and you can have some time to yourselves, there is babysitting, the welcome BBQ is good fun getting to know everyone catering service a big plus where you can have food delivered to your gite and enjoy when the children have gone to bed. There is lots to see and do for all ages in and around the surrounding area. The gites are clean and have everything that you need for a young family. Richard, Dorte and the boys are great hosts and we are already booked for our third year. Rating 5 out of 5, Heather, Oct 2009.
We have had so many fantastic holidays at La Garenne and we still go every year, I cannot recommend it highly enough - Rating 5 out of 5, Lucilla (yes, site editor!) Sept 2009
We first stayed at La Garenne for 1 wk in 2009 after I read a recommendation on the internet. We liked it so much we came back for 2 weeks in 2010 and brought friends along too. We are so glad we did. The kids (age 3 and 5) had a ball again and we managed to have a relaxing holiday again! La Garenne is very well run by Dorte and Richard who treat you like friends. They are always on hand to answer any questions and to offer suggestions for days out in the area. We enjoyed it so much that we booked again for next year!! I wouldn't hesitate in recommend it to others! Rating 5 out of 5, Victoria, Jun 2009
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| Self catering cottages at La Garenne : |
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| Le Pressoir: French doors lead from a front garden into a charming large and new fully-fitted kitchen and dining area, upstairs on the mezzanine level is the lounge and a “Romeo and Juliet” style balcony with beautiful views. |
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| Le Pressoir sleeps 7 + cot in 3 bedrooms - 2 double (one ensuite) and one triple with 3 single beds. |
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| There are lots of activities including a trampoline, a climbing frame, swings, tree ropes and even a hollow tree for hiding. All the gites face the play area and we also have a kids club and offer babysitting. |
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| La Maison Belle: open plan living/dining/ kitchen area with access to a rear private, outside summer kitchen with BBQ |
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| Upstairs there are 3 bedrooms, 2 large double & one twin. The property currently sleeps 6 + cot |
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| The kids club is available once per week & we can also provide evening babysitting . Dorte is fully qualified having previously worked in nurseries in the
UK. |
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| La Grange: is situated on the end of the longere and has two outdoor areas. The stairs are steep but we can provide stair gates on request. |
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| La Grange (sleeps 4). Upstairs there is a large double bedroom and a twin bunk bedroom, plus a luxury bathroom. |
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| Outside the longere has been converted into luxury gites and the pool is fully fenced to comply with French safety laws. The whole area outside the gites is also enclosed allowing small children to play independently |
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| Le Jardin: enter under a charming arch way with climbing flowers into your private garden and patio area full of flowers and French charm. |
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| Le Jardin sleeps 4 + cot in a double bedroom and a bunk bedroom. |
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| Le Rosier: is the largest of our two bedroom gites. |
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| Le Rosier: sleeps up to 5 in a master bedroom, and a large second bedroom with with 2 large sleigh beds. A single bed can be added to provide for 5th person. There is a family bathroom upstairs & shower room/toilet downstairs. |
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| La Maison Blanche: Situated on the opposite side of the garden to the longere, Maison Blanche offers a little more privacy than the other gites and is all on one level. |
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| La Maison Blanche sleeps 4 in two bedrooms, one double & one bunk bedroom | |
