Secluded 3 Bed House with Heated Swimming Pool, Vendee, France - Outdoor Kitchen and Large Garden Reviews

The property was ideally situated away from neighbours for our three dogs and the garden was totally secure with plenty of room for them to run around and lots of places for us to enjoy the sunshine. The swimming pool was fantastic and was used every day as the weather was so hot and the outdoor kitchen area was lovely. The bedrooms were very comfortable and the rest of the house was great. A fantastic holiday which I would recommend to others. Thanks to Ian et al for making our stay so good.

This was our second stay, having enjoyed it so much last year.

The house is beautiful with spacious accommodation and stunning garden. The pool, once finished is going to enhance it even more as it has been so lovingly thought out.

The whole area is peaceful and beautiful with a feeling of being very rural but with a large town and all its facilities a short drive away.

Great location to explore all of the Vendee, from Vouvant to Fontenay or out to La Rochelle

If you like walking or cycling the old railway lines offer a pretty and safe way of exploring the countryside.

We are already booking our next stay!

This property provided an ideal base for exploring the area. We were there for 9 weeks and found the furnishings etc comfortable. UK tv and log burner a bonus on cold winter's evenings. Ian and family were very welcoming and helpful. No problems with the plumbing, unlike previous reviewers, maybe because we are used to the peculiarities of French systems! Quietly located property so ideal if you have kids or dogs as there are no neighbours to disturb. We found it very relaxing with great walks starting right outside the door. La Chataigneraie is 5 mins drive away and has supermarkets etc to provide everyday needs. The market at Fontenay la Comte is ok on a Saturday although there is a bigger market at Niort. A bit further afield, we found good beach walks near La Rochelle, Tranche sur Mer and Sables d'Olonne as well as the great walks in Mervent-Vouvant forest close to the house. We look forward to seeing the new pool area which was being built while we were there.

We had a great stay at Ian's house. We were warmly welcomed in this great and charming house. We were 8 people and there was enough place for everyone. The fireplace is such a pleasant thing to have around. Kitchen is spacious and big enough to cook for the whole crew. We did not hang out much in the garden or the terrace as the weather wasn't on our side and it was pretty cold, but it is well located for some walks in the countryside.

The communication before and during our stay was nice and effective.

We just think that the cleanliness of the house could be improved as some kitchen utensils had to be cleaned before use and we found some dirt in some areas. But overall, we recommend this nice place to anyone!

First of all I would like to address some of the previous comments which I believe the owners have taken on board and I also think it has a lot to do with the expectations of the reviewers. I agree it could do with a general spruce up, a lick of paint in the main area, and the kitchen was a bit unkempt but the garden was tidy and the pond was a nice feature (although I believe this is being replaced with a pool). The owners were particularly helpful and quick to sort out any issues that did arise. We found the property to be ideal for what we needed which was to use it as a base for exploring the area.

The area itself was ideal with local amenities providing everything we needed within a 5 minute drive. The path opposite does have bungee jumping from the viaduct but I believe this is rare and mainly in the summer. The old railway track was perfect for cycling, particularly with kids, managing to cycle all the way to the aquarium and wildlife parc just outside Moncoutant. Vouvant is a gorgeous place to visit and a walk around the surrounding river is recommended. We spent most of our time exploring the Mervent forest, lots of nice walks and tracks to explore and enjoy a picnic. We also managed a day trip to La Rochelle, just under an hours drive away.

Would I recommend this property? If you're looking for a nice, basic, base to explore the surrounding area then definitely. However, if you're looking to sit in the house/garden all day then I suggest the property needs a little more attention.

3 star house, 5 star surroundings.

Arrived after a long journey and found Ian, clearing the garden & pond. He was friendly and very helpful, showed us around the house & gardens. Kids absolutely loved the natural pond, watching the frogs & dragon flies, from inside and out. The house was tidy, well equipped & comfortable, which was handy as we didn't have the best of weather. The disused cycle track was excellent for cycling and the nearby Marais & Mervent are great days out.

We had an excellent week, Gite is well equiped, everything we needed. Location great for walks in the nearby Mervant forest, the Marais, and even the disused rail track either side on the old station house. For us, nice and remote, and no light pollution at night for stargazing. Nearby town has all the ammenities. Thanks Ian.

Spent a lovely 2 weeks here, escaping from the humdrum realities of life. Great garden and there is just something magic about a hammock! Sunset at the viaduct with a carafe is great, the nearby lake and beach was a great hit with the kids.

Ian can't do too much to help out in any way he can. A grand part of the world, now a distant memory.

Dearest Ian,

Thank you so much for a truly wonderful two weeks. We loved the gite and the beautiful gardens. The swimming pond was fantastic and kept the children occupied for hours looking for tadpoles while we relaxed in the hammocks reading our books; heaven. Harry the dog loved his walks along the old railway track and we loved taking him, especially with the abundance of butterflies we saw along the way.

There is so much to do in the area with the picturesque villages, lakes to swim in, ch?teauxs, tree top play grounds not to mention the beaches!

We especially loved our afternoon with you and your family on the lake; lots of good memories from that day.

We were so sad to leave; in fact you are lucky we did! We almost decided to set up home there for good.

Thank you again, a very special holiday x

The Harrison Family xxx