Loire Valley

This 17th and 19th century “maison bourgeoise” is situated in the ancient small country town of Preuilly-sur-Claise which boasts excellent facilities. The southern Touraine is off the tourist track, and is not only a comfortable drive from the great Loire châteaux, but is also well situated for exploring the many lakes of the Brenne National Park, the famous Futuroscope park at Poitiers, and the Touraine vineyards. There are also several ‘son et lumière’ events which take place in the region.
The house itself is set in a wonderful enclosed garden, full of trees and flowers, approached through large wooden doors opening from the street. This allows cars to drive in under the ‘gatehouse’ and gives total privacy. Everyday entrance from the garden is through the well-equipped, fitted kitchen. The sitting room is spacious and comfortably furnished, the dining room elegant. There are three airy bedrooms on the first floor, all double-glazed, although only one gives onto the street. Upstairs again, the loft ‘flat’ has its own sitting room, two single bedrooms and a shower room.

Originally a dépendance to the 18th century manoir of the Domaine de Mertier, this comfortable family house is set on one side of a shared gravel courtyard just outside the manor gates. The front door leads straight from the courtyard into the beamed living room on the upper level. At one end is a very simple utility room which includes a small shower room and a separate lavatory; and at the other end, two bedrooms. Access to the open-plan dining room/kitchen and the bedrooms and bathroom on the lower level is via four stone steps from either the living room or the bedroom hallway. Although there are four bedrooms, the kitchen area is not large and the house is therefore more suitable for six people.
A private little cour outside the kitchen is ideal for summer meals. A second, lawned sitting-out area outside the dining-room offers lovely views across the lush green valley to the rooftops of Genillé – or you may prefer to relax in the shade of the grassy allée of plane trees which leads down the hill and through the meadows. The owner lives in the manor house with her friendly dogs, and her son lives in the converted stables next door. And, if you are there in the autumn and early winter, during the hunting season, you will be treated to the sight of the local hunters and their dogs gathering in the courtyard on Monday mornings for la grande chasse and later on for a hearty déjeuner in one of the dépendances!

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"In the heart of the Loire Valley, this newly converted property forms part of an original stable block. With use of the owners' pool set within a circular walled garden and, by arrangement, of tennis courts on the far side of the family's 19th century château, this is an ideal location for those wanting peace and quiet.
The accommodation is light and airy, offering a very high level of comfort, combining the classical elegance of a French rustic style with modern conveniences. This lovely setting of gardens within wooded grounds is a wonderful situation from which to enjoy all the delights of this region, being within very easy driving distance of the famous ch‚teaux of the Loire. Please note: There is a small ornamental lake in front of the château which clients pass on the way to the tennis court; children will require supervision.
Ground Floor: spacious, fully fitted modern kitchen with dining area; large sitting room with open fireplace (firewood provided); dual aspect entrance hall; WC with washbasin. 1st Floor: 6 bedrooms: 2 doubles (both with 160cm wide bed), one with en suite bathroom (corner bath with hand shower, shower cubicle with massage facility/WC); 4 twin bedrooms (one can be made up as double on prior request); bathroom (bath with shower over, twin basins; also houses washing machine and tumble dryer); door to under eaves drying area; shower room with twin basins; separate WC. Swimming pool shared with owners and 2nd letting property within enclosed walled garden.

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Tucked down a quiet side street of Vieux Selles, Les Lavandines is a delightful little town house which comes as a complete surprise. Behind the utterly unassuming façade lurks a luminous interior, awash with colour and vitality: the owner is Corsican and has sought to recreate the boldness and light of her native island in the gentler, softer environment of the Loire country. The rooms retain their original patterned tiled floors, and have been furnished with tremendous flair and imagination: an antique escritoire in the bedroom or an old wooden armoire in the kitchen blend harmoniously with eastern figurines, modern paintings and wrought iron lamps in the pink and green living room. The whole house is fresh, spacious and comfortable, ideal for both summer or winter living, with central heating, a modern shower room, a rustic but well equipped kitchen, and a tiny interior patio set up for outdoor dining. Between the kitchen and shower room is a nice-sized ante-room with a good quality single sofa bed, an easy chair and a wardrobe, making it a cosy, convenient bedroom for a child. The house has two entrances: the front door from the street gives access from the vestibule to the main bedroom on one side and the living room on the other. However, on the far side of the house, a stable door leads from the ante-room/child’s bedroom into a minuscule garden, planted with fragrant lavender bushes. This garden is fenced and its gate opens out into a small road running along the lovely Cher river, with its swirling waters, islets and willow trees. Selles-sur-Cher, renowned throughout France for its goat’s cheese, is a lively little town, with plenty of restaurants and bars just a few minutes’ walk from Les Lavandines, summer concerts on the river bank, a pretty privately-owned château, and local patisseries and charcuteries crammed with gastronomic delights to take on picnics. This part of the Loire valley makes an excellent base for discovering the eastern provinces: Touraine and its châteaux, the steep Sancerre vineyards of the Berry, the forests, lakes and marshes of the Sologne, and the richly historical city of Orléans.

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This property, an 18th century mill, is set in the heart of Loire châteaux country. The area is sleepily rural, and ideal for those seeking tranquillity.
The accommodation, reached by its own staircase, is on the first floor of the mill. The interior has been completely renovated and is comfortable, well heated and offers lovely views. There is a large terrace over the mill stream for alfresco dining, reached from the sitting room, and a small grassy area with a little shade at the water’s edge set aside for your use. Parents of small children should be aware that there is lots of water around!
A ground floor apartment next door is let all year; the tenants are extremely discreet. The owner (English speaking) lives nearby and, if asked, can be a useful source of information about the area; his wife is a local guide for the “monuments historiques”.

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Situated in the countryside to the north of Angers, this is the clock-tower of an imposing château which is set in extensive grounds. This area is traversed by several of France’s greatest rivers: the Mayenne, the Sarthe, the Loir, the Loire and the Maine, so boating, water sports and birdwatching are predominant occupations. The property is within easy reach of the western Loire châteaux (Angers, Saumur, Chinon) and the vineyards of these regions.
The property is part of the château but turns its back on it and is totally independent. It has its own private entrance and small garden. The interior is simple yet comfortable. The living room and bedrooms look out over a box garden and the park.
Ground floor: hall; small sitting/dining room, with staircase up to first floor WC with washbasin; small kitchen; separate WC.

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This secluded 17th century farmhouse, set in 10 hectares of woods and meadows going down to the Loir, is a paradise for children to run wild in. Deer are often to be seen in the grounds, as are herons and a myriad of waterfowl on the banks of the river. ‘La Gagneraie’ is being gradually restored, while retaining some magnificent traditional features, such as beamed ceilings, stone arches and fireplaces, brick floors, antique wooden doors and part of the original 17th century wooden staircase. Many of the doorways are low and most of the walls on the first and second floors are half-timbered. The house is totally secluded, accessed from the main road along a 1.5km unmade drive lined with cedars.
The accommodation and furniture are functional and comfortable rather than elegant, although the kitchen has been totally modernized, with access to the gravelled area in front of the house – its only traditional feature is the old brick bread oven, which has been turned into a hatchway out to the front hall! A wooden staircase, unprotected in places, leads up to the first floor, which has two good-sized bedrooms. The staircase to the second floor is the old one, again unprotected in parts and delightfully lop-sided and rickety. Toddlers would obviously need supervision when using either of the staircases, and the elderly might find the 17th century one a bit of a challenge. The two triple bedrooms on the second floor are more appropriate for children and teenagers, as the ceilings are sloping, with exposed supporting beams.
There are various disused barns on the property and the right-hand wing of the house, as seen in the picture, has not yet been renovated and is therefore sealed off.
La Gagneraie is well placed for exploring the unspoiled region of La Sarthe, with easy access to Le Mans and its famous 24-hour race, as well as the Château Le Lude and Tours and Angers further south.

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