Cottage with pool Charente/Dordogne border

L'Abricotier (The Apricot Tree) is a beautifully renovated former farm cottage with a delightfully quirky interior.Accessed via a 200m private lane, the cottage is surrounded by farmland and stunning views. It is quiet, peaceful and romantic but, despite its idyllic location, is only 5 minutes' drive from the small town of Montmoreau-St-Cybard. It is ideally suited to couples and families with up to two very young children (under 5s only) The space L’Abricotier (The Apricot Tree) is a beautifully renovated former farm cottage with a delightfully quirky interior. It is close to, but entirely independent from, our home which is situated across the courtyard. Accessed via a 200 m private lane, the cottage is surrounded by farmland and stunning views. It is quiet, peaceful and romantic but, despite its idyllic location, it is only 5 minutes’ drive from the small town of Montmoreau-St-Cybard which has many amenities and an excellent supermarket. At the front of the cottage is a small gravelled courtyard surrounded by a rustic fence for privacy. The rear of the cottage has a small, private garden area which overlooks our extensive organic vegetable garden with views over the valley beyond. The cottage is set within the grounds of our home and guests have the use of the above ground swimming pool, between 09.00h and 24.00h. The pool is reserved for cleaning, and our own personal use, up to 09.00h each day. Inside, the ground floor is open-plan and includes a roomy relaxing space with glazed doors onto the garden, a dining area and a spacious, well-equipped kitchen in which there is a large range cooker, fridge and microwave. Upstairs there is one, enormous bedroom with a small “sleeping nook” for children which contains a single bed and a cot which can be converted to a toddler bed by removing one side. There is also the possibility to replace the cot with a larger single bed if required. There is air conditioning upstairs, in the bedroom. We also supply floor standing fans. PLEASE NOTE (1) : There is an en suite bathroom equipped with a walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin. There is no bath. PLEASE NOTE (2) : a large beam, with 1.2 m clearance from the floor, runs across the entire room. Please check the photos, to see if this would cause any problems, before booking. Please also refer to the floor plan to ensure the sleeping arrangements are suitable for your family. There is air conditioning upstairs, in the bedroom. We also supply floor standing fans. Although the cottage is ideally suited to couples seeking a peaceful, romantic break, the bedroom can easily accommodate a young child and/or baby in a co, or two young children, when used as a family room. We provide a high chair, toddlers’ booster seat, potty, child’s toilet seat and baby bath as well as a selection of children's toys. On arrival, guests will find everything they need to prepare a simple evening meal and supplies for their first breakfast. We will be on hand to welcome you on arrival and help with any queries but will keep a discrete distance during your stay. Do note, however that we live, and work, on site. The property is very close to the Charente/Dordogne border with Aubeterre (voted one of the “prettiest villages in France”) only 15 minutes’ drive away. There, you will find a vibrant village square, bordered by shops and restaurants and all only a short walk away from a lovely river beach on The Dronne, where canoes can be hired or one can swim in the calm waters. The small town of Riberac is about 20 minutes away and has a very popular weekly market on Fridays. Angouleme – the “Cartoon Capital of the World” is 30 minutes away and Perigueux about an hour. The surrounding area is very beautiful and will appeal most to those wanting a quiet, relaxing break, deep in the countryside. Finally, we share our home with our Border Collie, Floss. She is entirely free range and, although she is not allowed within the cottage garden or courtyard, she is likely to greet you very enthusiastically whenever she sees you so please bear this in mind when considering your stay. Guest access In addition to the cottage’s small, private garden, the swimming pool, pool house and garden surrounding them are for guests’ use. (We do use the pool in the morning and if guests are out). Other things to note Children are welcome to use the swimming pool, but only if they are fully toilet trained or have special swimming nappies.