Barn with heated pool . In village with shop & bar

Converted stone barn, in the heart of the lovely village of Dampierre-sur-Boutonne. With village shop/bar/cafe & Chateau within 400 meters A lovely romantic getaway for 2, as the bedroom has a Super King Size bed, but can sleep 4 if required. A spacious living/kitchen/dining area and a large covered terrace area with BBQ. The property has a gorgeous heated pool (10 x 5m) with sun terrace & sofas, large games barn with pool table, table tennis, table football and other games, and lawn area. The space The Barn was originally part of a working farm in the heart of the village of Dampierre sur Boutonne. It has been lovingly restored keeping it's original stone walls, exposed beams and even the rings where the animals used to be tethered. You enter The Barn from the large, covered private terrace. The front door opens into a large, airy (and very cool in the summer) kitchen/living area. The kitchen is fully equipped and contains all the equipment and utensils you should need during your stay including oven, hob, microwave, fridge, toaster, kettle and filter coffee machine. The lounge area has a double sofa bed, 2 arm chairs, coffee table and TV, with a dining table and 4 dining chairs. Upstairs is a large bedroom with stone walls and exposed beams. There is a super king size bed and 2 single beds. The single beds are in the eaves, with restricted headroom, so are more ideally suited to young children. With the sofa bed in the living room, there are a number of possibilities for sleeping arrangements. There is room for a cot if required. There is hanging space and two sets of drawers, bedside tables and bedside lights. The shower room leads off from the bedroom. There is an air-conditioning unit in the bedroom, to ensure it stays cool throughout the summer. The outside private terrace is large and airy, with a table, chairs and BBQ. Plenty of room for sunbeds should you wish to relax. The back half of the terrace remains in the shade all day long, so is the perfect place to keep cool and chill out. It is a lovely spot to relax and eat in the evenings. There is a beautiful and newly refurbished 10 x 5 m heated pool, with ample sunbeds and parasols. The pool area is in the sun the for the whole day. There is a large patio and pebbled area surrounding the pool, with a rattan sofa and chairs under a gazebo making a lovely pool lounge area, perfect for relaxing during the day or watching the sunset from in the evening. There is also a large games barn to amuse both the children and the adults alike. It is equipped with a pool table, table tennis, table football, darts and a number of board games, books and DVDs. We also provide equipment that can be used on the lawn area such as badminton, football, boules, mollky and frisbee. Excellent Wifi and English TV (freeview) or French TV are available in the gite. We have 3 friendly cats who live with us on site. Bath towels and bedding provided, but we ask guests to provide their own pool/beach towels. There are laundry facilities are on site, including a washing machine, clothes driers, iron and ironing board. There is also a freezer and ice maker available. The Barn is one of three gites at La Petite Ferme Gites, the other two being The Farmhouse (sleeps 6) and Fig Tree Cottage (sleeps 2). Each gite has it's own private terrace/eating area and BBQ and do not overlook each other, so you can feel secluded. The guests do share the heated pool, games barn, sun terraces, lawn, laundry and parking. All three gites can be rented together should you require. THE VILLAGE OF DAMPIERRE La Petite Ferme Gites have the relaxed tranquillity of a gite in the French countryside but with the benefits of being in an active little village. A two minute walk to get your freshly baked baguettes and pastries from the "épicerie" (village shop) in the morning or to pick up supplies for the day. The épicerie is open 6 days a week and serves breakfast, hot drinks and freshly baked pizza and stocks a range of everyday food items, locally produced products and delicatessen items. Bread and pastries can be ordered in advance, ensuring you have a delicious fresh French breakfast. The épicerie also has an alcohol license, so is a great place to sit in the evening & enjoy a glass of wine or two. In the summer, there is a weekly small evening market at the epicerie and several music concerts The Chateau de Dampierre is a beautiful renaissance chateau open to the public, with stunning gardens to walk through. They offer daily guided tours, as well as allowing you to freely explore by yourself. Throughout the year they have a range of art exhibitions and musical events. I The river Boutonne flows through the village and around the chateau. Fishing, swimming, hiking and cycling are all accessible in the village. We can give you information on local routes and fishing spots. We can arrange bike and canoe hire or fishing trips. Dampierre is lucky to have a gorgeous little boutique, L'Armoire de Flora, selling very chic secondhand clothes and accessories. In the summer these is also a small brocante (antique shop), an art exhibition displaying work of local artists and a community shop of local artisans selling their products It is a vibrant but tranquil village. SURROUNDING AREA An 8 minute drive away is Aulnay, a charming little market town, with bars, restaurants, shops, twice weekly market and large supermarket (Intermarche). While the larger, lovely market town of Saint Jean D'Angely is a 15 minute drive. Here you will find a number of supermarkets, bars, restaurants, twice weekly market, Abbey and a cinema as well as a range of leisure activities such as karting, boating, canoeing and swimming. Both towns are on the Santiago De Compostela pilgrimage trail and have stunning churches and other historic buildings to visit. There are very helpful tourist information offices in both towns. During the summer there are a number of free evening concerts and food events in the local villages open to all. We will keep you informed on what activities are happening locally during your stay 3 miles away is the world famous Asinerie du Baudet du Poitou (Poitou Donkey Farm) home of the rasta donkeys, and Zoodysee wild life park in Chize is a 15 minute drive away. Water sports, including paddle boarding, water skiing, kayaking and canoeing are a 25 minute drive away We are ideally situated within a 60 minute drive of a number of historic and beautiful towns and a range of activities. The stunning Atlantic Coast is definitely worth a visit. La Rochelle with its medieval streets, world famous port with its plentiful harbour-side restaurants, bars and boutique shops, the perfect place to spend a day or evening, or to explore its vast summer markets. The city is home to an aquarium, maritime and several other museums. The beaches and marinas of Royan and Rochefort as well as a number of equally gorgeous, but lesser known beaches such as Fouras and Chatelaillon Plage are all less then a hour away. There are several stunning islands to explore such as the famous and exclusive Île de Ré, the less well known, but equally as lovely islands of Île d’Oléron and Île d'Aix or even a boat trip to see the famous Fort Boyard. Stunning Charente towns worth a visit include Cognac, home of the world famous cognac houses of Martell, Hennessy and Remy Martin, which all offer tours & tastings. The city also has an 18 hole golf course, historic castles, museums, abbeys and churches. Jarnac, Cognac's smaller neighbour is a beautiful riverside town and home of Courvoisier. Saintes, Niort, and Angouleme are great towns for culture, sights and shopping. The Marais Poitevin, the Green Venice of France, is a great day out for boat trips and cycling. It is the second largest wet land area in France, where you can chose to hire boats or bikes or go on a guided tour along the waterways. The capital of the Marais Poitevin is Coulon where you can enjoy a leisurely lunch in the beautiful town square We have produced a detailed on-line guide book, which we e-mail out in advance of you trip and provide each gite with information on the local area and have range of maps including cycle and walking routes that we can share with you. La Petite Ferme Gites is the ideal place to relax and unwind and enjoy the tranquillity of the beautiful Charente Maritime, but there is plenty to do and lots to see in the area for those who want to explore. Guest access There is ample space for parking on site and the property has gates which can be closed during the day and are locked at night. We are happy to accommodate bikers and cyclists and have a locked and secure garage that you can store your motorbikes and cycles in while you are with us. We have good practical knowledge of local running/walking, cycling and motorbike routes that we are happy to share with you if you would like. Access to all communal areas including the heated pool, the games barn, the sun terraces, the lawn and the laundry with washing machine. Other things to note We have 3 friendly cats, who live on site Registration Details 83817191600011