Lucon holiday gite rental, Les Mottes with shared pool, walking, beach/lake nearby, balcony/terrace, rural retreat, TV, DVD

Print this pageE-mail to FriendAdd to Facebook

Hortensia Cottage (gite)

Home description

A delightful single-storey cottage, full of character, with a large open plan living area and dining space and well-equipped kitchen. It benefits from its own quiet garden and parking but guests have full access to the gardens, games and pool of the property.

Furnished and equipped with comfort in mind, high quality linen and towels are included in the price.
The village is quiet and peaceful with walks, cycle tracks and fishing in the river Smagne, yet only 10 minutes drive from the cathedral town of Luçon and within 35 minutes of beaches, forests and lakes which offer a huge range of holiday activities and entertainment.

Viewed from the garden	Entrance to the property
Front of Hortensia Cottage	Hortensia Cottage fully equipped kitchen

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/46721

The Poitou-Charentes / Vendee / Vendee region

The Vendee is a large département (or county) about the size of Devon located on the French Atlantic coast, just south of Brittany and Nantes, and north of La Rochelle and Bordeaux. Its position, within 2 to 6 hours of the various ferry ports, makes the area an easy day's journey from Britain and Ireland. It has some 150 kilometres of mainly sandy beaches which give good conditions for water sports as well as just enjoying the sunshine. The population, according to the 1999 census, is 540,000.

The name "Vendée" is taken from that of a river which runs through the south-east of the département. After crossing the forest of Mervent it flows through the town of Fontenay-le-Comte, which used to be the capital of Bas-Poitou - the county's name was changed to Vendée after the French Revolution of 1789 until Napoleon decided his soldiers could keep the Vendeans in order more easily from La Roche-sur-Yon. The river meanders on through the marshes to meet the Sevre Niortaise, and turns west to meet the sea in the bay known as the Anse de l'Aiguillon, famous for its mussel and oyster beds.

The property is situated in the heart of the wonderful micro-climate that is enjoyed in this part of the Vendée. It is said to be second only to the Côte d'Azur and regularly records 2,500 hours of sunshine a year. As a result many sub-tropical plants grow, we have a 5 metre banana tree in the garden which bore fruit in 2007. The local farms grow maize, sunflowers, tobacco and delicious melons which are on sale between April and October. However winters can be quite cold but we're prepared for off-peak guests and the gîte has electric wall radiaters.

We may have to make a nominal charge for the central heating costs in exceptionally cold periods. You'll find the thick walls and shutters give excellent insulation, keeping the house cool in summer and retaining the warmth in winter.

Lucon / Les Mottes area

Situated in a quiet village close to interesting walks, cycling routes and for fishing the river Smagne, Hortensia Cottage is ideally placed for easy and quick access to a large range of holiday activities and entertainment.

Beaches at La Tranche and La Faute within 30 minutes drive offer sailing, surfing, jet skiing, microlight, tennis, golf and horse riding. Les Sables d'Olonne a little further with its zoo, spa, shopping, casino and night life. La Rochelle just 45 minutes to the south with its chic shopping, street cafes, restaurants, aquarium and historic buildings with the nearby Ile de Ré, famous for its hollyhocks and long-haired donkeys.

The fantastic theme park of Le Puy de Fou (second attraction in France after Disneyland) is an hour to the north and Futuroscope is at Poitiers. To the south is the Marais Poitevin (Green Venice) with punts and electric boats to hire to explore this amazing network of waterways and wildlife. The cathedral town of Luçon with its markets and good choice of supermarkets is our nearest town just 10 minutes away. They organise many cultural events throughout the year.

Nearby is a large watersports venue and close to the village are beautiful forest and riverside walks, adventure playgrounds and cycle routes. Wine tasting is very popular too, with wine trails starting only a few kilometres away where you can discover the Vendéen wines. There's also a good selection of restaurants to cater for most people's tastes and budgets.

How to get there

Flights to:
Nantes ( 1 hour - 90 kms) - Ryanair from Dublin, Shannon, London Stanstead and East Midlands
La Rochelle ( 1 hr - 60 kms) - Ryanair from Dublin and London Stanstead
- Easyjet from London Gatwick and Bristol
- FlyBe from Birmingham, Southampton, Manchester and (from 2008) Glasgow
- Jet2 (from May 2008) from Edinburgh and Leeds
Poitiers (1+hours - 140 kms)- Ryanair (from March 2008) from London Stanstead

Ferries to:
Santander ( 6+hrs - 660 kms) - Brittany Ferries from Plymouth
Roscoff ( 4+hrs - 410 kms) - Brittany Ferries from Cork, Plymouth
Saint Malo ( 3 hrs - 280 kms) - Brittany Ferries from Plymouth, Portsmouth
Cherbourg ( 4+hrs - 440kms) - Brittany Ferries from Poole, Plymouth, Portsmouth
Caen ( 3+hrs - 380 kms) - Brittany Ferries from Plymouth, Portsmouth
Le Havre ( 4+hrs - 470 kms) - Portsmouth, Newhaven
Dieppe (5 hrs - 500 kms) - Newhaven
Boulogne ( 6 hrs - 620 kms) - Dover
Calais ( 6 hrs - 650 kms) - P+O and Seafrance from Dover, Folkestone
Dunkerque (6 hrs - 690 kms) - Dover
Zeebrugge (7 hrs - 740kms) - P+O from Hull, Rosyth

Activities near Lucon

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The renovation has been carried out to show the original stonework and beams and the gîte is full of character. The thick walls and shutters give good insulation making it cool in summer and snug in the colder periods. The open plan living area has comfortable seating including a sofa bed and dining table and includes TV (English channels) and DVD player. There is a fully equipped corner kitchen. A short corridor leads to the master bedroom, second bedroom with large bunkbeds and the shower room with WC.

Further details outdoors:
The gîte has its own parking area and patio with garden furniture and barbeque. Guests are welcome to use the rest of the 7,000 square metre gardens, short tennis and badminton games and outdoor pool facilities with the guests of Wisteria House. The gardens are mainly grassed with fruit trees for natural shade. A covered lean-to corner of a large barn near the pool provides a shaded area for sitting and barbeque meals and we also use this space to play table tennis and darts.The pool measures some 9 x 5 metres with a single depth of 1.5 metres.

Elegant wide steps lead into it on two sides, which also serve as seats, so the full depth area can be used for swimming and ball games. The pool is in a secured, paved area with plenty of seating. Outbuildings have been converted to house the pump and filter, to provide a shaded area and a changing room. There is also an outside shower. The pool is regularly maintained and uses bromide salt rather than chlorine which doesn't smell and is generally less irritating to sensitive skins.

Further details

A welcome pack with local specialities is offered on arrival.
Towels are provided for use in the house and gite, separate towels provided for the pool but we would expect guests to bring their own beach towels.
If the owners are not living on site during your stay their local representative who is also bilingual will be pleased to help you.

Rental rates

Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Nov - Apr	1 Jan 08	26 Apr 08	250£  250	0-	0-	1 Week
May	26 Apr 08	31 May 08	300£  300	0-	0-	1 Week
June	31 May 08	28 Jun 08	450£  450	0-	0-	1 Week
Jul & Aug	28 Jun 08	30 Aug 08	600£  600	0-	0-	1 Week
Sep	30 Aug 08	27 Sep 08	450£  450	0-	0-	1 Week
Oct	27 Sep 08	1 Nov 08	300£  300	0-	0-	1 Week
Nov - Apr	1 Nov 08	25 Apr 09	250£  250	0-	0-	1 Week

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
1. The property known as Hortensia Cottage (the property) is offered for holiday rental subject to confirmation by Chris and Harriet Butt (the owners) to the renter ( the client). We can accept payments by cheque or bank transfer in Euros or GB pounds sterling.
2. The rates for the property Hortensia Cottage are shown in GB pounds and include the consumption of gas, water and electricity and the use of linen and bedding, towels for use in the house and for the pool. A standard cleaning charge is also included but we reserve the right to make a further appropriate charge if the property is left in an unsatisfactory condition.
3. To reserve the property, the client should complete the booking form and return it to us, together with a non-refundable deposit of £200. We will then send a confirmation invoice which is the acceptance of the booking.
4.The balance of the rental, together with the security deposit (see point 5) is payable not less than 8 weeks before the start of the rental period. If such payment is not received by the due date the owners reserve the right to give written notice that the reservation is cancelled. Reservations made within eight weeks of the start of the rental period are to be paid in full at the time of the booking
5. A refundable security deposit of £200 is required in case of damage or loss to the property or its contents. The security deposit. less any charges, will be returned two weeks after the end of the rental period.
6. Subject to Points 3 and 4 above, in the event of a non-insurable cancellation, refunds of amounts paid will be made if the owners are able to re-let the property. Any expenses or losses incurred in doing so will be deducted from the refundable amount. The client is strongly advised to arrange a comprehensive insurance policy (including cancellation cover) and to have full cover for the party's personal belongings, public liability etc.
7. The changeover day is normally Saturday, but this might be negotiable. The rental period will start at 1600 hours on the first day and finish at 1000 hours on the last day. The owners will not be obliged to offer the accommodation before the time stated and the client shall not be entitled to remain in occupation after the time stated.
8. The maximum number of people to reside in the property must not exceed six persons unless the owners have given written permission.
9. The client agrees to be a considerate tenant and take good care of the property and to leave it in a clean and tidy condition at the end of the rental period. The owners reserve the right to make a retention from the security deposit to cover any damage or additional cleaning costs if the client leaves the property in an unacceptable condition. The client also agrees not to act in any way which would cause disturbance to those residents in nearby properties.
10. The client shall report to the owners or their local representative, without delay, any defects or breakdown in equipment, plant, machinery or appliances in the property, swimming pool or any of the facilities, so that arrangements for repair or replacement can be made as soon as possible.
11. The owners shall not be liable to the client for any temporary defect or stoppage in the supply of public services to the property nor in respect of any equipment, plant, machinery or appliance in the property, garden, accommodation or swimming pool complex, or any loss, damage or injury which is the result of adverse weather conditions, riot, war, strikes or other matters beyond the owners control. The owners liability to the client will not exceed the amount paid to the owner for the rental period.
12. The client must ensure that children are supervised at all times when using the swimming pool and the area around it within the wall and gate. No diving is allowed.

Availability notes

To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/46721

Contact owner

To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/46721

Contact details for home 46721 Please mention Holiday Lettings
Name:	Harriet Butt
Tel:	+44 1472 371355
Mobile:	+44 (0)7971 247080
Be aware of time-zones
Languages:
Advertiser joined: 15 Jan 2008 This property added: 15 Jan 2008

Your Name
Your E-mail
Telephone
Dates	JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec   to   JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Guests	Adults       Children
Message
Where did you find us?	--Please select--Search EngineWord of MouthNewspaperMagazineRyanair Seat BackExhibitionForum / Other WebsitePrevious BookingRightmoveOther
Receive newsletter (info) Receive copy of enquiry
Use of this form is restricted to genuine enquiries about renting this property. Unsolicited commercial marketing is strictly prohibited.

Other homes from this owner

Wisteria House in Lucon, France