Sorry - no pets allowed Suitable for children No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
This beautiful 19th century chateau dominates the small village square of Saint-Fort-sur-Gironde in the sunny Charente Maritime. Enjoy the wonderful original features, period furnishings, high ceilings, lovely south facing garden, heated swimming pool, hot tub and panoramic views of the rolling hills and vineyards around. Simply relax in these stunning surroundings or take advantage of the full range of activities on the doorstep.
This beautiful property retains its original features, including high ornate plaster ceilings, marble entrance hall, marble fireplaces and a huge stained glass window portraying four churches in the area. The property has been renovated and furnished to a high standard, by the owners. There is over 650m sq of living space and 34 rooms in total.
Whether you want to relax by the pool, visit the nearby sandy beaches, stroll into the village port nearby, indulge in the local history, food and wine or be more active you'll find it all in the local area.
Saint Fort is located 3km inland from the small fishing village of Port Maubert and 5km from Mortagne-sur-Gironde. The area benefits from a wonderful warm climate extending from March right through to October due to the effect of the Gulf Stream – it is the second sunniest area in France after the Riviera.
It is a two minute walk to buy your croissants and bread in the morning. There are also all the other basic shops in the village and a bar in the square. Larger supermarkets can be found in the nearby towns.
The beautiful sandy beaches and coves of Meschers, Saint Georges de Didonne and Royan are 20 - 25 minutes drive away. The historic towns of Saintes or Pons are both 30 minutes away. Within an hour you can be in the beautiful ancient port of La Rochelle or the famous vineyards of Bordeaux.
Alternatively, enjoy the indoor facilities including satellite TV, DVD player with selection of DVDs, games room including playstation (with games), board games, indoor table tennis table, bar billiards or table football. Or relax in the library with its selection of over 4000 books.
Chateau De La Place
Heated 10m x 5m Swimming pool
The "Green" Room with its Fantastic Stained Glass Window
First Floor Double Bedroom
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/17787
The Poitou-Charentes / Vendee / Charente Maritime region
The area benefits from a wonderful warm climate extending from March right through to October due to the effect of the Gulf Stream – it is the second sunniest area in France after the Riviera.
There is something for everyone in the area around Chateau De La Place, whether it's lazing in the sun by the pool, spending time on the beach, activities like watersports, go-karting and golf, birdwatching, walking, cycling, visiting historic sites or indulging in the fantastic local food and wine.
There are many beautiful and historic towns and cities within easy reach of the Chateau. For example, the magnificent ancient Roman town of Saintes, with its 1st Century amphitheatre, one of the oldest discovered; the historic ports of La Rochelle and Rochefort; the magnificent restored 12th Century church at Talmont, not to mention Bordeaux, Cognac, Pons and Angouleme.
The wine areas of Bordeaux are close by. Take a ferry across the Gironde to the Medoc chateaux or take a trip to the beautiful town of St Emillion.
Mortagne sur Gironde area
There is so much to do locally you'll have to come time and time again....
Sandy Beaches
Within 20 minutes drive of the Chateau you will find some of the best sandy beaches in Europe. The 3 star Michelin rated 2km long fine sandy beach at Royan, the capital of the Cote de Beaute (Coast of Beauty), stretches north to south from the yachting marina to Saint-Georges-de-Didonne. Here you can hire the wonderful old-fashioned blue and white tents to protect you from the hot summer sun.
Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, south of Royan, has its own long sandy beach and closer still at Merschers and La Plages des Vergnes you will find more sandy coves with caves and rock pools.
The beaches of the Cote Sauvage (north of Royan) have the best waves for water sports and fabulous sand dunes – though some of them are nudist! Similarly the islands of Ile de Re and Ile d’Oleron have some wonderful stretches of sand.
Watersports
As well as bathing and basking in the sun, Royan and the Ile d’Oleron are centres for water sports such as windsurfing and sailing.
Go on a boat trip or rent a boat. In the northern Charente Maritime, west of Niort, are the waterways of the Marais Poitevin, or "Green Venice" area. At several villages you can rent flat-bottomed boats and paddle around a delightful maze of tiny canals, lined with willows and poplars.
Cycling
There is a network of quiet lanes winding amongst the vineyards around St Fort, and there are numerous cycle tracks in the area. Either bring your own bikes or hire them locally. From St Palais-sur-Mer near Royan there is 60 km of cycle track through the forest and along the coast. There are also marked routes for mountain bikes.
Walking
As you would also expect, this is a wonderful area for walking with some breathtaking views of the estuary beyond the vineyards. There are some wonderful seaside and cliff top walks. Details of walks can be found in the house.
Golf
Golfers are well catered for with excellent courses at Royan, Saintes, Cognac and Bordeaux.
Horse Riding
There are several good horse riding facilities locally.
Bird Watching
There are always birds of prey circling in the area around Chateau De La Place and you are likely to see black redstarts, cuckoos, black kites, hen harriers, buzzards, goshawks, herons, pied flycatchers and hoopoes, amongst others. The area as a whole is excellent for spotting migratory birds (particularly spring and autumn).
At Rochefort, about 40 minutes north of St Fort, 74 hectares of ecological lagoons welcome thousands of birds each year.
Fishing
Trout, pike, perch, big carp and whitefish are among the first class catches that the fishing enthusiast can pull out of the waters of the River Charente and other rivers and lakes in the area. The local tourist office in St Fort has details of where permits can be purchased.
Deep sea fishing is also available at Royan.
Wine Tasting
You can taste (and buy) Cognac, chardonnay, sauvignon or pineau on the doorstep of the Chateau. Within easy reach is Cognac itself, where you can visit the famous producers and then, of course, there is the famous wine growing region of Bordeaux.
St Emilion is a must or take a tour of the Medoc, home to some of the most famous Bordeaux vineyards.
The Zoo at La Palmyre
In the heart of one of the most beautiful pine forests in the area just north of Royan (35 minutes’ drive) lies La Palmyre zoo. The most famous zoological park in France and recently voted European Zoo of the Year, it is the most visited tourist attraction in the department of Charente-Maritime. As a breeding zoo it is different from most people’s idea of a zoo with many animals free to roam – there are more than 1600 in all!
See apes, elephants, bears, jaguars, lions, panthers, giraffes, hippopotamuses, wolves, crocodiles, pink flamingos, cockatoos, red ibis, parrots. There is a new polar bear basin and tropical greenhouse, a reptile house and shows with trained parrots and sea lions. Kids love it!
How to get there
You can reach Chateau De La Place easily by car or by air.
BY CAR
Chateau De La Place is about 4 hours' drive from St Malo, 5 hours from Le Havre or 7 hours from Calais. The motorway which brings you into Charente Maritime is the A10 and local directions are below.
The best route from Calais is via Boulogne, Rouen, Le Mans and Tours - simply follow the signs and you can’t go wrong. It's motorway all the way (apart from going around Rouen) and brand new roads make the drive a pleasure and quicker than the route via Paris.
BY AIR
Ryanair Stansted to La Rochelle & Poitiers Dublin to La Rochelle East Midlands to Limoges & Bergerac Liverpool to Limoges & Bergerac
Flybe Birmingham to La Rochelle & Bergerac Southampton to La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Bergerac and Limoges Bristol to Bordeaux & Bergerac Norwich to Bordeaux Exeter to Bergerac Leeds Bradford to Bergerac
BMIBaby Manchester to Bordeaux Birmingham to Bordeaux
British Airways and Air France fly from main airports into Bordeaux
Easyjet Bristol to La Rochelle Luton to Bordeaux.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
La Rochelle & Bordeaux: 100 km
Activities near Mortagne sur Gironde
Sports: Tennis in town Watersports Waterpark Horse Riding Golf within 30 mins drive Fishing
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats Beach or lakeside relaxation Cycling holidays
Facilities
Luxuries:
Jacuzzi / Hot tub, Log fire, DVD player, Private outdoor pool (heated)
General:
Central heating, TV, CD player, Pool / Snooker table, Table tennis, Games room, Satellite TV
Single beds (12), Double beds (5), Cots (2), Dining seating for 22, Lounge seating for 22, Sleeps maximum of 22
Other:
Linen and towels provided. Highchair available.
Outdoors:
Balcony / Terrace, Private garden, BBQ
Access:
Secure parking
Further details indoors: Large marble entrance hall, two sitting rooms each with original parquet flooring, carved wooden panels and marble fireplaces, a fully stocked library, also with marble fireplace, study and cloakroom. There is a huge dining room with original beams and open fireplace.
The first floor can be accessed by either the impressive main staircase, with its ornate stained glass arch or the “servants” staircase in the rear lobby. On this floor there are five bedrooms (three double, two twin), three bathrooms (one with an enormous Jacuzzi bath, the other two with showers), plus a dressing room and separate toilet.
On the second floor there are five bedrooms (two double, two twin, one very large quadruple for kids), plus two bathrooms (one with shower, one with bath and shower over) and a separate toilet. Both the first and second floor rooms have wonderful views of the surrounding countryside and from the second floor there is access to a small roof terrace with particularly stunning views over the village, its church and the beautiful countryside beyond. A great place to enjoy a glass of wine whilst watching the sunset.
For special occasions or simply for your added enjoyment and relaxation the owners can arrange for a chef to cook for you at the chateau for a very reasonable cost.
Further details outdoors: The large south facing walled garden has mature trees and shrubs, a heated swimming pool (10m x 5m) which for your children’s safety is alarmed and fenced from the house, a Jacuzzi hot tub, a built-in barbecue, patio furniture and sun loungers, boules pitch, sand pit plus plenty of space for children to play. There are two hard tennis courts and a football pitch within 2 minutes walk.
Conditions
Changeover Day is Saturday. Arrival from 4pm, departure by 10am
Payment - a 25% deposit is required to confirm a booking. The balance is payable 8 weeks before arrival.
What’s Included? Bed linen, pillows, blankets and indoor towels are provided. Please bring your own pool towels. Electricity is included but we do reserve the right to charge for excessive usage (above £50 per week).
We can arrange for logs to be provided for open fires which you can pay for locally.
We expect the chateau to be left in clean condition although it will be cleaned before your arrival.
Smoking is not allowed in the Chateau.
Sorry no pets.
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: British £
Convert to:
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
Easter Holidays
15 Mar 08
12 Apr 08
2000£ 2,000
0-
0-
1 Week
April, May
12 Apr 08
24 May 08
1800£ 1,800
0-
0-
1 Week
Whitsun and June
24 May 08
28 Jun 08
2200£ 2,200
0-
0-
1 Week
Early July
28 Jun 08
19 Jul 08
2950£ 2,950
0-
0-
1 Week
Summer Hols
19 Jul 08
30 Aug 08
4250£ 4,250
0-
0-
1 Week
September
30 Aug 08
27 Sep 08
2000£ 2,000
0-
0-
1 Week
October
27 Sep 08
1 Nov 08
1800£ 1,800
0-
0-
1 Week
61
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
Guestbook
"Just a note to say what a fantastic week we had last week. The chateau was beyond my dreams - really beautiful!"
"The chateau was spectacular and the surrounding area perfect. It was exactly as depicted on your website."
"We had a fabulous time and are looking forward to returning next year."
"Beautiful house and locality. Would definitely recommend to others."
"We had an excellent week and hope to ruturn in the future."
Availability notes
To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/17787
Click to view availability for this property.
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/17787
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