Bed and continental breakfast is offered in a friendly family home in Moncontour, Vienne, France at £12 (15 euros) per person per night in an en-suite double or twin room - most with English television and tea/coffee making facilities. Please check date availability before making a bid - £12 deposit will secure your requested dates, either paid via paypal or by cheque thanks.
We are able to provide meals on request. For example a 4-course evening meal including aperitifs, seafood starter, main course, sweet, local cheeses, wine, soft drinks and coffee is offered at 12 euros per person. Although a choice of menu is not permitted under chambre d'hote rules, we are always happy to cater for specific likes or dislikes, and to adapt the menu for children or smaller appetites wherever possible.
The village of Moncontour is in the Vienne department of the Poutou Charentes (an area which is supposedly the second sunniest part of France) and is situated 45 minutes north of Futuroscope and Poitiers which has TGV connections to Paris and Ryanair flights to Stansted (and Birmingham during the summer months), and it is approximately two hours from La Rochelle and Nantes, which have flights to England with Flybe, Ryanair and BMI Baby. If at all possible airport pickups can be arranged in 7 seater car at the cost of petrol. Most of the channel ferry ports are approximately 4-5 hours drive away, although Calais and Boulogne are around 6 hours drive.
The house is situated on the edge of the village, about 10 minutes walk to the local shops, bar and restaurant. Moncontour has a leisure lake with beach, pedalos, teleski and swimming in the summer months, and there are lovely walks along the little river Dive which meanders around the village, past ancient lavoirs (washing places), a trout lake, and hunt reserves to explore, or enjoy walks along the lanes between fields of sunflowers, Charentais melon, maize and corn to the next villages. The X1th century donjon tower of Moncontour shown in the photograph can be seen for miles around and provides superb views over the surrounding area - photographs also show the village of Moncontour and the chambre d'hotes seen from the top of the tower. There are a number of chateaux to visit in the vicinity, whilst Saumur and Chinon in the Loire and ancient Parthenay are under 40 minutes drive away, and the market towns of Thouars, Mirabeau and Loudun are under 20 minutes drive. There are many celebrations, festivals, evening markets etc. planned for Moncontour and surrounding area - where the French celebrate everything from music and dancing to donkey racing and melon festivals and Christmas markets, with many vide-greniers (car boot type sales/festivals) held in nearby villages. One of the biggest annual vide-grenier festivals in the area is held in Moncontour on 1st May.
Moncontour provides a good base for house hunting, exploring the area and enjoying the ambiance of "real France" and we will be happy to provide any help we can with house hunting, child minding etc wherever possible.
IN FACT IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY A PROPERTY I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE DETAILS OF WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AND ARRANGE FOR VIEWINGS OF APPROPRIATE PROPERTIES WITH LOCAL AGENTS/NOTAIRES ETC AND SEND PHOTOS. (This MAY help property seekers spending a lot of wasted time and money with repeated visits to the area to view houses which have either been sold without notification from the agent and gives a wider choice of agents and notaires not advertising on the net. I would give an honest view of properties (including any nearby pig farms etc!). The cost of this would only be my expenses of petrol/phone calls etc. if staying b and b.
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