Front of house, with blue, and white, wisteria, acer globosum + cestrum parquii
Location: Villefranche-du-Perigord, Aquitaine, France, Europe (50 minutes to A20. 1.25 hours from Bergerac.)
Accommodations: House, 3 Bedrooms + No additional sleeping rooms avail, 2 Baths (Sleeps 6)
Keywords: Gite,house
Renovated stone Perigordian farmhouse, with its own private 10m x 5m swimming pool (lightly salted). Sleeps 6. Self-catering gite in this secluded and rural part of the Dordogne, on the borders of the Lot. Detached, south facing, surrounded by lovely garden of approximately 1/4 acre, including many trees.
The house lies at the end of a lane, surrounded by lush rolling hills covered with chestnut and oak forests, Marou offers complete privacy, a perfect base for relaxing or activity holidays. The property (which is the owners' holiday home) lies 3km from Villefranche du Perigord, a bastide (fortified medieval) town dating from the 13th century with a covered market, square, and all facilities for shopping etc. The river Dordogne at Siorac and Domme is half an hour's drive north and the vineyards of the Lot valley a similar distance south. Nearby lie the beautiful bastide town of Monpazier and two historic castles: the handsome citadel of Edward I at Biron and the massive edifice at Bonaguil.
Marou is situated in the Perigord Noir, one of the most interesting parts of the region. It is laced with caves where prehistoric paintings have been discovered - over 150 sites line the Vézère river alone. The region is dark with trees, famous for walnuts and oaks, beneath which black truffles hide. The new National Museum of Prehistory is based here, perched on a cliff in the village of Les-Eyzies-de-Tayac.
The accommodation is arranged on three floors. You enter through the well-equipped kitchen. Two doors open from the kitchen: one to a ground floor bedroom which is furnished with a double bed and from which a glazed door opens onto the terrace in front of the pool; the other to a wetroom with wc and basin. Tiled floor throughout the ground floor.
There is a large, comfortably furnished living room on the first floor with a wood burning stove. There are shutters on 2 sides and a large door which opens onto the back of the house, making it cool even in the hottest weather, with panoramic views over the valley. There is a dining table to seat at least 8 people, a stereo and many books/CDs/games.
The stairs rise from the living room to the second floor where there are two bedrooms with sloping ceilings and velux windows, each furnished with two single beds. On the same floor is a bathroom/wc. The house has wall mounted electric radiators and a telephone (which accepts incoming calls). All linen is provided, but it is advised that you take beach towels.
Whether you are driving south from Paris or flying in from London, North America or Asia, getting to Marou is easy. The A20 autoroute, the major North-South Motorway from Paris to the South of France is only 50 minutes drive away. International airports Bergerac, Bordeaux and Toulouse are all within driving distance; and the direct train from Paris Austerlitz to Cahors takes 5 hours. Car rentals are available at all major railway stations.Location: 3km E of Villefranche du Perigord (all facilities), 12km N of Prayssac (all facilities) 35km NW of Cahors (large historical town, all facilities).
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Linens Provided : It is advisable to take your own beach towels.
- Off Street Parking : The gravelled drive is large enough to accomodate at least 4 cars
- Wood Fireplace
- Wood Stove : There is a wood-burning stove in the living room, and a supply of wood in the out-building is always available
- Beds
- Double Bed : There is a double bed on the ground floor, with a glazed, curtained, door leading onto a lavendared path which takes you to the swimming pool and terrace
- Twin/Single Bed (4) : There are 2 twin-bedded rooms on the top floor, each with veelux windows and a small, stone surrounded window below.
- Crib : A travel cot is available on request
- Entertainment
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library : There is a wide variety of CDs available
- Private Pool : The 10m x 5m pool is slightly salted, which is particularly beneficial to anyone with a skin complaint.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided : All the usual utensils are provided, including a hand-held blender.
- Refrigerator : There is a small fridge/freezer in the kitchen, and a larger one in the outbuilding, opposite the kitchen.
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Charcoal BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio : There is a large terrace surrounding the pool and an eating-out area next to the house, with a large wooden table, chairs and parasol. We've also got a grassy plateau on the lawn which gets the first rays of sun in the morning - a lovely place for breakfast.
- Communications
- Telephone : In-coming calls only.
- Other Amenities
- Large and varied book library, games, CDs, lightly salted pool, beautiful rural views
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Boating
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Antiquing
- Horseback Riding
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Hiking
- Restaurants
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Other Activities
- Canoeing on the rivers Dordogne and Lot
Rate Details (In Pounds Sterling, Euros)
January - March 12 £800/week
April - June 12 £900/week
July - September 12 £1300/week
October - December 12 £900/week
NB Minimum 14 nights from 30 June to 29 September 2012
For secure online payments please use PayPal
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Year Purchased: 1999
Why the Owner Chose Villefranche-du-Perigord
This is the most beautiful area of rural France we'd ever visited, so when we decided to buy a house in France we only looked in the Perigord.
The Unique Benefits of this House
There are many lovely walks direct from the house and a 5 minute drive to the local village - or a 45 minute walk through the lovely woods.
The house and the surrounding area is so peaceful, everyone relaxes as soon as they arrive - and guests are always reluctant to leave!
Property Photos
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- Front of house, with blue, and white, wisteria, acer globosum + cestrum parquii - Villefranche-du-Perigord Aquitaine, France Vacation Rental
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- The (salted) 10m x 5m pool and terrace. - Villefranche-du-Perigord Aquitaine, France Vacation Rental
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- Sitting Room, with windows giving lovely views and a wood-burning stove. - Villefranche-du-Perigord Aquitaine, France Vacation Rental
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- Kitchen - eating-out area just outside, with large wooden table and chairs.
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- The house seen from adjacent field, at sunset
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- A nearby castle
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- A side street in Cahors - fabulous market on Wednesdays and Saturdays
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- View from the bottom of our garden
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- Lunch outside - always!
Traveler Reviews (3)
When can we go back??
Guest: Keli
(Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 07/03/10
Review Submitted: 10/12/10
We only wish we could have stayed longer here. It was such an amazing place and the pictures don't do it justice. It's a perfect place from which to explore the area, however, we found it hard to justify leaving our little oasis. The kitchen, the pool, outdoor dining area and the sitting room were just ideal for our family. We have a toddler son and he loved it! Every morning we'd say hi to the neighbor's cows and listen for roosters. Each evening, we'd say goodbye to the cows and listen for other birds. The kitchen is a fantastic place to cook up what you buy in the nearby markets and we had a magical dinner at a nearby night market in Lubejac. Gail was wonderful in helping set up our stay and you truly feel you're staying at a good friend's house with wonderful taste. We read so many books from the house's library and swam our hearts out as it was quite warm. The area is charming and it was fun to go into Villefranche every morning for bread and other supplies. We're seriously plotting how we can go back in the next year or two and make it a longer stay. It was one of the most relaxing and refreshing times, ever! Thank you!
Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.
Guest: Laurence
(-)
Date of Stay: 06/05/08
Review Submitted: 09/20/10
Dear Gail... just home after a wonderful two weeks at Marou...love at first sight! Everything about the holiday was great and the house surpassed expectations for ambience and location... the town was unfailingly pleasant to visit and the people so nice... the food was amazing...and the pool a delight...in every day bar today...not bad given that the weather was " mixed" The two friends who stayed a week with us were likewise captivated...and the other two friends who have a house in Perigeux were delighted to escape to the countryside...lunch at la petite auberge...might have helped too...!! So thanks for the use of the house...and for your particular generosity, which made the holiday even more of a delight... whatever the future holds...we will always have Marou!!! Yours
Recommended for:
A month at Marou
Guest: Nona
(Ponte vedra, FL)
Date of Stay: 05/05/10
Review Submitted: 07/20/10
We had one of the most memorable vacation in this beautiful home. We found the property in impeccable condition and with everything needed for a nice stay. The grounds and the pool were taken care of thoroughly. We loved to lounge in the garden and relax with one of the books from the incredible library. And it is very well located to access all the sites around. Villefranche is a quiet lovely town. We stayed for one full month and we wished we could stayed longer. We hope to go back again.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, age 55+, sightseeing.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #107213
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