Au Chicot and the wonderful beamed 'hangar' for shaded games of table tennis
Location: Condom, Midi-Pyrenees, France, Europe (1.5 Hrs NW of Toulouse, 1.5 - 2 Hrs SE of Bordeaux)
Accommodations: Farmhouse, 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths (Sleeps 6-8)
Au Chicot, our vacation rental, nestles between Biarritz, Bordeaux and Toulouse, in south-west France. Two hours south of the Dordogne, it's situated in the department of the Gers, stamping ground of the Three Musketeers but more famed now as the center of Armagnac production and of a rapidly growing wine industry.
Once a small farmhouse with adjoining barns and stable, Au Chicot was renovated carefully by US architects to create a spacious, well-planned and light-filled, truly comfortable home, whilst preserving its rustic charm: fabulous beams, exposed stone, fireplaces and wood floors. Sleeping 8 + baby in four bedrooms, (three of which have private bathroom with shower,) the house is furnished with a careful mix of French country antiques and quality contemporary pieces; the overall feel is of relaxed elegance. The views, which are really quite exceptional, can be appreciated from many of Au Chicot’s windows too - and even when you're swimming!
The Gers forms the center of the area historically known as Gascony which, with its gently rolling landscape lays claim to the highest concentration of bastide (fortified) villages in France: a tiny Tuscany minus the crowds! From the house you're only 20 minutes from three of France's officially listed "most beautiful villages", delightful Fourcès, Montréal and tiny, moated Larressingle.
This seriously unspoilt area offers an exciting heritage, super climate, great regional food (with the main focus on duck and foie gras) and wine: best appellations of the area Madiran, Jurancon, Côtes de Gascogne plus of course Armagnacs. And there’s heaps to see and do without it becoming a military exercise - for sportsmen, nature lovers, artists, those keen on architecture and Roman remains, sun-worshippers, cyclists, walkers (the main St Jacques de Compostela pilgrim route passes nearby,) it's all here!
Au Chicot sits neatly at the head of a plateau, on three acres of land, surrounded by fields of sunflowers, maize and vineyards. Just a gentle stroll away is the beautiful Château de Busca-Maniban, a prominent Armagnac producer and the finest example of 17th Century architecture in Gascony, where you'll be welcomed for a tour and tastings. Cars are a rarity here, so the only sounds you'll hear will be those of crickets, bees, the faint whurr of a tractor or closer to home, happy splashes, pages turning or corks being popped! Sunsets are spectacular at Au Chicot, and later, mellow after a good meal, and with the Château de Cassaigne, another renowned Armagnac producer, illuminated in the distance, indulge in a litte stargazing ... A glass of Armagnac to send you to bed with, and oh dear, there's more of this tomorrow!
Though tucked away, don't be misled: the house is only a short drive from commerce - 5 minutes to crusty bread and croissants, and just 10 minutes to our pretty local town of Condom. All the banks and shops you need are there plus a great choice of restaurants, ranging from Michelin starred to those offering hearty Gascon fare - €15 or less for a rustic three-course meal and the local tipple.
In Gascony the welcome is warm, and the slow pace of life infectious. Try it and see! Toulouse and Bordeaux international airports are a 1.5 and 2 hrs drive away. Or from Paris, why not relax in the high speed TGV (Train Grande Vitesse) to Agen (4 hrs,) pick up your hire car and from there it's just an easy, very pretty run of 40 minutes. We have detailed information and many, many more pictures available at our website (including an interactive floorplan) - the link is provided below. Bonnes vacances!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided: y
- Off Street Parking: Ample space for several vehicles to park and turn.
- Wood Fireplace
- Wood Stove (2) : Two generous sized Jotuls - very efficient!
- Beds
- King Bed (2) : 160 cm (Continental) width.
- Twin/Single Bed (4) : Each pair can be joined to create a 180 cm wide King bed.
- Crib: An excellent quality drop-sided cot with linen and blankets supplied.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV: Situated in the kitchen/breakfast room.
- TV (No Cable/Satellite) (2) : Superb Sony 40" flat screen TV (new Aug 2009) receives French channels and is situated in the salon. Bliss! A third TV for playing DVDs is to be found in the downstairs twin room if the kids want to watch something you don't!
- DVD (2)
- VCR (2)
- Video Library: An extensive collection to suit most tastes!
- CD Player (2)
- Stereo System
- Music Library
- Private Pool: 11m x 5m with Roman steps. It has an easy-to-use electrically controlled cover to meet French safety requirements.
- Ping Pong/Table Tennis
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: Large Smeg cooker with gas hob.
- Cooking Utensils Provided: The kitchen is ideal for the chef of the family, having most gadgets that you'll need and more besides, plus an excellent range of cookbooks.
- Refrigerator: Two full-sized refrigerator freezers.
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Catering Available: Several options - please enquire for more details.
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: Weber Q gas barbecue
- Deck/Patio: There's a large terrace accessed from both the kitchen and salon, with outdoor table and chairs for 8 plus parasol, tubs of geraniums and plenty of herbs for those al fresco feasts!
- Gazebo: It's a fine old, beamed 'hangar' in fact, huge, with beautiful views, close to the pool and open on three sides with a concreted floor for table tennis etc. Storage room for games equipment and outdoor furniture, and retractable clothes line for drying your swimming gear etc.
- View/Location
- Mountain View: They're more like gently rolling hills, but you'll never tire of them, or of the sunsets. A more tranquil, unspoilt scene would be hard to find. Bring your cameras and sketchbooks!
- Communications
- Telephone
- Broadband Internet
- WiFi (Wireless Internet): Please bring your own laptop.
- Other Amenities
- This home is located between two beautiful and architecturally important Armagnac chateaux, one comprising part of the unspoilt, panoramic views, the other being a short level walk away. Tours and tastings (and purchases!) possible. You're also within a twenty minute drive of three of "les Plus Beaux Villages de France": the tiny moated "mini-Carcassonne" of Larressingle, and the delightful bastides of Montréal, and Fourcès. The pretty local town of Condom and its river for boating and canoeing are ten minutes away, with a lovely Cathedral, wide range of shops and restaurants (including one with a Michelin star) and twice weekly market. For a full description of amenities, activities, floorplans and link to our gallery (with masses and masses more pictures of the property and the area), do be sure to check out our website.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Handicapped Accessible (may have limitations): Entrance is without steps and there are two bedrooms on the ground floor, both with ensuite bathrooms and only requiring one to three steps to negotiate. It is suitable for those with independent but limited mobility. There is a gentle slope down to the pool area where those with less confidence might need a guiding hand. For more information on Au Chicot's suitability, check the floorplans on our website. Please note that although the two ground floor bathrooms are wetrooms, grab rails are not supplied.
- Kid Friendly: Suitable for tinies with responsible parents. Do ask us if you have any particular questions on this aspect. A quality cot, is supplied plus bedding, changing mat, highchair, stairgate and baby bath.
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Theme Park (Amusement Park)
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Swimming
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Live Theatre
- Museums
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Other Activities
- Quad-biking (25 mins,) horse racing/trotting (20 mins,) car and bike racing (35 mins,) paragliding, hang-gliding (40 mins,) and microlighting (10 min.) Those interested in Roman ruins or Romanesque church architecture won't be disappointed, and just a 5 minute drive away is the lovely Cistercian Abbaye de Flaran, with its permanent art collection: small- but perfectly formed! The area is also rich in cultural events (art and musical) throughout the year and the Gers is famous for its Jazz concerts in the town of Marciac, 50 mins south, which attracts many big names and culminates in its lively week-long International Jazz Festival every August. Please refer to our website for further information or contact us.
Rate Details (In Pounds Sterling)
Apr 03 - Apr 30, 2010 .. £1100/week flexible changeover day
May 01 - May 28, 2010 .. £1150/week flexible changeover day
May 29 - Jun 04, 2010 .. £1250/week flexible changeover day
Jun 05 - Jun 16, 2010 .. £1500/week flexible changeover day
Jun 17 - Jun 30, 2010 .. £1600/week Thursday changeover day
Jul 01 - Jul 07, 2010 .. £1800/week Thursday changeover day
Jul 08 - Jul 14, 2010 .. £1850/week Thursday changeover day
Jul 15 - Aug 25, 2010 .. £1900/week Thursday changeover day
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 2004
My husband Ron and I live near Cambridge, UK, where Ron works but is looking forward to retiring early, economics permitting. Home here is a relatively compact townhouse with postage stamp garden, so when I'm at Au Chicot the sense of liberation, inside and out is fantastic: I never walk if I can run! We bought the property at the end of 2004 and began letting the following May. We need to do so, but sharing our second home and caring for our guests has brought far more fun and enjoyment than worry. Almost all have been delightful, and receiving their feedback after their stay is fantastically rewarding.
Why the Owner Chose Condom
I was taken by Gascony, and in particular the main department of the Gers, as soon as I set foot there - it was an area I'd wanted to visit ever since a Brit agent told me on the phone when we were first looking that 'if she were searching (she owned a property further north) she'd focus on the Gers'. It sounded special. Ron was drawn to the idea of a coastal home so instead, we bought a tiny cottage on the Cote d'Azur - very different - but sold to our immediate neighbours after only 4 years when we realised that all that glisters is not gold! We still have a soft spot for that little stretch of the Var, which in comparative terms remains relatively unspoilt but on balance, 'real France' is where we love to spend our time, for the contrast it provides to our lives in the UK. Gascony's good for the soul!
The Unique Benefits of this Farmhouse
Though tucked away in the hills and private, Au Chicot doesn't feel "isolated". We have kind French neighbours behind us, and from its elevated position the unspoilt, virtually 270° views include little hamlets, farmhouses here and there, and the villages of Gondrin and Cassaigne (with its chateau illuminated at night.) So despite absolute silence much of the time, you never get that disquieting sense of being "cut off". And a ten-minute pretty drive brings you to not just one, but three choices of commerce! We saw a lot of properties before finding Au Chicot: its views - enjoyed from most of its windows - character, exceptional lightness and space, plus a layout that really works were what sold it to us - and will to you too!
Property Photos
- Au Chicot and the wonderful beamed 'hangar' for shaded games of table tennis - Family Friendly, Farmhouse Vacation Rental, In Midi-Pyrenees France.
- Soak in the the 270° views as you swim! - Family Friendly, Farmhouse Vacation Rental, In Midi-Pyrenees France.
- Ensuite Bedroom 1 with far-reaching views on three sides and huge French doors - Family Friendly, Farmhouse Vacation Rental, In Midi-Pyrenees France.
- The wonderful salon, with dining table seating ten, and opening onto the terrace
- A glimpse of Gascony magic from the neighbouring Armagnac château
Guest Comments (3)
First (3) of (3). View all comments
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #198422
There have been 3055 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2008.
This listing was first published here in 2008.
Date last modified - November 22, 2009
Positive Rating
David Hall ,
Positive Rating
r giebeig/p gscheidle , st augustine, FL & Cliveden, UK
Homeowner Response:
Feedback from lovely guests really makes this a rewarding venture and as a bonus has brought us new friends. Thank you so much.
Positive Rating
Homeowner Response:
The above comments came from 5* guests who, on booking described themselves as "low maintenance", which immediately warmed me to them! We love to take care of our visitors however and will do whatever it takes - well, almost! Thanks N and R and please come again.