We spent ages researching for the perfect spot for a holiday in August 2010 with our two young children. Turning down the lane to Chez Moulin, we knew we were on to a winner. It is totally and utterly private, a real escape. The mill house is delightful, set in beautiful grounds with stream, trees and borders - perfect for picnics, games of cricket and boules, and running around with the kids. There is a terrace overlooking the stream where we barbequed every evening, listening to the chorus of frogs and the drone of the dragonflies as the sun went down – truly beautiful.
The pool area is nothing short of brilliant. It gets the sun all day and is walled round one side so it gets top marks for privacy. It has an eating area with sunshade so it was easy to take a break from swimming to tuck into baguette, cheese and pate while the kids lay on towels colouring-in or playing with stickers. There is also a poolside fridge/freezer which meant we didn't need to go far for that cold beer or icecream! Being heated, we could swim in the pool morning, noon and night – and it has large roman steps so we could all just hang out and relax – very important for us with a 2 and 4 year old who can’t yet swim very well on their own. There is also good provision of pool toys to mess around with.
The mill house itself is light, airy and very welcoming. It is clean, well equipped, has music system and Sky TV, a wonderful kitchen/family room downstairs, and galleried living room upstairs with gorgeous daybed to lounge upon when you want to escape the midday sun. The children also relaxed here watching their DVDs after a long day in the pool while we cracked open a bottle of wine downstairs!
The property is in a wonderful location, well-connected with supermarkets, trips to the beach, cycling routes (2 adult bikes provided), vineyards, or regional towns such as Saintes or Cognac. If you have children, or just love animals, a trip to the award-winning La Palmyre Zoo is a must – buy popcorn at the gate and hand-feed giraffes, zebra and elephants – it really is an up-close-and-personal experience.
With its central heating and heated swimming pool, together with its placement in an area steeped in medieval history, we wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Chez Moulin for a fabulous, Spring or Autumn holiday destination too.
It was so easy to make a home-from-home here; some very happy childhood memories have been made for our girls and we will certainly return.