Beautiful old farmhouse in rural Lot-et-Garonne with 12x6 m pool - sleeps 12

Situated in the heart of the Lot-et-Garonne department, this beautiful 14th-century farmhouse "Toupy" is the perfect place for an extended family or two families to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Accommodating up to 12 people, Toupy is set in around 10 acres of private garden and woodland, with exclusive use of the 12 x 6m swimming pool.

The house extends over 4 different levels, with an open-plan yet quirky feel to it. Entering at the front door brings you into the main kitchen and living area, the focal point of which is a huge ancient stone fireplace. The wooden dining table seats 12 and there are 3 large, comfortable sofas and an armchair near the fireplace. The kitchen is equipped with a large American-style fridge freezer, electric oven, gas hob, microwave, blender, coffee machine, kettle and toaster.

Up the main spiral staircase, under the old wooden beams, you will find a bathroom and two bedrooms - one large family room with a king-size bed and two singles, and one twin room (two single beds) that adjoins the bathroom. Between the bedrooms is a cute and cosy den area with a small sofa and petite armchairs - a perfect place for the kids to watch movies or play board games in!

Off the main kitchen/living room (to the right as you walk into the house) is a split-level floor containing two double bedrooms (one king-size and one double bed), a bathroom and an extra fridge-freezer.

Downstairs on the lower level is a large bedroom boasting a super king-size sleigh bed, with doors at either end opening to the rear (garden patio) and front (covered games area) of the property, a spacious bathroom and a utility room with washing machine, clothes drying rack and iron/ironing board. Every bedroom has at least one pedestal fan and a hairdryer is provided in each bathroom.

At Toupy you are never short of places to be active or relax in! At the front of house is a covered split-level terrace area with seating that catches the morning sunshine. A double picnic table, situated under the shade of the roof, seats up to 14 people. There is a table football (foosball) for those competitive summer evenings or (very occasionally) a rainy day. You will notice the old pigeonnier (dovecote) on the gravelled area to the right of the house as you face it, which is a great place to barbecue using the Weber BBQ provided.

Below the terrace seating area, to the left of the main stone steps, is a covered games area where you will find a further selection of games equipment, including table tennis, darts, boules and Mölkky.

The back kitchen door leads out on to an expansive wooden deck that overlooks the garden patio and swimming pool, with a view over the Masse valley beyond Toupy’s woodland. There is another large garden table for eating outside on a warm evening. The swimming pool (with electric louvered cover) measures 12 x 6 m and has a large surrounding terraced area with outdoor (cold water) shower. Plenty of sun loungers and various pool toys/inflatables are provided.

Toupy is set in about 10 acres of woodland, which you are welcome to explore. The small river Masse runs through the woods at the edge of our boundary. Please take care when exploring with children and pets and always keep them under close supervision, particularly as the property is not fenced all the way around.

Just a short distance away is the picturesque village of Prayssas, small yet vibrant, with a range of amenities including a boulangerie, mini-market, Sunday morning local-produce market, pharmacy, hairdressers, cafe/bar and restaurant. There is also a new (2024) tourist information office, with details of all the amazing local activities and tourist attractions. In the summer months (late June to early September) there is a delightful and family-friendly marché nocturne (night market) every Wednesday evening, where you can sample the local food and drink and dance to live music until late. The footpath walk up to Prayssas is quite steep; abled people can manage it in 15 mins but with young children it could take longer, and if you have buggies or very small children you might need to carry them for the steepest bit. By road it’s a 5-15 minute cycle depending on your fitness/ability.

The bustling market town of Agen is a 25-minute drive from Toupy, the centre of which is a pedestrianised shopping area. The ancient buildings host numerous restaurants and bars within their Gothic arches, and there are both outdoor and covered markets open throughout the week, as well as large supermarkets for all your needs.

There is a small swimming ‘beach’ in Agen with some inflatable toys suitable for young children. Another lovely swimming spot is at Castelmoron (about 20 mins drive) on the river Lot, where there is an artificial beach, a nice restaurant and you can hire canoes/kayaks and motor pédalos. A bit further away (45 mins) there is a large swimming lake (Lac de Clarens at Casteljaloux) with a big inflatable course for 8+ years, and some smaller toys for younger kids, as well as pédalos and a tree-top parcours.

There are so many other lovely villages/towns to visit nearby! Montpezat has a beautiful little windmill that you can go inside and climb up. Vianne is surrounded by an ancient wall and has some fantastic restaurants. Lots of the local villages have marché nocturnes (night markets) in the summer including Prayssas (on Wednesday evenings), with stalls selling local produce, games for the kids and live music. Pujols is particularly stunning, set up on a hillside with amazing views.