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- MAIN FARMHOUSE:
- Sleeps 9
- Stone farmhouse dating from 1830s, typical of region
- Heated swimming pool (14m x 6m) with secure automatic cover
- Large pool terrace with covered dining area
- 5 bedrooms: 3 double bedrooms, 1 twin and 1 single bedroom
- 2 ensuite bathrooms and 1 family bathroom with separate wc, and cloakroom
- Large farmhouse kitchen with separate pantry
- Very large living room with high ceiling and beautiful stone fireplace, surround sound tv with international satellite channels, dvd, and ipod docking station
- Kids room with games, computer and tv/dvd
- wifi and telephone
- Tennis courts next door.
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- POOL VILLA:
- Sleeps 2/4
- Bedroom with king size bed or two twin beds
- Bathroom with shower
- Open plan kitchen, dining and living area.
- Sofa bed
- POOL AREA
- Large terrace with lounge chairs.
- Heated swimming pool (14m x 6m)
Long swimming season - May to October.
- Excellent pool safety. Enclosed area, pool has electrically
operated pool cover (which can take the weight of an adult)
for maximum safety.
- GENERAL
- Full equipped home, large trampoline and lots of toys for kids,
and bicycles for all the family.
- Shady enclosed garden.
- Very peaceful location by vineyards and woodland, yet within
easy walking distance of shops and restaurants.
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THE MAS
This old French farmhouse, dating from the 1830s, is surrounded on all sides by its beautiful and extensive garden. The house is built of stone, exposed stone to the north but faced to the south with enduit typical of the region.
The property lies behind an old drystone wall on a small lane. Enter through iron gates and onto a gravel driveway. A winding path edged with lavender bushes, leads you to the front door. The entrance hall opens into the impressive high-ceilinged sitting room. With its flag-stoned floor, stone fireplace, and magnificent French windows that open onto the garden and swimming pool, this fabulous room is reminiscent of a hay barn with its large elm beams supporting the 20 ft high ceiling. An elegant room that stays cool throughout the day, it is perfect for entertaining. Large sofas, an extensive bookshelf, and a state-of-the-art large flat screen tv with surround sound completes the space.
Continuing on the ground floor, next to the lounge is a day room with stone flooring, high ceiling and south facing windows a pleasant space to relax just off the kitchen.
The kitchen is truly at the heart of the house. Newly refurbished, the kitchen is very well equipped with a beautiful French Lacanche stove (combination gas and electic with 5 burners and 3 ovens), large refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave. The traditional farmhouse feel has been retained with local Tavel stone worktops and sink, and stone floor tiles. There is an island in the centre of the kitchen with stools for light meals, or for watching the chef du jour prepare a great meal.
Behind the kitchen is a pantry with gravel floor and arched stone ceilings, one of the oldest areas of the house. A great place to keep market produce, wine and cheeses. We have recently discovered a well under the house and have turned this into our wine cellar, but sadly this is off limits during your stay!
Next to the kitchen is the dining room, a semi-formal space with arched stone ceiling and terracotta floor. We found the dining table, an old French farmhouse table made of cherry wood, in Wiltshire, England over twenty years ago. It has travelled with us to Washington DC, back to London and Oxfordshire, and now is settled back in its country of origin once more. It comfortably sits 8 but easily extends to 14.
At the western end of the ground floor is the kids room. With its own tv, dvd player, computer, all of which you are welcome to use, this keeps the peace in our household. There is also a wall of cupboards, full of tennis equipment, board games and art and craft materials, all at your disposal.
Completing the ground floor is a laundry room with boot sink, washer and dryer,
(and its own laundry shoot direct from upstairs), and a cloakroom/wc.
On the first floor, there are five bedrooms and three bathrooms. The master bedroom suite is a fabulous room, the original hayloft of the farmhouse. With its high ceiling, held up by long beams, it also features a fireplace. The bed is a super-king size bed located in the middle of the room, looking out through the south facing window onto the garden. There is a large antique French wardrobe for storing your clothes in the dressing area. The bathroom, recently installed, features a large bathtub, his and her wash basins, a large glass-sided shower, wc and bidet.
At the other end of the house is the second en-suite bedroom, which again has a super-kingsize bed, and has a small shower room with toilet and sink.
The other three bedrooms share a family-sized bathroom. Each bedroom is a good size one room has a 1.4 metre four-poster double bed in white iron, another has a single raised bed on stilts, and the third has a single bed but a second single bed can be pulled out from beneath to make two singles or a double bed in this room.
THE POOL VILLA
Further facilities are available in the villa beside the swimming pool, built in 2008.
There is a large covered terrace featuring an exposed stone wall, hefty beams and old tiles all of which were recuperated from the original house during last years renovations. Ideally cool and shady for breakfast and lunch, the area is also heavenly for evening meals, which can be cooked on the barbeque or in the terracotta bee-hive oven that we found in Portugal.
Just next to the covered terrace is a kitchen equipped with gas stove and oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, and micro-wave. The worktops are made of stone and the design is very open with plates, glasses and implements all on shelves within easy reach.
The kitchen opens into the living room which has large French windows opening onto the terrace. It has a large rattan divan which opens into a 1.60 comfortable double bed, and two rattan armchairs. It also features a wood-burning stove.
Leading off the living room is a small corridor to the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom has a large shower stall with pebble flooring, a beautiful sink carved by a local stone sculptor, and w.c.
The bedroom has two twin beds which can be also made up as a super-king sized double bed. It has windows facing north and west, so is cool during the day, but enjoys late afternoon sunlight. All the rooms in the annexe open onto the terrace for easy access.
The terrace surrounding the pool has stone flagstones. A number of chairs, tables and loungers make it easy to relax around the pool.
THE SWIMMING POOL
The swimming pool measures 14 metres by 6 metres (45 feet by 20 feet?) no messing about here, you can do some good laps before breakfast even. It has gentle steps built in at the shallow end for access and the depth of the pool is pretty constant at 1.40, with a slightly deeper area in the middle.
The pool is salt-treated so is gentle on your skin, hair and eyes. It is heated although not in July and August as it is normally at 28-30 oc naturally at this time. It conforms to the highest safety standards with an electrically operated cover that should be closed at all times when the pool is not supervised. Please note that there is no fence around the pool.
THE GARDEN
There are many varieties of trees on the property many large and long-established. For example on the northern lawn are four beautiful mulberry trees. To the west of the house is an area of mixed shrubbery with some olive trees, and a variety of different pine trees typical of the region. To the south of the house is a rose garden sheltered by a very large fig-tree. The roses have mostly finished flowering by July and August but you will have lots of figs to pick. Beside the rose garden, we are establishing a small orchard with cherry, apricot and peach trees, and raspberries to the southern end. Feel free to pick any fruit that ripens.
The house has its own noria, or well. As recently as the 1960s this was still working. A donkey used to push the beam bringing buckets of water up from below. This would then flow into the holding basin in order to warm the water before it ran through a series of irrigational channels out to the vegetables and flowers that were cultivated here. This part of St. Quentin was very fertile and the area was known for its production of fruit and vegetables that were sent as far away as Paris by train.
Sadly this is no more but we are proud of our noria and are gradually restoring it. You can see the carefully chiselled out arched ceilings that form the roof of the well space. You can also find among the rose beds some of the irrigation channels. The two flower beds by the stone wall were originally designed for seedlings and would have had glass covers we believe. Now we let a large variety of herbs do their thing, so feel free to cut them and cook with them.
THE SHED
We have a bike shed with a selection of about 6 or 8 bikes of various sizes and types feel free to use them.
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St. Quentin la Poterie lies about 5 kms north of Uzes. The old village is set on a hill-side but now spreads out across the surrounding countryside. Our farmhouse is located at the bottom of the village, and a short walk or cycle ride brings you to the shops in the centre. There are two bakeries or boulangeries, one of which is organic and produces truly exceptional bread. There is also a butcher, a pharmacy, a small supermarket, a post office, and a newsagents. There is a local cafι which serves inexpensive lunches, an organic cafι, a pizzeria offering delivery service, and two French restaurants. There is also an 18 room hotel that opened in 2004 which has a restaurant and terrace with wonderful views of Uzes. Friday is market day in St. Quentin with a splendid array of fresh fruits, vegetables, olives, cheeses, fish and meats.
St. Quentin la Poterie, as its name implies, is famous for its pottery. During the 18th and 19th centuries pipes, pots and bowls were produced here, based on the Terre Rouge, the clay found nearby to the villa. This industry declined at the end of the 19th century, but has been revitalized during the past 20 years with numerous potters and artisans now established in the village lanes. Many a pleasant hour can be spent visiting these, and also the Musee de la Poterie with its fine collection of regional pottery.
The two main social events in St. Quentin are the Terrelha, a biannual pottery exhibition in July, and the Fete Votive every August. For three days the village has a funfair and bullrunning in the streets. Good local fun.
www.gard-provencal.com/an/vv/stquentin.htm
www.saintquentinlapoterie.fr
Click here for a map of the area
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Click here for more photos
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| Exclusive rental of entire property available mid-June/August
Saturday-Saturday bookings only
flat screen tv/satellite French and English channels/dvd/video/stereo
wifi throughout property
main house: dishwasher/fridge/gas and electric stove/microwave/washing machine and dryer
pool villa 2 fridges/dishwasher/gas stove/microwave/tv/dvd/
linens and towels provided
welcome pack
daily maid service if requested
pool maintenance and gardener
No smoking in the houses
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