The beautiful house centres round a large kitchen. This was the traditional meeting room of the family and is an ideal opportunity to try out your French culinary arts and enjoy typically French social meal times. It has recently been fitted with light oak cupboards and work surfaces. It has an electric fan oven, gas hob, microwave oven,fridge/freezer, dish washer, coffee maker. Your meals can be served on an antique rosewood and mahogany circular table with six carved chairs.
As you enter through the front door from the orchard garden the long central hallway gives access to all the rooms. The large lounge with period leather chairs, sofa, recliner and double bed settee has a beautiful marble fireplace and hearth and is a very comfortable room to relax in. Or you can watch a video or DVD. Lots of titles available.
Opposite this room is the double bedroom which has an antique mahogany wardrobe and a large chest of drawers. Further along the hallway down two steps brings you to the smaller bedroom on the left. This has bunk beds and a single bed. It also has an oak floor and a full picture window. The recently modernised bathroom offers a full size bath, a walk in shower cubicle, wash- basin, toilet and washing machine.When you take a stroll in the orchard garden you can either enjoy the smell of blossom or help yourself to the peaches, plums, apples or pears, depending on the season. The delightful garden is completely enclosed thus making it ideal for children and pets. Safe on-site parking.
From the gates you can easily stroll to the local bar/restaurant, the Post Office, butchers' boulangerie (bakery) and the hair dressers. There are wonderful gentle walks to take in all directions from the village. There is also excellent fishing in The river Fouzon.
A five minute drive will bring you to the busy little town Chabris which has a large supermarket and fuel station. It also has a variety of shops including restaurants, hair dressers, newsagents and a banks and a vet. If you want to cool off in the water there is a swimming pool and a riverside beach here and canoes can be hired for river trips.
For the more energetic there are tennis courts and equestrian activities. An excellent typical French market town is Selles sur Cher which is easily reached by a pleasant car journey of about 15 minutes. Market day is Thursday. There are a couple of pavement bars where you can take a drink, rest for a while and absorb the atmosphere, as well as restaurants and a variety of shops, a small chateau and an impressive church.
Due north of Varennes is Romorantin Lanthenay which is an interesting town with old buildings, shops and several out of town shopping complexes including Leclerc, Carrefour, super U and others. There is a delightful swimming lake with beach and children’s play area at Villentrois, which is about a 20 minute drive away and is well sign posted.
A very easy 5 miles drive south of Varennes is Valencay, one of the finest chateaux in the region. There is also a very nice outdoor swimming pool here. Besides châteaux, there is much else of interest in the Loire Valley and surrounding districts. There are magnificent 13th-century cathedrals in Chartres and Tours, as well as abbeys and mansions and charming riverside towns and villages. Other places of outstanding interest include Orléans, famous for its associations with Jeanne d'Arc.
When the owner is on site (in a completely detached cottage) she is more than willing to offer suggestions etc. to further your enjoyment and to organise wine tours and visits to vintners for you.
A comment taken from our guest book.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday in your house last August. The house is beautifully maintained and was spotlessly clean. It is very well equipped and lacked nothing.It is in a pretty village and is very handy for visiting the lovely Loire valley and surrounding towns, chateaux and villages.I especially loved visiting the wine producers! I'm looking forward to revisiting . " - Jane, Solihull, England
