The property is fully detached, all facilities, fully private, it is not overlooked by any other houses and the owners live 2 miles away, easily available when required.

One of our little visitors, Emilia, 21/2 years old decided the house was a “fairy castle”, no doubt the castle was in her imagination but the fairy is perhaps more “tangible” since a local legend relates the tale of the fairy of the nearby spring and a Carolingian knight. This legend together with the recent aerial photography revealing the presence of a nearby Celtic enclosure seem to confirm the house's very ancient roots.

BIRD WATCHING:  Situated in a small hamlet, a few steps away from the river Dive in a wildlife protected zone within which 15 species of birds are protected, including the Little Bustards, Honey Buzzards, Montague’s & Marsh Harriers, Wood Sandpipers, Short beard Owls, Black & Bed Kites, Stone Curlews etc. this is an ideal location for walking, enjoying the unspoilt countryside or simply  relaxing in the very private enclosed garden, having fun with the children in the private solar heated pool. Enjoy the scent of lavender, old roses, help yourself to the Moroccan mint for tea, dine al fresco under the pergola, enjoy a barbecue!

Discover the region's well known sites: Poitiers/Futuroscope and the Venise Verte (45mns), La Rochelle/Ile de Ré, Cognac, the Monkey Valley and the many local medieval towns, villages, Neolithic, Gallo-Roman sites and not least, a great market in Lezay and some good restaurants only minutes from the house! Fresh bread is delivered to the hamlet!

Living room: With a gothic fireplace and stove, comfortable sofas and  armchairs, a hand painted antique buffet, French and UK SAT TV,  DVD player, a choice of books  and many old fashioned wooden games and board games.

Kitchen: Newly equipped with a Smeg stainless steel gas cooker, microwave, fridge freezer, dishwasher, electric coffee machine, toaster, kettle etc. A glazed door lead to the pretty, enclosed garden. 

Dining Room: With the impressive stone arched sink and an  antique Henry II buffet with its table and 6 chairs.
 
Utility room: Washing machine, hoover, iron ironing table, clothes- rack, clothes cupboard and cleaning utensils.

Shower room: Shower with thermostatic tap, glass door, toilet, washbasin, cupboard.

Double bedroom 1: With a four poster bed and a wardrobe.

Double bedroom 2 : One double bed, a cot, one wardrobe and one chest of drawers.

Twin Bedroom: Two single beds and one chest of drawers.

Further details outdoors:

THE GARDEN
Enjoy the delicious Moroccan mint for hot or ice cold tea, help yourself to the herbs for your barbecue from the herb garden, dine under the wooden pergola  covered by ancient vines, Relax and enjoy the scent of the old roses, lavender, eucalyptus, Jasmine or the smell of a good barbecue! The garden is spacious enough (approx 300m2) for children to have fun running around, it is very private and there is a solar heated wooden pool  available for your exclusive use. Keep an eye (and an ear) open for the interesting birds, some very rare: hoopoes, bustards, cuckoos, nightingales, barn owls, falcons, buzzards, herons....

-June 2010, The Kemp family, North Yorkshire
« We ’ve had a fantastic week here at Le Manoir, the weather has been very fortunate with 31 33°c every day and the occasional thunder storm in the evening. Our girls enjoyed the pool which provided an excellent way of keeping cool. If you are an early riser, take a cup of tea into the garden and sit and watch the wildlife : nightingales, swifts, swallows, humming bird hawk moth and an owl, all can be seen between 6 and 7 AM.. Thank you Keith and Francine, we have loved staying here. “

-Gillian, William, Sebastian and Giles Oliver, Kent. 2008
We've had a thouroughly enjoyable frotnight here in the lovely Manoir des Couts. It is a very relaxing and welcoming house and we have particularly loved the garden. Our boys have spent every day pottering about the garden where they are completely safe and happy

-Mal and Jill Alston, Eurora, Australia Spring 2007
Thank you for your friendship and opportunity to stay in your charming house. We leave with wonderful memoirs of French stone villages and green green fields...

- 2007 Ian, Susan and Libby, Tadcaster, England
"What a fantastic week we've had here. We've had a very lazy time - helped by the great weather and the pool. The house is amazing and had everything we needed - even for an 8 months old baby.
Tuesdays market at Lezay was a favourite, lots of lovely tasty local produce. Wish we were staying longer."

-Sharon and Henry, Hereford England. 2006
A really peaceful and characterful property, just the place to unwind. Also great hospitality by Keith and Francine. Spent a lot of the week trying to visualise how the village would have looked in the 17th and 18th century. ..

-Michelle, Remi, Susie, Jamie and Liliane, London. 2005
Wow . What a lovely house, what a lovely time. We especially enjoyed the lovely herb garden. To anyone else visiting, Cognac is especially worth a visit, go the scenic route..

Alun and Kate,  Reigate, Surrey, England.  2005
We are delighted to be the first guests to write in your book. Our stay at the Manoir has been everything we wanted from our holiday and more. The beautiful house and garden is a testament to all your hard work and creativity. We hope that your future guests love it as much as we did, a week is too short a stay. We will certainly be recommending the Manoir to our friends and we hope to see you all again soon ourselves.
Thanks again to you all, particularly Francine- for all your efforts in making us feel at home. . All the best for the future

Deposit required on booking: 25% . Final payment due 8 weeks before arrival as well as a damage deposit cheque of  £150 to be sent with the final payment, to be  refunded within two weeks of your departure subject to satisfactory property inspection.