WHERE TO STAY WHEN LOOKING FOR PROPERTY

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"Le Chataigner" at Bel Air is a converted farm on 25 acres with a swimming pool.
The English owners are Penny and Brian Johnston at 0033.(0)5.46.94.10.48, and their
e-mail is belairjohnston@wanadoo.fr. and their website www.belairjohnston.co.uk.
Penny and Brian are delightful people and very knowledgeable about the area and
always willing to offer advice and assistance. At "Le Chataigner" there are 3 gîtes,
2 houses and b&b. To find this take the D6 from Gémozac toward Mortagne and 7.2km
on your left you will see Bel-Air...an excellent choice with excellent hosts.

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The gîtes at "La Forge" are at the edge of the village of Thénac which is located on the D6
road between Saintes and Gémozac, about 15 minutes from the Gironde Estuary and 40
from the beaches at Royan, and the owners are David and Kate Smith. 

The property is a beautifully restored eighteenth century Charentaise stone house in its own
park of 17 acres.   The 2 or 3 bedroom beamed and stone-walled gîtes were created in 2004 and
are fully equipped and furnished, with central heating, and each has a private patio/garden, and
there are lock-up garages available.  There is an 11x5 swimming pool for ‘grown ups’ and a
children’s pool alongside.  The village of Thénac has a boulangerie, post office, general store
and other small shops and services, all within a 2 or 3-minute stroll.  Access from the north/south
A10 motorway or Bordeaux and La Rochelle airports is by Exit 35 or 36. 

La Forge can accommodate couples, families and larger parties, and can also offer longer lets
with substantial secure storage space.

To contact La Forge telephone is 0033.(0)5.46.74.31.38 or by e-mail at
 davidandkate@laforgegites.com, www.laforgegites.com 

December of 2003 Derek and Lesley Sando purchased a farm and distillery,
"Les Tilleuls" on 3 acres in the village of Echebrune , just east of Pons , and
have developed two excellent gîtes, one with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and
the other with 2 bedrooms and a shower. Both are centrally heated.
The gîtes are very spacious and have been finished and equipped to such a high
standard that they feel more like “houses” than “gîtes”.
A 12x6m swimming pool is to be completed by the spring of 2006.
To find out more details of their exceptional gîtes go to their website at
www.charenteholiday.com or telephone them on 0033.5.46.95.60.84.

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Bob and Wendy Cleaver have 2 new gîtes, 'Rainbow' and 'Firtree' and can
accommodate 2 to 8 guests. They are located in the tranquil village of
Boutenac-Touvent.
Go to the roundabout at Boutenac-Touvent and take the road in the direction of
the A10 motorway and after 0.3km turn right following the direction sign to Boutenac
and after 0.8km you will reach a crossroads with a white cross, and turn right on
rue de la Croix and you will find Bob and Wendy's home at #2 rue de la Croix,
after 0.3km... it is the house with the brown shutters.
The gîtes are very comfortable and well equipped including TV's for videos and
there is also an above ground swimming pool.

You can reach Bob and Wendy on 0033.(0)5.46.90.63.96

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Fiona and Callum McCready own “Chez Grandmère” in the centre of Gémozac
near the restaurants, bars and other village activities and across from the
supervised open swimming pool.  The property is fully furnished to
a very high standard, on 2 levels with a lounge with a fitted kitchen area,
a games area with a day bed/TV/DVD, a utility room for the washer and
drier, 2 double bedrooms and 2 twin bedrooms, a bathroom with a bath,
shower and wc, and a shower room with a wc, and a large garden. 
It was recently finished and so everything is in perfect order. 
The property is also available for long "off-season" lets. 
To contact Fiona or Callum please call their UK number 0779.205.5292
or from France 0044.779.205.5292 and you can check out the
accommodation and lots of pics on 
http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk/for_holiday_makers/accommodation/104478.cfm

Vacances St Jacques has wheelchair accessible b&b, camping and gîte
accommodation at "La Mirolle", St-André-de-Lidon, 0033.5.46.90.11.05,
e-mail vacances.stjacques@orange.fr

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HÔTELS

My first choice for an hôtel would be the three star hôtel "Moulin Val De Seugne"
(the Watermill in the Valley of the River Seugne) at Mosnac.   It is exceptional and one
of our very best restaurants. The hôtel has 9 rooms and one suite, is air conditioned,
has a swimming pool, a heliport (ooh!), and is situated on 15 acres with exotic birds,
goats, ponies, and rabbits on their own island which you see from the restaurant and
hôtel balconies over the river (or really 'stream') Seugne. I have received excellent
reports about the hotel from clients and I have experienced the very fine restaurant
on many occasions...it is my favourite restaurant!

Mosnac is located south-east of Pons in gorgeous countryside and the telephone
number is 0033.(0)5.46.70.46.16, e-mail moulin@valdeseugne.com, and the
website www.valdeseugne.com

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"Le Rustica" is one of our very best restaurants and also offers accommodation.
There are 2 rooms, one a double and the other with bunk beds, both overlooking the
garden and swimming pool. The address is 11 Roses Trémières at St. Leger, and the
telephone number is 0033.(0)5.46.96.91.75.  St. Leger is north-west of Pons by a few
kms and you take Exit 36 from the A10 motorway at Pons, turn right heading west on
the D732 from the motorway, and a short distance on the right take the D125 towards
Jazennnes and Villars en Pons and St. Leger...you will see the restaurant signposted
and 'follow the trail!' I recommend the "Chef's Surprise" which is a 7 course meal
chosen by the chef!...Incroyable!!!

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An excellent choice not far from my office is the fully restored "Le Relais de Touvent",
part of the Logis de France group, with a first-rate restaurant overlooking a small park,
and is at the roundabout at Boutenac-Touvent where the D732/D6 from Exit 36 from the
A10 motorway via Gémozac meets the D730 from Exit 37 from the A10 motorway via
Mirambeau, 15km from Exit 36 and 20km from Exit 37.
The actual address is 4 rue de Saintonge, 17120 Boutenac Touvent,
and the telephone number is 0033.(0)5.46.94.13.06, the website www.relais-de-touvent.com,
and the e-mail contact@relais-de-touvent.com.
It is owned by Corinne and Jean-Pierre and has a newly installed heated wimming pool.
The hotel is well situated for seeing the best of this area, the vinefields, coastal fishing
villages, and beaches around Meschers and Royan, and close to the Estuary village of
Mortagne-sur-Gironde with its marina, fishing boats, restaurants and history.

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The newly restored "Le Lion D'Or" has now opened in the village square in the centre
of Gémozac and is both an excellent hotel and a restaurant...the chef previously worked
at the hotel Georges V in Paris!!!

The address is 2 Place de la Mairie, 17260 Gémozac, telephone 0033(0)5.46.92.34.94

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Kennels

I have received an excellent recommendation to a kennel, 'De La Foret' at
St. Aubin de Blaye, 33820, 05.57.64.73.30 or 06.07.12.17.39.

The owner Monsieur Violleau is active in pet rescue and from the report I have
received is very compassionate.

To find, go south through Mirambeau on the N137 and follow the directions to the A10
and when you reach the roundabout at the A10, turn left and it is by the pine woods.

A second good referral I have received is the "Hotel Chien and Chats" on the route de
Bordeaux, the D730,at Semussac, about 6km s.e. of Royan, on the left of the road as
you drive towards Royan, and the telephone numbers are 06.88.48.88.96 and
05.45.05.75.61 ...my friend tells me that music is played to the 'little darlings', and
she was very pleased with the treatment of her puppies.

christopher.kay@wanadoo.frwww.kaydreamhomes.com.fr

0033.6.81.74.98.46

CHRISTOPHER KAY at IMMOBILIERE-INTERNATIONALE
6 Place St. Pierre, 17260 Gémozac,
(In the village square, across from the church)

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