The house is a traditional farmhouse, and is extremely spacious. The rooms have great character with lovely exposed beams and stone walls. It can comfortably sleep 12 to 16 people. Please call to discuss your requirements with us, as the accommodation is very flexible. There is a large fenced saline pool (12x6m), and a games room to keep the children happy, and plenty of outside space to explore. The locality is rich in history, and there are many pretty medieval villages within easy reach. Barrusclet is situated down a long track off a quiet country road. We are 3km from the village of Gondrin. Here you will find a boulangerie, small supermarket, butchers and very helpful tourist information. The village also has the largest manmade swimming lake in France, with lots of fun for all the family, and two tennis courts. The larger towns of Condom and Eauze are 10 mins by car and they offer larger supermarkets and plenty of cafes and restaurants.

Accommodation

Outside
The house is set within its own 40 acres which is a mixture of garden, farmland (mostly hayfields) and oak woodland. The natural world is truly on the doorstep, and we regularly see deer, red squirrels, birds of prey, owls, bats, a huge variety of insect life, lizards, wild flowers and so it goes on. Our nearest neighbours grow vines and sunflowers and make hay. This really is an amazingly private and idyllic place to be. An evening BBQ beneath the stars, or a lazy lunch under the shade of our beautiful magnolia tree are perfect ways to relax on your holiday. Plenty of garden chairs and tables are available for you to use, as well as a hammock to lie back and dream in.
The Roman style 12m by 6m swimming pool is within view of the house and has views across open countryside. It is fenced and gated to comply with French regulations. There is a generous tiled terrace with a gazebo to offer shelter from the midday sun, and plenty of sun loungers.

Coast/Beach
The Atlantic coast is approx. 2 hours drive away. This will take you to the surfing beaches between Biarittz and Bordeaux.

Golf
If golf is your thing, there is an 18 hole championship course, Golf de Guinlet , at Eauze, Golf d’Albret at Barbaste, and Golf d’Auch-Embats near Auch. There are other courses in the region but if you are a keen golfer I would recommend that you do your own research so you know exactly what you are getting.

Skiing
2 hours drive from skiing in The Pyrenees. Great for a weekend trip with plenty of places to stay overnight.

Travel
There are 5 main airports within 2 hours drive. We always use either Bordeaux or Toulouse with bmibaby, Easyjet or British Airways. Both are good airports with all the main car hire operators available. The other airports are Pau and Bergerac, and a bit further away is Biarritz. Ryanair, flybe, and British Airways are worth looking at for these 3 airports.
By car the drive from Calais is approximately 10 hours. Caen and St. Malo are closer, as are Bilbao and Santander in Spain.

Distances
Gondrin our nearest village is 3km. Montreal is a medieval village with bars and restaurants: 5km. Larresingle is a medieval fortified village: 5km. Condom offers boat trips, cafes and restaurants: 12km. Eauze has a great market and good eateries: 12km. Agen and Auch are large towns and are both about 45 minutes drive away. Bordeaux and Toulouse are the major cities and are both under 2 hours drive.

Further details
Our region is famous for Armagnac and Foie Gras. There are many vineyards within easy reach where you can drop in for a tasting, and most of the restaurants have local specialities on the menu.
Other activities within an hours drive include: High Ropes courses, canoe trips, Wallabi World theme park, a great Go-Karting course, a Water Park, paint-balling, and horse riding. The Thermal Spa town of Castera Verduzan, and the Roman Villa at Seviac with its mosaic floors are both close by. Also there are numerous swimming lakes and pools with beaches and slides and play areas. Plenty of small villages are within easy reach, and many offer restaurants and bars for you to discover during your stay. Our favourite is the auberge in the lovely village of Fources, a tiny medieval village built in the round, with gorgeous flowers at every window. The plat du jour is 13 euros and includes 3 courses, wine and coffee. This village also hosts a flower festival and regular antique markets.
Another local village is Montreal. It has a lovely square, with bars and restaurants, and hosts a medieval fayre in the Summer. It also has a small bull-fighting arena, where during the summer festival there is a bull-jumping contest. Not really our thing, but we were happy to see that the bulls were not hurt. The larger market town of Vic-Fezensac has a large bull-fighting stadium, where I think it is more serious. Vic-Fezensac also hosts a huge Latino Salsa Festival over one week in the Summer, and a weekly market. Most of the local villages host their own festivals throughout the summer, and these can be great fun with live music, eating and drinking, sporting contests, and firework displays. The tiny medieval fortified village of Larressingle is a really pretty spot, with a small café/restaurant, and a working museum of medieval weaponry. The pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela comes through this area if that is your interest, and the peaceful Abbaye de Flaran is close by.

Booking notes
Prices 2010. £800 low season to £2200 High season
A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total rental cost is required upon booking, with the balance payable 8 weeks before the start of your holiday. Prices are per week. Peak times are Sat 17th July to Sat 4th Sept £2200. Sat July 3rd to Sat 17th July £1400. Sat 4th Sept to Sat 11 Sept £1400.
May and October half terms £1000. Christmas and New Year POA. All other times off-peak £800.

Changeover day
Bookings are generally Saturday to Saturday, or Sunday to Sunday. Arrival time after 4pm and departure time before 10am please. Outside peak times we may be prepared to be flexible on arrival times and dates. Please contact us for details.

Guest comments
"A wonderful conversion! Beautiful spacious rooms with top quality fittings and furniture. What a location! Loved the rural countryside, villages, a real french haven of peace with mainly locals. Pool absolutely superb - water beautiful and clean. Finally the host/hostess, Mark and Gill were great. Lovely people! Thanks a lot, Glenys and John xx".

"Our children summed this magical place up one evening. They suggested that 'through the courtyard gateway you could be in Narnia'. We have had a most wonderful holiday and will spread the word like mad! Thank you so much, Steve, Ali, George and Emily".

"The house is beautiful,the bed was comfortable, the pool was fun and our vacation here very relaxing! It was a pleasure to stay here. Au Revoir, Charlotte and Joakim".

Gill and Mark Wooldridge    
Tel: (UK) + 44 (0)1384 390198
Mobile: (UK) + 44 (0)7974 765370

email: mark@wooldridgeproperties.co.uk

www.fabulousfrance.co.uk