Outside - please click on the yellow tabs above to view those pages


The Patio & Grassy Terrace

The patio, with lighting, is accessed through the kitchen and joins up with the back garden. It gets the sun in the morning, late afternoon and evening, which makes it ideal for sitting outside when the mid-day sun is at its hottest.

There are raised flower beds on two sides and access to the back garden on the other. The fridge is just inside the kitchen door so you needn't walk far to get that next cold drink or a snack. Also just inside, there are ample kitchen worktops to lay out food for your barbeque.

There are lots of edible herbs planted around the patio, which you may of course pick. In season, there are strawberries, apples and plums in the garden.
The long flat lawn behind the house, off the patio, has a gate and fence at the far end so forms a fully enclosed terrace area where children should be relatively safe to play.

There is a big teak table with eight chairs on the patio which replace the green plastic ones shown below. The plastic furniture is in the barn and is quite light so you can move it about as you please. The new teak furniture is guaranteed to be from sustainable forests so you can use it with a clear conscience

For those of you who prefer to dry your washing in the clean open air, there's a rotary line at the end of the grassed bit next to the patio.











 









The Grounds & Immediate Vicinity

If you must toast yourselves, the front of the house and the entire garden get the sun all day long and you can create your own recreational area using the many tables and chairs available. There are two sun loungers, two café style tables with parasols, eight comfy fold-up chairs, a couple of wooden benches and lots of lightweight plastic chairs.

If you're feeling energetic, there are many outdoor games in the utility room.
The large back garden is mainly grass and is surrounded by fields, with panoramic views over the valley to the hills beyond. We've planted a lot of trees and hedging since these photos were taken so everything is now more mature.

If it pours with rain or there's a huge and spectacular storm you could of course just sit in a barn with a glass of wine and watch it! Subject to strict supervision by you, there is a portable barbeque you can use under cover.





View across the garden from the lane
Looking up towards the lane




The approach from the North
The lane to our house






Walks & picnics

There are many places nearby for walking or picnicking.

The nearest and very pleasant picnic spots are the "Roman Bridge" over the river just past the old château in Saint-Thomas-de-Courceriers (see map on right) and the lake at Izé (drive to Izé and you can't miss it). Both are about 3 km away.

There are also nearby public chemins to explore but most locals just stroll along the quiet lanes, taking in the country air.