Self catering holiday rentals near Saintes in the Charente Maritime .

Self catering holiday rentals near Saintes in the Charente Maritime . Apartments for self-catering holiday rentals near Saintes in the Charente Maritime. Cottages and Gites for holiday . . . . .

Self catering holiday rentals near Saintes in the Charente Maritime . Apartments for self-catering holiday rentals near Saintes in the Charente Maritime. Cottages and Gites for holiday rentals in the West of France.

Our house faces the street on the edge of the village of Saint Savinien sur Charente. A gate from the courtyard leads into the church square with a view down the Charente river which, here, is tidal. A lane leads down the hill to the quayside which looks across to the leisure island where you find a bistro cafe among its attractions. The village itself has butchers, bakers and all amenities and on the other side of town is the Intermarché supermarket

The Grenier, is a separate gite on the first floor of the main house accessed by a staircase from the courtyard to the balcony. From the balcony a French window enters the large main room. This living room has a kitchen corner with dishwasher, dining area and a double sofa bed. It also has satelite TV with DVD and tape player. From the living room a door leads into the main bedroom with original beams. The bedroom has ample space for the double bed and a single bed as well. It has a velux window in the roof to let in the morning sunshine. The fully updated shower/toilet room is off the bedroom.

Grenier residents may enjoy eating on the balcony with a fine view of the 13th century church. This balcony faces southwest and catches the sun's rays from breakfast time to dusk when the pink streaks in the sky match the fizz in our champagne glasses. Not surprisingly our guests tend to eat out here most of the time.

Saint Savinien is an attractive village on the banks of the river Charente. It has the shops, restaurants and a Saturday market, and summer events such as brocantes and an annual wine fair. Across the bridge is a leisure island incorporating a child’s boating lake and a restaurant. The river is tidal up to the town but is navigable as far as Angouleme 80 kilometres to the west. Also on the river is the nearby town of Saintes, about 20 minutes away with its Roman arch and amphitheatre and bustling pedestrianised town centre. From Saintes a further 20 minutes drive takes you to Cognac where you may visit the famous brands, Hennesy, Martell and, in the medieval Chateau of le Roi Francois, the production of Otard.

Forty-five minutes drive to the West is the Atlantic coast and the Islands. Seafood, particularly oysters, is to be enjoyed in profusion from Royan on the mouth of the Gironde to La Rochelle, one of the prettiest fishing ports in France and a Mecca for Gourmets. The region has a long history going back to Eleanor of Aquitaine who became Queen of England following her marriage to Henri of Anjou. Many chateaux can be visited, both of defensive castle variety and grand houses such as la Roche Courbon, about 15 minutes distant. Locals take pride in their Romanesque churches exemplified at Aulnay where the Portico are carved and decorated with “Saintonge Sermons” where saints rub shoulders with Leo and Pisces and even lute-playing donkeys. Curiously quite a few sculptures feature elephants among the other beasts.

For further pictures and information please view our site on

www.saintsavinien.com