It is said that Poitou-Charentes has more days of sunshine than anywhere in France with the exception of the Cote D'Azur. Cognac, which is our nearest town, sits on the Charente River and is the home of the brandy distilleries. It is a beautiful unspoilt part of France close to the beaches at Royan (45 minutes) and La Rochelle (1 hour 15 minutes) as well as the wonderfully classy and pretty Ile de Re. The beaches are spectacular - long and wide and empty much like The Hamptons in New York. There are regular markets and brocantes in all the nearby towns and villages and Cognac has an impressive covered market which is open every day except Monday.
Rocking Horse House is a pretty French farmhouse which sits in a walled courtyard with a pomegranate tree and wysteria clad walls. It was built over 200 years ago in typical cream Charentais stone with duck egg blue shutters. Although in the midst of the countryside we are close to the town of Cognac and the local village of Juillac le Coq in the Charente.
It is hard to imagine a more peaceful place. It looks out over lovely views of fields and trees and the only noise is the birdsong and the occasional cockerel. Up until three years ago the house had been used exclusively by my family and therefore everything in it has been bought with their comfort in mind.
Whilst Rocking Horse House is a little more expensive to rent than some of the houses in the region, that is because everything is of the finest quality - luxurious bathrooms, memory mattresses, pristine white linen sheets, Limoge porcelain, Villeroy and Bosch cutlery, Bose speakers for your Ipod as well as wifi, Viao computers, Sony Bravia TV with a full Sky package, a piano, lovely antiques and beautiful paintings.
Having said that, this is very much a family home and we are delighted that the same families have returned to Rocking Horse House year on year. I would be delighted to provide you with the wonderful emails/testimonials we have had from our guests - who it has been our pleasure to have there.
There are four double bedrooms (two can be twins), three in the main house with a bathroom and a wet room and one in the cottage where there is also a small sitting area with day bed, galley kitchen and a shower room and loo. The cottage which sits by the pool is a most romantic addition to the house. In the main house downstairs are two reception rooms, one is used as a study and has wifi, the other is the sitting room with a piano, DVD and TV with all Sky channels. There are many DVDs and books on the shelves.The kitchen I hope has everything that you would expect.
In the drawing room there is a wood burner and in the hall an open fire with a room full of logs outside for our guests to use in the winter. Down the road is a (free) tennis court and there is an excellent golf course (St Brice at Cognac) nearby.