Chez Billon
Elegant Charentaise country house and pretty stone cottage in one acre of grounds surrounded by rolling vineyards in a beautiful hamlet. The situation of the house and cottage is truly special.
This elegant Charentaise country house and its pretty stone cottage stand in one acre of grounds surrounded by rolling vineyards in a beautiful hamlet. The situation of the house and cottage is truly special – in a large garden with a pretty front courtyard completely surrounded by vines and at the end of a no through road with no passing traffic. The heated swimming pool (10 metres by 5 metres) has a large terrace flanked by a surrounding double pergola planted with Mediterranean shrubs and roses and with views of vines all around. There is a large dining terrace with a shaded tiled gazebo and 8-10 seater dining table above the pool with lovely vine views.
Set apart from the pool terrace and overlooking the vines is a large deck area with shaded pergola and extensive surrounding planting. The comfortable rattan seating offers a fantastic place for an aperitif in the cool of the evening.
This lovely stone house is full of original features including beamed ceilings and a Charentaise fireplace and has been completely restored by the British owners. Work on the property included the installation of a new kitchen (with completely new equipment and appliances) and redecoration and restyling of interiors throughout.
The interior of the main house offers:
- 3 bedrooms (2 king and one twin)
- Two shower rooms
- Large light filled kitchen diner with direct access to the pool terrace and gardens
- A ground floor toilet
- Separate utility area with washing machine and sink
In addition, a self-contained and completely refurbished stone cottage is available for two guests with:
- King size bedroom in the eaves
- A spacious shower room off the bedroom
- Sitting/dining room with sofa and fireplace
- Fully equipped kitchen area with oven, hob and fridge
This delightful stone cottage sits at the front gates of the property and is very well equipped to offer additional privacy, independence and flexibility. The cottage is only available as part of the booking for the main house and will never be let separately.
The whole property at Chez Billon has been renovated and equipped as the owners second home and as such we are told it stands out from other rental properties terms of its attention to detail and total relaxation. Comfortable and elegant interiors throughout with high quality furnishings, cotton bed linens, fluffy white towels and pool towels are all included in the rental.
The house and cottage are professionally managed by English agents who live locally and are on hand if problems arise. They also organise the pool cleaning and garden maintenance so guests can relax.
The hamlet of Chez Billon is extremely pretty and includes the site of the font (natural spring) for a noted historically important partly restored 12th century abbey (Abbaye de Fontdouce) which is within easy walking distance for picnics and concerts and also has a small Parc d’Aventure with tree walks and zip wires for the adventurous.
The location of the property is totally peaceful and private and there are lovely walks (including ‘Grande Randomee’ (GR) hiking trails, footpaths and bike rides from both the front and back of the house (4 bikes provided).
The nearby village of Burie (2 miles) has a well-stocked Carrefour supermarket, baker, excellent butcher with a good deli counter, chemist, bank with cash dispenser and an all hours petrol station plus an electric charging point. In the other direction and a couple of miles from the house, Saint Bris des Bois has a fantastic artisan baker for excellent breads, savoury tarts and a selection of patisserie.
Geographically the house is mid-way between the lovely Roman city of Saintes and world famous Cognac, both of them less than a twenty minute drive away.
Saintes is a lovely city witha large range of cultural activities and sight seeing options including: a Roman arch and amphitheatre, pedestrianised shops, restaurants and river trips. Of particular note is the wonderful market in Saintes on Saturday and Wednesday mornings (get there before 10.00 am) at the base of the Cathedral with wonderful displays of fresh vegetables, fruits and all sorts of food products.
Cognac has distillery tours, markets, shops, restaurants and river trips and is well-known for its annual blues and jazz festival usually in July. Wine, pineau and cognac can be bought locally direct from producers
For sea swimming, and other beach activities there are long sandy beaches at Royan 40 minutes drive away (St Georges de Didonne particularly pretty). Isle d’Oleron one hour away with numerous sandy beaches, pine forests and network of cycle tracks and there are beautiful visits to the ports of the Gironde estuary (Mortagne, Meschers and Talmont) within a half hour drive.
Port d’Envaux on the Charente is around 20 minutes drive and has lovely riverside restaurants and a managed swimming area with paddle boards and kayaks available for hire in the main holiday season.
Further afield the wonderful sea port of La Rochelle with its sandy beaches, beautiful harbour and fantastic fish restaurants is an easy day out (just over an hour’s drive). The chic and tiny Ile de Re is accessible by bridge from La Rochelle and worth visiting for its pretty beaches and gorgeous seaside villages.
There are several lovely golf courses within easy reach of the property: Fifteen minutes away is Saintes with 18 holes, an elegant stone building amid lovely countryside. St Brice Cognac is 30 minutes drive and has 18 holes with stunning vineyard views and pretty clubhouse. Other beautiful 18 hole golf courses at Royan (dune course), La Rochelle (Atlantic views) and Angouleme. The area has a very long playing season due to the high number of sunny days in the Charente Maritime.
- The rental quoted is for the house and cottage for up to 8 guests and includes all utilities, linens and towels
- For smaller parties of up to 6 people, the cottage can be excluded from the booking at a lower discounted price (please ask for details)
- The cottage is never let separately and will be unoccupied for guests who book only the main house
- A non-refundable booking deposit of 25% of the total rental is required at the time of booking
- Balance of the rental is due 10 weeks before arrival
- A refundable security deposit of £300 is payable with the balance of the rental and is returned within 2 weeks of departure provided there are no issues arising
- Flexible booking with no fixed changeover day
Location
Reviews
Mike Lee – 05/08/2023 – I could write a book on this place, but I’m only allowed 3000 characters! I stayed in a family party of seven for two weeks and a day, in glorious weather. This was our second holiday in this gorgeous house (and cottage), and I can hardly wait for our third. The whole area around Chez Billon is rural and agricultural. Local vineyards in their precision ranks have a beauty all of their own and come almost right up to the house (giving a stunning view from the poolside gazebo ‚ which is also a great vantage point for the abundant birdlife). When the sun goes down, the sky is incredible, starry and goes on forever. My daily walks took me all over the local area, along silent roads, across vineyards and through woods. The house is just a fantastic place to while away the days, keep it simple and just lounge around and take in the peace and tranquility (in luxury), it really is getting away from it all. I can confidently state that this holiday was the most relaxing I’ve ever had, and the rest of the party agreed.
Penny James – 23/08/2023 – We stayed at Chez Billon for 10 days and had a wonderful holiday. The house has been beautifully renovated and sits in its own delightful gardens overlooking vines. Indoors every detail has been thought of to provide a comfortable stay. The kitchen is particularly well equipped. It was hot most of the time we were there, so we ate dinner outside on a raised covered dining area overlooking the garden, pool, and vines. There are bike rides and walks around the vineyards and woods. Very delightful. The Abbaye Fontdouce is a 5–10-minute walk away with various activities including tree climbing and zip wires. Chez Billon is well situated between two local villages for provisions. The bakery in St Bris des Bois makes the best croissants ever tasted! Saintes and Cognac are only 20 minutes away for restaurants and sightseeing. We very much hope to return.
James Pearmund – 07/07/2023 –We stayed at Chez Billon and had the most wonderful time. The property had everything we needed, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the pool and the manicured garden overlooking the vines in particular. Being equidistant between Saintes and Cognac came in handy and only a slightly further drive to Taillebourg and Saint Savinien for both waterskiing and ‚petits bateaux‚ respectively. Would recommend this great property and hopefully we will return soon
Beverley Taylor – 30/05/2023 – This was our second stay at Eileen‚ wonderful house and we loved it even more than the first time. We spent more time relaxing around the pool and visited the local Abbey this time which was very interesting. The house was as beautiful as before‚ .spotlessly clean inside and the pool area and garden too looking very inviting. Again, we went to the market in Sainte, visited Cognac and other various locations all of which were suggested by Eileen in her ‚box of places to go. We enjoyed our time here so much we have booked for a third time next year. Thank you Eileen
Ros Grimes – 03/09/2022 – Covid twice derailed our plans to stay at Chez Billon, so this year was ‘third time lucky for us’ and it was certainly worth the wait. We’ve been holidaying in France for more years than we care to remember and this property is just about the best we’ve ever stayed in. Peaceful location with secure parking, superbly equipped house with just about everything you could require, especially in the kitchen. Spotlessly clean, carefully curated interiors with an eye for comfort as well as style, cleverly planted gardens and a wonderful pool with sun loungers and shaded outside dining area. Nearby towns of Saintes and Cognac offer architectural and historical interest, Chateau of La Roche Courbon is majestic and although Royan has miles of beach, with your own personal pool why bother with that? Good selection of restaurants in the area, where we were often the only English diners.
Eileen was endlessly helpful and great on communication. Her attention to detail ensures that the moment you step inside the front door you are aware that this property is not just a holiday rental, but a cherished home which you will find it hard to leave.
Smith 20/08/2022 – The photos on the web looked almost too good to be true, but what you see is only a taste of what you get! This is a delightful super peaceful property with everything inside and out carefully planned to accommodate everyone. We had grand ideas for visiting and sightseeing but ended up enjoying swims in the pool and gentle wanderings around the hamlet in the evening. One week was just not long enough. Thank you Eileen
Kevin Barnett, 30/07/2022
We have been renting holiday properties in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal for over 30 years and this property is one of best we have had the fortune to stay at. Upon arrival we knew it was somewhere special but the next morning whilst eating breakfast outside to the background hum of the bees on the plants around the pool the area we appreciated it also has a certain magic. it is a wonderful area and feels very French, unlike many places where all you hear are English voices in restaurants and every other car bears a GB, now UK, sticker. We would strongly recommend going to a concert at the nearby Abbey de Fontduce – take a picnic, stroll around the gardens with a glass (probably plastic!) of wine and enjoy some music as the sun sets.
We have just returned from our second multi-generational holiday at this lovely farmhouse situated in a small hamlet surrounded by vineyards.
The house is very comfortable and extremely well-equipped – the owners have thought of everything! It is evidently a much-loved second home and the attention to detail stands out. In particular, the kitchen is a joy to cook in. The grandchildren loved the pool and cycling through the vineyards, and we adults had a fabulous relaxing break.
If you like rural France, chez Billon is perfect!