Summary :
Le
Petit Château is living
history: a wonderfully preserved 18th century former wine-producing
château whose immense character and architectural heritage
have been carefully preserved, at the same time adding a highly
contemporary level of comfort.
A luxurious, spacious interior furnished with considerable style
and taste, full of original design features, a breakfast balcony,
three roof terraces, a good-sized garden and 12 x 4.5 metre pool
combine to provide 7-14 people with a wonderfully relaxing holiday
setting.
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Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
St
Caprais (centre - 1 km), Bordeaux (15 km) |
| Type
of location : |
Residential
area in village |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
8:
five doubles (one also with single bed), three singles |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
14 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
5
bathrooms, each with WC |
| Style
of property : |
Restored
château watchtower |
| Quality
guide : |
|
| Prices
: |
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| »
Check availability & prices for this property
GO |
No
extras; additional cleaning and baby-sitting available, payable
locally
A security deposit of 650 EUR (or sterling equivalent) payable
by cheque on arrival. It is returned to you by the owner within
14 days of departure assuming there are no damages/breakages.
Further details provided with arrivals
instructions.
»
Read important information about security
deposits and insurance |
|
Linen
Arrangements : |
Bed
linen &
bathroom towels provided.
|
| Cleaning
Arrangements : |
Final
cleaning of the property is included in the rental price,
though you are still expected to perform certain duties yourself
before leaving
» Read important information about cleaning
|
| Arrival
& Departure : |
Arrive
between 4-6 pm and depart by 10am. Changeover day is Saturday
in the high season.
» Read important information about
arrivals
& departures
|
| Nearest
beach : |
Grand
Crohot nr Cap Ferret (75 km, about 1 hr's drive) |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
St
Caprais (1 km) |
| Nearest
airport : |
Bordeaux
Mérignac (25 kms)
|
| Nearest
ferry port : |
Bilbao
(4 hours); St Malo (8 hours) |
| Swimming
pool : |
Yes,
12m x 4.5m, fenced, open May-October. |
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Facilities
& Equipment : |
TV/DVD,
satellite channels, music system, kitchen equipment (fridge-freezer,
range/hob, dishwasher, washing machine). Barbecue, 14 garden
chairs, 4 beach chairs, table-tennis. 2 cots available. |
| Suitability
for children : |
Very
good - spacious house (excellent for hide-and-seek!), good-sized
grounds |
| Suitability
for infants : |
Good
- 2 cots available, well-protected pool |
| Things
to see & do : |
Many
activities nearby: cycling, golf, tennis, walking, wine-tasting,
horse-riding watersports on nearby lake. Lots to visit: Bordeaux
city, ancient towns & villages (eg St Emilion), famous
châteaux; bassin d'Arcachon & Cap Ferret, historic
places of interrest of the Dordogne in easy day-trip distance |
| House
'rules' : |
Sorry,
no pets and no smoking in the house |
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Location
: Map
Ref C2
Le
Petit Château is situated in a quiet residential village in
the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux region of the Gironde,
15 km east of the city. You would never know the city was so close
- on the edge of girondine countryside and surrounded by the buildling's
history you feel in a completely different time and place from the
busy modern world. Yet it is just a 30 minute drive from Merignac
airport and, for those wishing to combine business with pleasure,
30 minutes by car from the Bordeaux Lac conference and exhibition
centre. The TGV serves the Gare St Jean in Bordeaux, also 20 minutes
drive away.
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Accommodation
:
Arriving
at Le Petit Château is an amazing experience. The 18th century
architecture, imposing stone facade and, above it all, the dominating
watch-tower are rather unexpected on the quiet street of conventional
private houses! For once, the word 'château' does translate
literally: it really is like arriving at small-scale castle.
The interior is set out over countless levels (about seven, depending
on how you count them), from the vaulted-ceiling lower level to
the three sun terraces on the roof. Throughout the décor
is both in keeping with the building's history - there are many
examples throughout the house of antique pieces of furniture - whilst
achieving a very contemporary feel by using subtle modern colours,
fabrics and furnishings. The restoration project was the owners'
labour of love and it shows.
The lower level contains three bedrooms, all featuring the vaulted
ceiling of the original chai where the once-functioning chateau's
barrels were stored while the wine matured. At this level are one
double and two single rooms, plus bathroom, toilet and opens onto
a veranda.
On the first level is a large dining room with fireplace, an even
larger living room with television (including satellite channels),
video, hi-fi, and a wide selection of books. Leading off up here
up a few steps is a modern kitchen with oven and hob, fridge-freezer,
microwave, coffee machine, and dishwasher. Behind this is a utility
room with washing machine and tumble drier.
A stone staircase, worn smooth in places by over two hundred years
of shoes going up and down, leads to the second floor where there
are three further bedrooms, each very tastefully furnished in different
styles reflecting the owners' travels throughout northern and sub-saharan
Africa and the far east. The main bedroom contains a large double
bed, dressing area, a beautiful en-suite bathroom and separate toilet.
The second is a large room containing two double beds, often serving
as a children's room; the third on this level has a double bed and
antique furniture.
On the next level up there is a large bathroom, and further up a
single room. A final staircase takes you up to the roof-level landing,
providing access to the three terraces with wonderful views over
the surrounding countryside and south towards the Garonne Valley.
There's no better place for an early evening apéritif!
Outside is a good-sized garden, 12 x 4.5 swimming pool and terrace
with plenty of garden furniture, a barbecue and table-tennis table.
The garden looks onto playing fields and two tennis courts (which
guests can play on).
All in all, it is a unique combination of ancient and contemporary
living, with exceptional access to all that the modern and traditional
Gironde has to offer. Or you can ignore all that and just relax
and soak up the special atmosphere of Le Petit Château!
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Availability
& Prices :
Le
Petit Château sleeps up to 14 and is available only at full
capacity price in July & August; however, the rest of the year
it is available at a reduced rate for up to 7 people staying in four
bedrooms.
» Check availability
and prices for up to 14 people at this property
GO
»
Check availability and prices for up to 7 people*
(outside July & August only) at this property GO
*3
double rooms, one single room, a bathroom and a shower room, the other
part of the house beeing shut.
Prices include bed linen and heating, gas, electricity. Baby-sitting
and additional cleaning services are also available.
Le Petit Château normally rents for a minimum of two weeks in
July & August.
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How
To Book :
STEP 1.
Check
availability. NB Website availability is refreshed daily but not
"live" so please contact us to confirm availability. Call
+44 (0)870 609 2845 or email us
Once we have confirmed availability we can normally hold a property
for up to 48 hours if you need to confer with friends or family).
STEP 2.
Call or email us
if you want to go ahead and make a provisional booking.
STEP 3.
To confirm a provisional booking we need, within 5 working days,
your completed Booking Form and your deposit payment of 35%.
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Guide
:
Entre
Deux Mers tourist office.
Alternative Aquitaine's guide to the Pays
des Vins
There's almost too much choice of things to do from Le Petit Château
but with something for everyone the chances for disappointment are
virtually nil!
Le Petit Chateau is situated on the edge of the Entre-Deux-Mers
countryside, one of the loveliest parts of the Gironde - soft, undulating
hills, ancient villages (St Macaire, Sauve-Majeure
and Cadillac should be high on anyone's
list for a visit), baroque châteaux and some excellent white
wines. St Emilion, just over the Dordogne river,
is another must-visit.
Talking of which, wine-lovers - beginners and more experienced -
are spoilt for choice here. For an intelligent, entertaining and
informative introduction to the wines of the Bordeaux region Planète
Bordeaux is worth a visit (it's rather less cheesy than
the name may suggest to English ears!), about half-an-hour's drive
north. Alternatively, Château de Malle (near
Langon, 30 km to the south east) organises recommended tours and
tastings in its exceptional surrondings. The Sauternes,
Graves and Pomerol & St Emilion
appelations are not much further. An innovative local company, Scooty
Tours, will even take you around the vineyards on scooters!
Obviously city-lovers shouldn't miss at least a day in Bordeaux,
perhaps strolling the city's historic Quartier St Pierre that showcases
the 18th century architecture of the city's wealthy commercial past
and stopping for a coffee or something stronger in one of the many
squares. Or for a different perspective, why not try a balloon
ride over the city?
Further afield, many of the highlights of Aquitaine are within 60-90
minutes drive, easily day-trippable. There's the endless expanses
of golden sand and rolling waves characteristic of the Atlantic
coast's beaches - Le Grand Crohot, about 10 km
due west of Lège-Cap Ferret is particularly recommended,
you can always find a quiet spot to yourself. Alternatively, there's
the very family-friendly resorts of Lacanau-Océan
and Arcachon, or for a change from the
ocean beach, there's bathing at Lacanau lake (Etang de Lacanau)
- with shade from the forest and no currents to worry about families
with young children often prefer it here. The oyster-farming
villages and pine-and-sand-dune landscape of La Presqu'Ile
de Cap Ferret are another world.
The other way (east) is the rich gastronomic and cultural heritage
of the Dordogne - it's truffles, many caves (eg at Sarlat, Lascaux,
Font-de-Gaume) and fortified towns are within an hour and a half's
drive. Closer to home, Marie-Lyse and Philippe (the owners of Le
Petit Château) know many good local restaurants, including
Michelin-starred establishments. For a special meal at the Château
itself, most of them will also usually deliver.
This is just a taster. The owners of Le Petit Château know
the region intimately and will provide suggestions for all ages
and interests when you meet them.
Tourist
information - Entre-deux-Mers
Guide
to St Emilion
Tourism
in and around Arcachon
Scooty
Tours - vineyard tours by moped
Sources
Caudalie - grape-based beauty treatments
Gironde
Tourist Information
Hostens
Lac guide
Landes
National Park - information
Visiting
Lacanau-Océan
Planète
Bordeaux interactive wine-making information centre
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| Last
updated : 05.04.08 ja
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