Have you found that taking your young children on holiday is not as much fun as you thought it would be? Are you a painter, a walker, a cyclist or even just someone who doesn’ t like package holidays?

Our holiday home in La Cormarinié could be just what you want this summer or any other season come to that! It offers a swimming pool, accommodation for two couples or one couple and up to three children, a tranquil setting in the rolling hills of South West France, plenty of places to visit, activities to do or somewhere just to sit, read, paint and enjoy the simple pleasures of a French country holiday.

If this sounds like the perfect ingredients for a family holiday, a romantic weekend, a break from the norm with a friend or two, then read on.

La Cormarinié is the hamlet in which we live and have converted an old farm building into a holiday let. We used our experiences of travelling both with and without young children to inform this conversion. Once upon a time we just wanted comfortable holiday accommodation with a pool and sunshine, and for the holiday rep’ to leave us alone; the rest we could sort out for ourselves.

Nowadays we need more, a kitchen it is possible to cook in, not just a two ringed hob and a battered old saucepan; we need high chairs, cots somewhere safe our twins can play, a house not full of tantalising cables, antique furniture and decorations just asking to be ruined. We need a washing machine and a bath, want a dishwasher and a paddling pool. In short we want our home transported somewhere different for the summer. We hope that this is what you find when you visit us, the convenience of your own home somewhere else!

The gîte is thoughtfully designed to offer everyone a great holiday; it is, as far as is humanly possible, child proof! The swimming pool is securely fenced in, as are the grounds; we can even arrange fences to keep very young children limited to the terrace area in front of the house. Children and adults alike will find there is enough space to play, sun bathe, sit in the shade and read and plenty of walking and cycling opportunities. Our neighbours are a friendly bunch of people who will show you round their farm, share a pastis or leave you alone to read another chapter!

The holiday home itself: it has one double bedroom and one room with the flexibility to sleep up three children. This room has used height in a novel way and offers standard bunk beds and a mezzanine (the pod!) with a double mattress. The lower bunk can be removed and replaced with a cot (or two!) which would then leave the top bunk and the mezzanine bed. It's also worth noting that there is a double sofa bed in the living room. We have a small but perfectly formed bathroom with a bath and a shower. The main living space comprises a fully fledged kitchen area with dish washer, washing machine and enough equipment to keep the party cooks happy, there is space to eat either inside or out and a permanent barbeque. The living room opens on to the swimming pool terrace and comes equipped with audio visual gadgets should the weather require a quiet night in with a video or DVD. Needless to say it is all thoughtfully decorated and comfortable with out posing too many hazards for young children, breakages for parents to sweep up and foot prints to wash away!

To make your holiday even more enjoyable and easier to organise we include all bedding and towels and at your request can have a meal ready for your arrival or the ingredients for your own culinary expertise. Nappies, milk, formula and baby eating utensils can also be supplied, as can cots, a change table, baby bath or bath seats, high chairs etc (what have we forgotten?) We can even dig out a few toys for the littlest ones or a book or video for those who forgot. For the true sensation of being on holiday we will cook you a meal if you want, baby sit and clean the gîte through once a week. Anything else you require and we haven’t mentioned here, you probably only have to ask!

We love living here and hope you will grow to share our enthusiasm for this beautiful, friendly and largely unsung part of France.

A bientôt,