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1 min Gemozac/Cozes rd (Directions/Map) 5 km to supermarket, shops, swimming pools & covered market at Cozes, 10 min to Gemozac or the
Gironde river & 15 to Royan's wonderful beaches, 1 hr to La Rochelle & a little more if you take the
vineyard route to Bordeaux. Ideal location
for summer breaks - a microlclimate with over 220 days of sunshine a year keeps average temperatures in the mid 20`s
during June - Sept offering an extended holiday season. Local produce includes the Pineau aperitif, red, rose, white
& sparkling wines, mussels, oysters, fish from the Gironde & Atlantic, fruits including Charente melon,
apples, & a local organic farm at Gemozac. What's
at the house: Pool, tree swing,boules,fishing
rods,books,games for all ages,childrens toys, video,DVD, i-pod dock - available for a small hire fee are cycles
& golf clubs , tennis rackets are free. locally
- moonlit markets, open days at local vineyards, summer music festivals,brocantes,craft fairs & art exhibitions,
african festivals and artisan's markets. St Andre de Lidon
3 min drive / easy cycle to the village -a
boulangerie, general store, post office, hairdresser, garage and bar/restaurant. There is a small river with picnic facilities,
tennis courts for hire - nearby vineyards of Gardrat - a popular local wine producer . Horseriding is available nearby at
Epargnes,fishing at a number of commercial fishing lakes & of course river,estuary & sea fishing.
Our
closest local wine is available from our neighbours is excellent value and available at Courpron
Cozes
5km - everything you need, outdoor summer pool, tennis, mini golf, supermarket (+ boulangerie, fresh fish &
dry cleaning), bars, banks, chemist, garages, covered traditional market (Wednesday), tourist office, fuel, hairdressers,clothes,
newspapers and the velo rail. A little further out of town you will find the ancient Roman site of Fa with
an interactive museum & Talmont, a historic 12th century village with picture postcard pedestrian streets
& ancient church. On the main road to Royan there is an agrucultural museum & for the more adventurous
flying & parachuting & every watersport you can imagine at Royan plus climbing in the pine trees 
Above left is theXII century
Church & to the right of that the XIV century covered market at Cozes (which still operates
weekly & has Moonlit markets in the summer). Visible Roman influence still exists in many of the roads, buildings &
town names.
5 minutes drive out of Cozes is the beautiful fishing
village of Talmont (below)- perched on the edge of a promentary with restaurants a small craft village
and beautiful pedestrian only streets. see www.bernezac.com/Talmont_uk.htm
Fa
- Just 2 km from Talmont is the archaeological dig at Fa
- an ancient Roman site which has a fascinating hi-tech museum opened in 2005
Meschers (Meschers-Sur-Gironde) -
Has a beautiful fishing port, half a dozen good
fish restaurants, a market,excellent shops & wonderful hidden coves & child friendly beaches, the Grottes de Mattata
(ancient chalk caves) has an intriguing museum and a good restaurant perched on the cliffs overlooking the estuary. A
little further along the coast takes you to the beautiful village of St Geoerge de Didonnes with
its market, shops, restaurants and beautiful beach where you can hire bikes, climb in the trees and rent water sports equipment.
A quick trip north up the coast
road winds through the pine forests of Royan to the Oyster beds & fishing huts of Tremblade
(below). with endless restaurants - combine this with a trip across the bridge to the Ile d'Oleron & its fantastic
restaurants & beaches.
In Jonzac (below)
is an indoor swimming pool complex with slides & jacuzzi, historic chateau, a maze of ancient walkways,working windmill
a casino & a wednesday moonlit market in summer as well as a wide range of shops & restaurants.
Gemozac is
just 10 minutes - has restaurants a racecourse, organic farm & frequent markets (Tuesday & Saturday) as well as a
full range of shops including a very large "Super U" supermarket which is your first stop to stock up.
Pons 20 min (below and right) is situated on
one of the traditional pilgimage routes from Northern Europe to Compostello and has an ancient citadel as its centre piece
with a beautiful river walk to the base of the old city walls - in addition it has 2 fine restaurants at the logis
but you need to book in high season.There is a racecourse & a number of antique shops here but be prepared to bargain.
Regional facilities:
click on some of these local tourist sites for further details ( some will have multilingual
buttons) There
are major towns nearby (even a Casino at Royan), 300 kilomaters of beach & pine forest all within 15km. Of course
you will be hard pushed to find a better part of the world to eat - try this restaurant guide or some of the nearby villages:
Hotel de Bordeaux - Logis
de France - Pons Auberge Pontoise, 23 Avenue Gambetta, Pons Les Trois Mermites, 37 Avenue Charles Regazzoni, Royan  La Rochelle/ Ile de Re/ Ile D'Oleron Sports facilities nearby: Golf at Royan (excellent & superb restaurant), Saintes (terrific value),
La Rochelle & a superb course at Cogmac (one set of clubs available for hire)
Mini
golf & Outdoor Swimming Pool - Cozes Fishing - either lake, estuary , river
or sea Horseriding - within 5 minutes Epargnes Windsurfing
& Sailing, Kayaks & powered watersports at Royan Scuba diving/cycling/bodyboarding
also at Royan Tennis - courts can be hired in St Andre de Lidon & Cozes &
there are 2 rackets for hire at the house. Cycling road - the national sport
along with Rugby & football Mountain biking - coastal paths offer ample routes
& 4 mountain bikes for hire on site plus 2 child seats - there are endless forest tracks wide enough for vehicles starting
at your back door. Walking/Running - coastal and woodland trails everywhere especially
across the estuary & on the Isles Museums: Maritime
- Tremblade Agriculture de Didonne - Semussac Fa - Roman site Post
cards - Mortagne sur Gironde Royans own museum Saintes - many + historic
sites 
Call
07751327595 if you need further information or want to make a reservation - alternatively you can e-mail by using the
"contact us" link
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