Why did we buy our house here ?
We decided to move to France in 2005 as we approached retirement and bought our house in the secluded hamlet of La Riviere Morin just two kms from the village of La Caillere.It is a attractive rural location with six houses and a couple of barns originally in the ownership of one family and operated as a farm up to the mid 1980s. Two French families and an English couple are our neighbours and we enjoy a secluded lifestyle surrounded by arable and dairy farms. Following the refurbishment of our house the opportunity arose to buy the adjacent cottage which we turned into a lovely gite and soon after we bought the remaining vacant house in the hamlet giving us two properties to let.
Villa Au Coin
We bought this typically French house in 2007 and spent a year refurbishing and remodelling it from the basic cottage it was into a comfortably modern holiday home with " all mod cons"! However, all the best features of the original structure have been maintained and the property is now a very comfortable three bedroomed, two bathroom house with a large fully fitted kitchen/diner and sitting room. An added feature is the working well located in the small garden room which opens out onto the paved patio garden - an ideal spot to enjoy a glass of wine before lighting the barbeque for dinner !
The Swimming Swimming pool and other things !!
A new 4mx8m heated swimming pool has just been installed close by for the exclusive use of our guests in Villa Au Coin and the other gite we own in the hamlet. ( If the other gite is not occupied during your stay then the pool is for your exclusive use.)
Whats to do nearby ?
Although we enjoy the rural lifestyle the nearby village of La Caillere has a well stocked SPAR Supermarket as well as a baker, butcher, petrol station/bar, hairdresser, restaurant and visiting fishmonger. It also has a lovely XVI century church and Posr Office. Horseriding and fishing are available nearby and there are enless country walks in the surrounding countryside. further afield are the towns of Chantonnay and La Chataigneraie each within 20 mins drive and the attractively preserved medieval Donjon (fortified dungeon) in nearby Bazoges-en-Pareds is a must to visit. The Donjon restaurant is great for local cuisine at reasonable prices. For family fun, a full day out at Le Puy du Fou Theme Park is an experience not to be missed and is only an hours drive away wiith attractions to appeal to the whole family.
The medieval town of Vouvant is less than 20 kms away and the Forest of Mervent offers countless trails and country walks with excellent picnic or bbq opportunities.
Is a car essential ?
In a word..............yes ! If you decide to fly to La Rochelle, the closest airport, car hire is readily available and La Riviere Morin is only 90 mins drive away. If you drive to us then there is a garage adjacent to the house to park the car. Good idea to bring bikes too - the local terrain is flat and the roads are very quiet but bikes can be hired locally too.