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Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside.

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Pool
Exterior
Exterior
Outdoor dining
Pool

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 7

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Fireplace
  • Pool
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Les Essards, Charente
  • Aubeterre-sur-Dronne Tourism Office
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • Plage De Petit-Bersac
    ‪20 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

Bedroom 1 Master

1 King Bed and 1 Child Bed

Bedroom 2 (Downstairs)

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 3 (Upstairs TWIN)

2 Single Beds

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 1 Ensuite to Master Bedroom

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub · Toilet · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2 Ensuite to Twin Room

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub · Toilet · Hair dryer

Bathroom 3 Downstairs Shower Room Suite

Soap · Towels provided · Shower only · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden

About this property

Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside.

THE WELL HOUSE

This welcoming house is full of character with a view over the surrounding countryside, nestles in the charming village of Les Essards near Saint Aulaye and Aubeterre on the Charente/Dordogne border. Incorporating exposed stone walls and wooden beams, the building, once a barn retains much of its original character and charm. The decoration and furnishings give a homely feel, in a traditional French country style.

The spacious accommodation offers upstairs, a large master bedroom under the beams, leading into the snug/TV room and galleried reading area, a twin-bedded room, both of which are en-suite. There is an additional single bed in the master bedroom.

Downstairs, there is a double bedroom with an adjacent shower and toilet. There is a large relaxing sitting room with dining area and kitchen with table and seating. In the kitchen there is a dishwasher, washing machine, fridge freezer, microwave, gas hob and electric oven.

Outside there is a large shaded eating area overlooking the private salt water swimming pool which is fenced with a lockable gate, loungers and parasols are provided and there are many areas to relax within the large secure garden. There is a large parking area. There is also bbq for your use.

Guests with smart phones can access free wi-fi from the house, although reception is can be erratic.

For the more energetic there are many beautiful walks and cycle paths directly from the house, and many interesting places to visit.

The little town of St Aulaye is a few minutes drive away (4km), with a supermarket, petrol station, bank, laundromat and pharmacy. There are also many bars and cafes.

There is also a river beach with a good restaurant, (try the moules), where you can swim, hire a canoe, popular climbing area at Acrobranch (like go ape) with a zipwire that goes over the river and you can also play mini golf or go kayaking.

Bicycles can be hired locally from Patrick and delivered to the house. (Details are in the house).

The house is less than 10 minutes drive from Aubeterre sur Dronne,
one of the 100 prettiest villages in France; which is famous for its underground Monolithic church. Aubeterre has many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants around the attractive square, and holds a Sunday morning market as well as a river beach with restaurants and the opportunity to kayak on the Dronne river.

The nearby towns of Chalais, (7 km) and Riberac (20 kms) both have extensive weekly markets on Monday and Friday respectively and good supermarkets.

There is also a beautiful lakeside beach and restaurants at Grand Étang Jemaye, 17 Kms away.

Further afield and well worth a visit, is the picturesque riverside town of Brantome, with a chateau, often referred to as little Venice, 1 hour.

Pilât Sand D’une, the tallest natural sand dune near Bordeaux, 1.5 hours.

Bordeaux with its stunning architecture, 1 hour.

Cognac with its many Brandy houses, 1:5 hours.

Also within reach are other interesting towns of the Dordogne, including, Perigueux, Bergerac, Salat, Limeuil, Tremolat and Le Bugue.

✨✨Nearest Airports:✨✨

Bergerac 1 hour 5 min
Bordeaux 1 hour 20 min
Limoges 2 hours

A have very good car rental facilities

NOTE: Please be aware in August change over day is not normally on a Saturday or Sunday - however if you would like to check in on either of these days please message me so I can confirm availability.

Property manager

SallyAnne

Languages

English, French, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Start the dishwasher
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
There is a checkout list at the house in the Welcome pack. We clear cupboards/fridge but please ensure you put your rubbish in the bins on-site and take any bottles to the bottle bank in the village.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
Property Registration Number 93976090600015

We should mention

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed GBP 1000, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using the information in the booking confirmation

About the area

Les Essards

Located in Les Essards, this holiday home is on a river. Château de la Mercerie and Moulin de la Veyssiere are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Château La Faviere and Château Vieux Mougnac. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Les Essards, Charente

What's nearby

  • Aubeterre-sur-Dronne Tourism Office - 11 min drive - 8.8 km
  • Saint-Jacques Church - 11 min drive - 8.8 km
  • Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean - 12 min drive - 9.2 km
  • Plage De Petit-Bersac - 20 min drive - 14.9 km
  • Circuit de Haute Saintonge - 29 min drive - 24.4 km

Getting around

  • Chalais Station - 19 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Le Flore - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Restaurant Crêperie Sel et Sucre - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪La Taverne - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪La Maison où on boit beaucoup - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Le Garage - ‬12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside. have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside.?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside.?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Character house, with private salt water pool & views over the countryside. located?

Situated on a river, this holiday home is within 6 miles (10 km) of Trarieux Square, Aubeterre-sur-Dronne Tourism Office and Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean. Saint-Jacques Church and Plage De Petit-Bersac are also within 12 miles (20 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 1 out of 1 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 1 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 1 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Lorraine S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A thoroughly enjoyable stay

We had a great stay here at the Well House, the house itself is a great size with all that we needed, the pool was a welcomed extra in the extreme heat we had during our stay, location is perfect for anyone wanting somewhere just a stone throws away from the bussling near by towns, The property managers Sally Anne and Pete, were absolutely spot on, they went above and beyond, accommodating us at short notice and giving us exceptional information about the area, things to do and events, and very quick to respond when we had questions about places to visit, they themselves made our holiday that much more relaxing, Overall we had a great stay!
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2025

About the host

Hosted by SallyAnne

Host profile image
We have been coming to this area for many years and eventually bought the Well House in 2014

Why they chose this property

On first visiting this area of France many years ago we immediately fell in love with it. It's location makes it very accessible from the UK & many parts of Europe. The area is a wonderful mix of rolling hills, winding rivers & extensive countryside views. It is a great spot to explore the many varied historic & cultural sites including a range of caves, chateaux, vineyards & pretty villages

What makes this property unique

Its simply a charming house with private gardens and pool, where you can just unwind in the peace and quiet or just on your step there are many beautiful walks, kayaking and cycling paths to choose from or places to visit. Parfait!

Languages:

English, French, Spanish