This enchanting early 19th Century, detached stone house, standing in beautiful gardens of more than an acre, surrounded by glorious woodland and fields, has been renovated to a very high standard and is just 5 minutes from the much sought-after village of La Caillere with shops and restaurant..This enchanting early 19th Century, detached stone house, standing in beautiful gardens of more than an acre, surrounded by glorious woodland and fields, has been renovated to a very high standard and is just 5 minutes from the much sought-after village of La Caillere with shops and restaurant.

Formerly two separate dwellings, this extremely spacious house has been renovated to a very good standard. It faces South and this ensures that the rooms have a light and airy feel, giving the visitor a real sense of well-being and calm. This is added to by the well-tended, mature gardens which surround the house and which include a stylish, brick-built dove-cote or pigeonnier and an orchard. There is also a double garage and a barn, currently used to house garden equipment and the tractor mower. There is a driveway entrance as well as a pedestrian entrance which is anything but ?pedestrian'', thanks to the grand flight of steps which lead up to the garden gates.

The accommodation consists of the sitting room (30m2) which has an open stone fireplace, fitted with a wood-burning stove. Also in this room is the original Vendee oven, covered in blue and white Delft style tiles, retained as a memento of days gone by. The dining room (30m2) is large enough to accommodate the largest dinner party. There is something unusual here too. The fireplace has in it a fire basket of cunning design. The hollow pipes of which it is made, supplement the work of the central heating boiler, which takes a rest when the open fire is alight. The kitchen is fitted with oak units and the usual equipment and is a pleasure to work in. At the end of the house is the conservatory which overlooks the garden and which provides a relaxing spot to survey the surrounding grounds and woods beyond.

There are three double bedrooms (25m2, 30m2 and 20m2); one of these is on the ground floor, adjacent to the bathroom. The other two are on the first floor and share the use of a shower room with WC. The larger bedroom could easily be divided if an extra bedroom were required. At the rear of the house is a utility room with yet another shower and WC. The cellar is divided into two rooms, the first housing the oil-fired central heating boiler and oil storage tank and the second being the wine cellar, complete with wine press!

The property is in a hamlet, just a short distance from the shops at La Caillere. These include a good selection of shops for everyday needs, a bar/restaurant and schools. The airport and sea at La Rochelle are less than an hour away and the airport at Poitiers is about an hour's drive. The St Malo ferry is reached in a little over 3 hours.

The coast of the Vendee extends over 160km of mostly sandy beaches. Coupled with an exceptionally mild climate, these have long attracted large numbers of overseas and domestic tourists. Some popular resorts include Les Sables d'Olonne, La Tranche-sur-Mer and Saint Jean de Monts.

Inland, the chief attractions include the Marais Poitevin (an area of marshlands, famed for wildlife), the forested area around the village of Mervent, the rolling countryside of the Bocage and the historical theme park at the Puy de Fou.