Have you ever wanted to experience life in a traditional French village?

There are hundreds of gites dotted around the French countryside. What is harder to find is a house and garden in the heart of a charmingly unspoilt French village. The Old Coach House is the perfect base to appreciate the pleasures of village life and explore the surrounding countryside.

Saint Benoit du Sault is a medieval village on the border of the Berry and Limousin, 300km south of Paris. It has been designated one of about 150 “Plus Beaux Villages de France”, an accolade that seeks to protect “the outstanding heritage of these exceptional villages” at a time when the the traditions of the French countryside are under threat.

The Old Coach House allows one to participate in village life – everything you need from the butcher and the baker to the Post Office and chemist is a couple of minutes walk through the narrow, winding streets. The house itself is simply furnished but comfortable, sleeping up to nine people in two bedrooms, an attic and a landing area. Outside a large sun terrace is where meals are taken during the summer months. Below that a small garden runs down towards the wall of the old cité.

Round about there are lovely walks, swimming lakes, the Futuroscope theme park, churches, castles and rustic local restaurants.

The Old Coach House is available to book by the week and outside high season for long lets. Please browse the site for more information using the headings at the top of the page. For specific enquiries, email tomdecastella@yahoo.com

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Words copyright Tom de Castella. A Wordpress Thesis site with some help from Ben de Castella. Photos by Tom de Castella, Hubert de Castella, Ollie Overschoyle, Jamie Rollo and Steve Unsworth