We were searching for a home for our Arabian horse breeding stables. We were looking for a gentle haven surrounded by woodland, with no noise or neighbours nearby, surrounded by high quality producers, yet easily accessible.
The 41-hectare estate is made up of meadows, woods and a truffle field that slopes gently down to the stream that feeds the hectare-long navigable pond. The property comprises a main dwelling; a typical 17th century Périgourd house spanning approx. 540 m², built over two stories on the rock. Its exterior walls are made of stone and rubble jointed with lime and sand rendering and feature small-paned windows. There is also a 310 m² guest house in an L-shape and a large south-facing terrace. There are several outbuildings, including garages, stables and a 1250 m² manège close to the house.
The Cassini maps, the oldest maps of France, mention a place called "Malignas" which, according to local legend, referred to the evil spirit which trapped people in the marshes. They are now partly replaced by a large pond, but it is still easy to sink into the damp earth in the surrounding woods. There is a Roman road between the village of Mareuil and the Mandaga site on the registers. It has now disappeared under the meadows. At the end of the 1950s, the site was used for subsistence farming, followed by cereal growing and cattle rearing.
To feel like a child again, faced with the wonder of our herd of around 30 Bedouin horses from our centre for the preservation of ancient pure Arabian bloodlines. While sampling our home-made cake and local produce, I will introduce you to the horse from prehistoric times to the present day: its needs and relationship with humans since it was domesticated. We then set off to meet the free-roaming horses. Then you are free to brush, scratch, communicate with or stroke the animals. Being among Bedouin horses is an experience as magical as swimming with dolphins. The large pontoon awaits our guests, where they can watch the carp jumping, go fishing (no kill) or take out a boat or a kayak. In the autumn, we explore the cep mushroom, Caesar's mushroom and chanterelle mushroom fields in our woods together. We provide you with eggs from our own hens to enjoy the freshest scrambled eggs possible!
A delightful little bucolic walk from the church of Saint-Pardoux de Mareuil under the foliage to the Château de Beauregard, which looks like something out of a fairytale with its little garden of boxwood squares. We cherish our precious visits to the workshop of the always cheerful ceramist Marie Mazères in neighbouring Charente. On Mondays at Marie's farm in Sainte-Croix-de-Mareuil, get one of her warm loaves of bread, a soft slice of her ewe's milk cheese and a verbena yoghurt and take all of these delicacies home for a lazy lunch by the pond. On Saturdays, at the Villebois-Lavalette market, treat yourself to a plate of oysters direct from Oléron in the open-air market hall, accompanied by a glass of white wine at "La Réunion" café.
The estate is available to rent by the week during the summer months and can accommodate up to 18 people in two houses. "La Grande Maison” can accommodate up to nine people. It spans 310 m2 over two floors, with a vast enclosed courtyard offering uninterrupted views of the river and the rising sun. A few steps lead directly into the large kitchen and living room. The four bedrooms, each with en suite bathroom and toilet, are upstairs.
ref 897067
The estate has two gîtes. "La Grande Maison”, available outside the summer period for stays of four nights or more, can accommodate up to nine people. It spans 310 m2 over two floors, with a vast enclosed courtyard offering uninterrupted views of the river and the rising sun. A few steps lead directly into the large kitchen and living room. The four bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom and toilet, are upstairs. "Le Terrier des Lapins" is a 230 m2 two-storey former barn that can accommodate four to eight adults and three children. The ground floor has a vast kitchen with a lounge corner. There are three bedrooms upstairs. "Sleipnir", with a separate, private bathroom and toilet, has a double bed and a sofa bed. the "Unicorne" suite is fitted with bunk beds on three levels and shares a bathroom with Sleipnir. The "Hermès" room, with a private shower and toilet, has a double bed and a sofa bed. A swimming pool, heated to 28°C, is secured by a submerged cover and fully enclosed by barriers with a gate with a code.
ref 897067
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