La Maison Ensoleillee - 2 Bedroom (Sleeps 5) Cottage in Chatain
Beautiful Period Detached Home With Private Pool. 1 Acre of Stunning Landscaped Gardens With Views To Open Countryside. A Peaceful Haven of Paradise.
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Owner/Property
Manager: Christene and David Barton
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price, property details and availability.
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Overview
Description
La Maison Ensoleillee at La Jaudonnière is a detached, self catering cottage with a private pool set in a small hamlet between the villages of Chatain and Benest, on the border of the Charente and Vienne departments.The highlight of this property is its beautiful south-facing gardens that overlook the open countryside, with sunshine flooding the space from morning to dusk. Wildlife is abundant, birds of prey and woodpeckers are regular visitors and the occasional red squirrel can be seen. Deer can also be spotted in close proximity.
With the long hot sunny days and south-facing garden, the private pool is a real asset and very enjoyable. The pool area itself, has ample decking for sunbathing and outside dining. There is a large teak dining table, seating six on the pool deck with 2 umbrellas and further dining tables in other areas of the garden giving dining options for sunny and shady areas. There are five luxury loungers with long cushions , along with several umbrellas for you to enjoy. In the garden you can also relax under the cherry tree in a large rocking lounger with canopy, or in the newly added egg chair positioned on the lawn onlooking the pool. At the poolside there is a new brick barbecue, so dining alfresco can be enjoyed during the daytime or equally in the evening. Another BBQ can be found in more a shaded area of the garden. If you fancy a different view, you could dine under the enormous walnut tree at the other end of the garden, or sit and have breakfast or coffee at the french romantic table by the rose bushes that overlook the garden and surrounding countryside. The enormous outside space is all secluded, peaceful and a slice of french countryside heaven.
Inside, this charming 16th Century cottage comprises of two bedrooms and has retained many of its original features; including heavy oak beams, stone and oak flooring and an original open fireplace. with wood burner newly installed. There is also an annex which includes gym equipment and both child and adult bikes which you are welcome to use. at your own risk.
The property benefits from central heating and there is a modern, well equipped kitchen with new digital boiler providing instant hot water at any time. The kitchen includes a cooker, hob, delonghi coffee machine, large fridge with freezer, dishwasher, washing machine microwave and toaster. There is also a small breakfast table in the kitchen.
The comfortable sitting room has 2 cosy sofas and a large original open fire-place, leading into a spacious characterful dining room with original oak floor, antique table and dresser, plus a wooden staircase leading upstairs. The property also has a flat screened television in the sitting room and internet access has recently been installed too.
Upstairs there is one large, well-furnished master bedroom with a queen size bed and door leading to the stone staircase taking you down to the garden. The second bedroom has three comfortable single beds for children. The bathroom is a good size and has a large deep bath with a shower - the ceiling is low at this point. The bathroom is situated between the two bedrooms and the landing has a full length build in wardrobe.
Bedroom Details
Bedroom 1
1 x Queen Bed
Queen sized bedroom with new sprung mattress, ample storage, lounging sofa and period features.
Bedroom 2
3 x Single Beds
3 single bedroom with under bed storage and velux windows. Period features.
10 Reviews
A great place to stay
By Caroline on 05-Aug-2026Thus house was a great find, we had a lovely 10 days at this charming farmhouse tucked away in the countey side. Everything was as described, the pool was very welcome during the heat! We used the house as a base to explore nearby. Aquascope was a partucular hit with our 12 year old. Owners were extremely helpful and accommodating. 10 out of 10, we would go again.
Terrible Property and Owners
By Simon Ralph on 29-Jun-2026The house smelled musty and cluttered with mismatched shoddy furniture. There was a pile of rubble and metal pipes sticking out of a window! The dining room sofa was so worn that the stuffing had come out the bottom. The back of one of the dining chairs was broken. The kitchen was dated and generally very grubby with nowhere to put any of our food. We had to clear and clean out a cupboard - most of the cupboards were full. A cupboard door that wouldn’t shut had white tac to try and make it close, which didn’t. The cooker hood was covered in grease - I cooked pasta and some of the Teflon came off the pan so had black bits in our food. Upstairs was cramped - I get the beams, but it was hard to stand up most of the time. The smell upstairs was cloying – I have no idea what it was. Again, mismatched old shabby furniture (not chic). The bathroom was awful, the toilet was brown, the shower tiles need updating, there was some sort of cardboard construction across the ceiling which was ugly. All the drawers in cupboards were full of the owners belongings, i.e. slippers, paperwork in the bedside table! The general maintenance of the property was shoddy, open pipes everywhere, appears not to have been painted for 20/30 years, the kitchen light switch buzzed, Items in the cupboards were dirty, as were utensils and the kettle. There was a chipped bowl with a rotten walnut in it. The outside was not too bad but it had a cracked slab with a pot on, which could have caused injury. The decking had places that were gaping and the barbecue looked like it was falling over. There was a piece of old warped kitchen worktop, dirty cloths in the barbecue. We contacted the owners immediately and left a voice message as they didn’t answer to tell them the issues. They left a voice message later asking send them the details and pictures. The overall state of this property is shameful and not fit for the purpose. The responses from the lady owner of the property were shocking.
Owner response on 20-Aug-2026
We are very sorry that you decided to vacate our French home within 24 hours of your arrival as we would have done all that we could to rectify your main concerns. Unfortunately, you seemed determined to leave, demanding a refund. We tried to contact you several times and asked for photographs. You did not send any evidence of a dirty property or indeed the rubble or protruding pipes you refer to. Instead, you had already vacated the property. Secondly, the house definitely did not smell musty as my husband and I cleaned from top to bottom a few days before your arrival and moreover our cleaners were also in the morning of your arrival.. Regarding your comments on the furniture and overall look of the property – all rooms, including the kitchen are accurately represented in the pictures on the booking website, so perhaps this style of 16th century French cottage was simply not for you. The sofa is not worn and in fact has throws covering it for protection; these had just been dry cleaned and hence were pristine. There is ample room for food storage for a family of 4-5, let alone 2 people. The saucepans stainless steel and not Teflon, and all kitchen utensils had been cleaned in the dishwasher prior to your arrival. With respect to the scores for communication and facilities, we sent you a fully comprehensive house guide informing you about the household appliances, the pool details and even restaurants and areas of interest. When David rang you a week before your holiday to check you had all the information you needed, you r said you had no questions and everything was answered in the guide. Moreover, the house has a gym, gym equipment, bikes and mountain bikes, cricket, golf sets, children’s garden games and of course a private outdoor swimming pool, so I fail to comprehend the score of 1/5 here. I therefore feel that this review does not reflect the property and your main aim was to be given a refund, which we did not feel was justified
Perfect countryside escape
By Louis Beaumont on 16-Mar-2026This was our second trip back to this slice of paradise and we loved it just as much as the first time. It is incredibly peaceful and the gardens and landscape are idyllic. There is ample garden furniture to relax on by the beautiful pool or dine al fresco and even a fire pit for the chillier evenings. The house itself is incredibly well equipped with all you need and is very comfortable and cosy. This is the perfect countryside French escape and I’m sure we will be back again.
An oasis in a lovely region of france
By Demelza on 01-Jul-2025We loved this traditional French house, lots of character, and very well equipped, we were here in a heatwave, it was so hot upstairs, we were glad we bought our own large fan, which certainly helped. The "creatures" living in the roof space must have felt the heat, as they were very noisy at night. The only disappointment also was the shower, described as small, I am 5ft 3ins and was extremely difficult to have a shower without knocking yourself out on the shower, my husband 6ft tall, couldn't manage at all. The saving grace was the large garden, bbq and the pool was invaluable in the heat. Would certainly reccomend, apart from couple of issues mentioned.
Owner response on 09-Mar-2026
We do mention that there is restricted space in the shower shower due to the beams however I am 5ft 6 and my husband is 5ft 9 and neither of us has a problem showering Also the exceptional heat may have caused a few loirs to shelter indoors but we left just before you and heard nothing and no-one else mentioned them this summer. We have now equipped upstairs with very effient large modern fans due to the exceptional heat but being a stone building the house is usually cool in the summer. We did spend 2 days cleaning before your arrival ,as we left just before and our cleaner also cleaned the day of your arrival, but in country houses dust can appear very quickly. We thank you for your feedback
A little bit of perfection in the French countryside!
By J Warner on 08-Sep-2024We had the most wonderful stay at this gorgeous cottage. The place was cosy yet airy, fresh and clean. The log burner is a fab touch. We enjoyed days out by the pool with never ending scenic views, the facilities to eat / cook outdoors are brilliant. The peace and quiet of the area combined with the comfortable cottage made for a restful and much needed retreat. My favourite part of the day was breakfast (with a view) outside by the walled flowers and chic table. Overall, the beds, bathroom, kitchen and living areas were spotless. The garden is beautifully maintained with multiple areas for all of the family to enjoy. We would recommend to anyone seeking a little bit of perfection in the French countryside, all year round.
Absolutely Wonderfull
By Philip Harwood on 12-Aug-2023This is a charming house retaining all its original features, well equipped with everything you need. Surrounded by countryside all you hear is the wildlife. Lovely pool and outside dining areas dotted around the large garden. Lovely supermarkets at Confonlons and Champagne Mouton about 20 mins away. Great communication with the hosts we will be back!