Staying at the Villa..
The Villa is a mile from the hamlet of Le Sirieix in the commune of Menoire. It stands in grounds of eleven acres some eighty yards off a peaceful country road which connects to the Tulle / Beaulieu – sur – Dordogne road at Roche de Vic, a local beauty spot from where you can see six departments of France. The property is tucked in downhill from that point sitting in a delightful mixture of woodland and meadow rich in wildlife. The original estate consisted of forty acres and walking opportunities are good.
The property is built in the local French style and is of high quality construction and relatively new. Some describe it as a hunting lodge which certainly fits its character. It is generously large to a fault, having a massive entrance hall with galleried landing. The main lounge is at the heart of the house and above is a character mezzanine floor and many exposed beams. There is also an additional L-shaped lounge which is useful for families and friends who may wish to enjoy their own company in private from time to time. All major ground floor rooms lead onto a south facing and completely private terrace which looks out to the formal garden area at the rear of the house, the swimming pool, and beyond into woods and meadow land. The land descends towards the small springs and rises to give beautiful tree-clad focal points in the further distance. The house has double glazing and is well insulated. It has central heating or wood burner facilities should the weather turn cold.
At the rear of the house is the swimming pool, and beyond into woods and meadow land. The land descends towards the small springs and rises to give beautiful tree-clad focal points in the further distance. The house has double glazing and is well insulated. It has central heating or wood burner facilities should the weather turn cold.
There are four bedrooms, two of which contain double beds, a family room with a double and two single beds and another with two single beds. Each bed has a duvet and protective bottom sheet. Linen, towels and tea-towels can be provided but these have to be laundered locally at some cost and visitors are best advised to bring their own if they travel by car and have the space. The table tennis table is at present housed in the cellar area but can be brought outside for use by arrangement with the caretaker. There is a television and DVD player and the kitchen is fully equipped. The villa is amply large for ten persons but yet personal and luxurious for a smaller party wishing to be spoiled in the peace and quiet and grandeur of a large country estate.
By the shortest route the River Dordogne can be reached in six miles. There are many picturesque villages and chateaux within reach. A local van will sound its horn outside the house each day by arrangement and supplies daily bread and basic provisions. Shops can be reached within four miles or less and the nearest restaurants are less than a mile away. It is a delightful feature of the region that the somewhat larger towns of Brive and Tulle to the north take nothing away from the wonderful scenery, but at the same time contain substantial out of town shopping stores and everything anybody might require.
Gites in France – What to expect...
Gites in France traditionally work on the basis that each guest ensures that they are left in a clean and tidy state for the next following guest. In other words you are renting the use of the property for the duration of your holiday but are otherwise expected to treat it as though you would your own home, each guest benefitting from the diligence of the guest before them.
In the case of Villa La Genevriere we set the property up to a high standard prior to the commencement of the season, and we do provide a supplementary cleaning service on change-overs. There is also a caretaker who looks after the pool, cuts the grass and will assist with advice or deal with any problems within normal business hours.
However the hours available for cleaning what is a rather large property are limited, and our cleaners have more than a single property to clean and change-over as we are sure you will expect. You are accordingly requested to make reasonable efforts to keep the property clean and tidy during your stay, and most especially on vacating the property at the end.
With this principle in mind please observe the following points:-
- A BBQ is provided for your use together with a supply of fuel at no extra charge to yourselves. If you use this facility kindly take responsibility for cleaning it after use, bearing in mind that the best time to remove any accumulation of fat or grease is when it first heats up or before it cools to the point that fats solidify.
- You have the use of the villa during your stay but you are responsible for providing your own day to day consumables such as toilet rolls, matches, fire lighters, soap, washing up liquid etc as you would at home. You are however welcome to use any such facilities we or others have provided which remain on site.
- The central heating system is conserved for the winter months and it is not in use during the summer when the very ample wood burner becomes the main source of heating. If you decide to use this facility please clear it of all cinders and clean the glass before vacating the premises as there is not sufficient time available between lets for the cleaners to perform this task without detracting from the general standard of their service.
- Please do not place rugs in front of the wood burner or leave them there when you light a fire. Apart from being a fire hazard we are constantly having to replace rugs which have burn marks on them.
- It would be much appreciated if you would kindly use aluminium foil when cooking meats, poultry and fish in the oven.
- The dustbin is emptied each Monday morning and it is important to remove rubbish from the house on a regular basis to avoid attracting rodents etc.
- Please be very aware of fire risks in the local forests and be certain that nobody throws away cigarette ends or matches where a serious hazard can result. For this reason the local authorities can levy heavy fines if they find anybody camping in the grounds.
- Please be aware that we are within a rural area with substantial grounds so that expectations are quite different to those appertaining to a fully developed area. Large shops can be reached within half an hour’s drive or less but the villa gives you the chance of living with nature, perhaps seeing a deer or listening to the haunting call of the exotic golden oriole.
By observing the above we are sure it will greatly enhance your stay and that of following guests, and we will be most grateful.