Les Hirondelles is a holiday home which has both a contemporary and traditional ambience. The gîte has been converted from a barn built on the back of a house which Paddy uses as his studio. Paddy and Annie live in a separate converted barn on the same property.

As in many parts of the world it was traditional in the Lot et Garonne for families to live above the livestock. At Hirondelles the main part of the accomodation is above a barn but, instead of cows, we store garden tools and firewood in it.

In doing the barn conversion we have striven to retain all of its original charm by using traditional materials and craftmanship combined with modern design and building techniques. The thick stone walls combined with the most up to date insulation and and double glazed windows keep the gîte at a comfortable, cool temperature even on the hottest days of the summer.

Being an artistic family, Les Hirondelles is decorated throughout with original contemporary artworks and reproductions of 20th century masters.
 

The Kitchen / Diner

On the ground floor the kitchen diner has been converted from the milking parlour and retains the cool atmosphere and original beamed ceiling,amongst other historical features. Without losing its rustic charm we have installed modern amenities such as the washing machine and fridge freezer discretely hidden in an alcove. At the kitchen end you will find antique kitchen furniture tastefully combined with modern units housing a dishwasher and an electric cooker with a gas hob. Microwave, electric kettle, ample cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery are provided.

Living Room & Balcony

An oak stairway leads to the living room and balcony. This light airy room is lit by two large openings; the patio doors opening onto the balcony and a large fixed window which used to be the loading bay for hay. It is furnished in a simple, modern but comfortable style to suit the exposed stone walls, ironwork and tie bars of the original barn. This room has a flat screen tv with English freeview channels. There is a new combined radio, dvd, cd, mp3 player and we provide a small library of books, dvds and games suitable for all ages. Free WIFI is available both inside and out side the gîte.

Bedrooms & En suites

The three bedrooms are also on the first floor and all have a generously sized en suite with walk in shower, toilet and washbasin. The bedrooms all differ in character. The south facing bedroom looks out over the garden and houses a king sized bed. Features include exposed beams and roof joists with detailing in local brick. The twin/double room has two single divans which can be combined to make a king sized bed and benefits from a high ceiling, exposed beams and stonework. Light floods through the large skylight in the last bedroom which is on two levels and has one single bed downstairs with a second on the mezzanine floor.

Bed linen and bath towels are provided while pool towels can be hired for 3 euros per week. Stairgate, high chair and travel cot are available at no extra charge.

 

THE GARDEN, THE POOL & THE VIEWS

The private garden with its lawn area and fragrant flower beds is adjacent to the 10m x 5m salt water swimming pool which has a 1m deep shallow area, 1.8m deep end and is alarmed. Roman steps lead to the water from a paved terrace with sun loungers. Other seating areas include a shady terrace overlooking the pool and a large private terrace. So you can choose to chill out in the shade, work on your tan or enjoy al fresco dining.

A charcoal barbeque is provided on the gîte terrace and we've planted a small herb garden with a selection of culinary herbs and cherry tomatoes for guests to use in season. However, if you don't feel like cooking, you can order from a range of home cooked local dishes which we will prepare for you and serve on your terrace.

Les Hirondelles stands near the top of a hill where two valleys meet. This provides views which are both panoramic and intimate at the same time. From the balcony and terrace you can watch the cows being brought in at night across one valley whilst from the pool you feel as if you are floating above an ever changing landscape as the light changes across the fields and woods