Les Jolies Arches – Manoir de Longeveau

Le Manoir de Longeveau’s fantastic combination of pretty gîte accommodation, beautiful setting, and brilliant facilities, which include a crèche/kids club, golf course, tennis courts, and bar/restaurant, make it a real find for families with young children. Within hours of arriving it’s easy to see why so many guests return year after year – a particularly tempting proposition when enjoying a relaxing drink on the bar’s sunny terrace and soaking up the beautiful scenery!

The 16th century former Cognac estate’s elegant yet relaxed and friendly ambiance is helped along by the fact that guests can do as much or as little as they wish. Little ones can attend the professionally staffed crèche, which runs from during high season, while adults relax by one of the pools, enjoy a round of golf (9-holes), a drink and a meal on the bar’s terrace, a spot of boules or a game of tennis, with or without tuition. There are also acres of open countryside to explore and two excellent play areas for little ones to enjoy. The fact that there’s a 40-ft heated outdoor pool plus a separate paddling pool, is also a bonus for those with small babies who may find unheated pools chilly, even in summer.

The pretty gîtes sleep from two to eight and are nestled in small clusters scattered amongst the 60 acres of beautiful grounds, either close to the Manoir itself or a few minutes walk away at the hamlet of Puygironde, which overlooks Longeveau and the golf course. All have been recently renovated to a high standard, mainly from old farm buildings and each has charming original features including old beams, exposed stonework, and timber or clay tile floors. Properties offer open-plan living areas with well-equipped kitchens and some include dishwashers, washing machines, and flatscreen TV. There is also a separate well-equipped communal laundry room. Each has a private outdoor seating area and BBQ, useful for quiet nights ‘at home’, after busy days and when not making the most of the bar’s terrace for meals and drinks, or communal BBQ nights.

The Terrace Bar and Restaurant is an idyllic spot for a sunny breakfast coffee and pastries ( you can also arrange pastry boxes to takeaway) or a relaxed, light lunch. During summer it is open several evenings a week for a la carte dining and the owners also arrange a Thursday night 'Pizza Night' and weekly BBQ. Plus on Tuesdays, a funky fish and chip street food van arrives at Longeveau spring through to Autumn.

Jolie Arches

The tall arched facade on this cottage originally housed this former Cognac Estate's grape crusher in years gone by but now its a spacious and airy 3-bedroom gite filled with charm. The exposed beams, honey-coloured stone walls, and tiled floors give it character whilst the generous, open-plan ground floor living space with French doors to the private terrace, makes it ideal for family life. The kitchen is well equipped with hob, oven, microwave, and cafetiere (no dishwasher, or washing machine but a handy communal laundry next to creche). There's a downstairs toilet and three bedrooms upstairs including a lovely master double with ensuite shower room and two pretty twins (two singles in each) which share a second shower room. Outside there's a pretty terrace with sun loungers, dining furniture, and a BBQ. It opens out onto a large communal lawned area and has lovely views over the surrounding countryside – perfect for pre-dinner drinks and easy evenings with little ones tucked up in bed upstairs.