Touvent Bas: Accommodation

Toutvent Bas from the east We bought the property in 1988, furnishing it both for our own use and for letting. The internal arrangements of the house are flexible, to accommodate the needs of different visitors, and suit the season : the bathroom and one bedroom are on the ground floor. Small touches, such as saucers for the tea cups and a kettle are unmistakably English. The large veranda which provides shade and shelter if visitors do not wish to use the chairs, tables and parasols available in the garden gives a French flavour. There are several play areas in the garden which is totally enclosed with sound gates.

The interior arrangements are described below. We set a maximum of five visitors, plus one baby sleeping in a cot. The double beds are 150 cms wide [downstairs] and 135 cms wide [upstairs]. There is a standard single bed in a separate bedroom upstairs. We do not usually provide bed linen or towels for visitors, but sometimes are able to do so in special circumstances: please ask.

In the garden There is a telephone in the house for incoming calls and restricted outgoing calls. We make no charge for calls within France, [within reason]. Mobile reception is normally good.

The glazed door, at the NE corner of the house, leads into the kitchen. The double sink, gas cooker, dish washer, washing machine and clothes dryer are installed on the long outside wall. The window in this wall gives extensive views across the valley. There is a substantial cupboard in the opposite wall and a fridge/freezer. The gas fired instantaneous water heater is wall mounted above the sink.

The internal door in the kitchen leads to the large lounge. A staircase rising from a corner of this room gives access to the two bedrooms on the first floor. Double glazed doors lead from the lounge onto the balcony, which has a table and seating for six people. At the other end of the lounge another glazed door leads to a shady gravelled area. Here is the barbecue, with another substantial table. The bathroom and separate WC, at the south end of the ground floor, are screened from the lounge by a wall rising almost to ceiling height.

There is a wood burning stove in the lounge, [logs stored under the balcony]. Furniture includes a two-seater settee, two armchairs, a Welsh dresser, and a sideboard. There are bookshelves and a cupboard for games etc. underneath the staircase. There is also a coffee table and a gate-leg table (satisfactory for six) in the lounge. The gate-leg table is mainly for winter use but can be used at any time when the weather is unsuitable for meals outside or on the balcony.

The principal bedroom opens off the lounge. It has a 150 cm bed, bedside tables and a medium sized chest of drawers. There is a “walk-in” wardrobe, also used to store the iron and ironing board, vacuum cleaner and various spares etc.

All ground floor rooms have tiled floors. The balcony floor is of wood.

A garden view The larger of the bedrooms upstairs has a large walk-in wardrobe, with hanging space. There is also a small chest of drawers. The bed is typically French, with the bed head and foot upholstered in a rustic tapestry. The smaller bedroom has a standard English single bed, a wardrobe / drawers unit and a separate small chest of drawers. There is a small bedside cupboard. The cot is normally stored dismantled and visitors are able to erect it wherever convenient.

The garden has several safe areas for play and is securely enclosed. There is ample space to relax using the garden furniture and a large veranda provides shade and shelter.

There is adequate parking for two cars on the gravel outside the kitchen door. The garage is used for storing garden furniture and tools. There is a cupboard with spare cleaning materials. Cushions and barbecue tools are kept in a chest in the garage. Please provide your own charcoal.

Information revised for 2007 season.