… except our home doesn’t have the well-equipped games barn, selection of over twenty bikes of various sizes, lovely swimming pool, and so much more. We spent a wonderful week with our children and grandchildren (aged between 5 and 18) and were reminded once again of the many reasons we love this place. Everything about Le Chene suggests generosity, from super king size beds, en suite bathrooms attached to all but one bedroom, comfortable sofas in a huge lounge with TV access to English channels, a large and well-equipped kitchen with a table where we easily seated 11, plenty of outdoor seating and space, an efficient barbecue, a children’s play area, a beautifully well-maintained and sizeable pool (shared with guests from the other gite on the property), plenty of sun loungers, parasols, bikes and games equipment as well as the friendly welcome from Paul and Charlotte themselves. It’s in a beautiful rural setting, with extensive grounds, a pond and a lake - both of which were drier than usual because of the drought. All 11 of us easily found bikes we could ride on the quiet lanes around La Charriere and we all enjoyed the variety of games on offer in the barns - table tennis, table football, basket ball, volley ball, badminton, snooker and boules. Paul and Charlotte’s hospitality and passion for this place shine through in so many different ways and we highly recommend it as a great place to holiday with family or friends.

We visited La Chêne as two families holidaying together. Our group comprised of two couples and five children, aged 3-8. Our friends & their two children took the two upstairs bedrooms (both en-suite) & my husband & I and our three children slept in the downstairs three bedrooms (two of which are en-suite). Our eldest daughter had her own room but there is an option of putting three single beds in one of the rooms, which would have freed up a further bedroom downstairs, should you wish to fit more people in; and there is also the option of opening up an additional sixth bedroom upstairs for an additional fee, making it totally possible to conceive of three families making this space work. The rooms were spacious and the beds very comfortable. The luxury of en-suites in all bedrooms was so convenient, especially as two families sharing; and the twin room that didn’t have an en-suite was directly opposite a bathroom, which could be accessed on two sides, as well as next door to a single downstairs loo, meaning no one was left without bathroom facilities when needed. The living space is really generous, with a huge, comfortable lounge with three sofas and plenty of extra seating/table space. If we were to visit in the autumn/ winter, we would definitely make use of the fireplace. There are books and games on the shelves & a large television with FreeSat & a DVD player. It was so handy to be able to get CBeebies for any early morning wake-ups with the children; or to put a film on if they needed a bit of downtime. At La Charrière you feel as if you needn’t go anywhere. There is plenty to keep you entertained on site. We enjoyed the wonderful clean, heated, salt-water swimming pool every day - usually twice a day. It has about 12 sun loungers around the outside, so plenty for groups. The pool is shared with La Charrière’s other gîte but that is no imposition. It is spacious even when everyone is in at once and if you’re staying a week or longer you soon find a group dynamic; besides there are always spaces in the day when the pool is empty and one can steal a quiet swim alone. The games barn is a real boon. The kids loved having all that space to run around in, play ball games in, scoot in etc. There are basketball hoops on either end, drawn on football goals on both walls, a badminton net that can be set up, a table football table and a tennis table. Everything has been thought of! There is also a huge collection of bicycles of different sizes - from little trikes for toddlers, through to children’s bicycles and adult bikes with child seats attached. We had a very enjoyable bike ride, following the Argenton les Vallées sign-posted route, as a family of five - with 8 year-old riding on her own and my husband and I each carrying our 5 & 3 year-old children in a seat on the back. It worked really well and was so lovely exploring the local area this way. There were even enough helmets for five of us. My husband likes to run and was able to follow a simple 3.6km circular track straight from the entrance to La Charrière, which he could complete as many times as he wanted, depending on how far he wanted to run! We enjoyed the expansive field behind the gîtes. There is a large pond where the frogs appear as soon as you walk nearby and leap in to the water as you circle around. Lovely to take the children there. As we explored together we found a tyre swing and a little wooden den, which they enjoyed sitting in. We had fun on wheelbarrow rides, too! There are lots of benches spaced out around the pound and I enjoyed a quiet time to myself with a cup of tea in the morning, sitting beneath some recently planted trees and looking over at the splendid, sturdy oak tree standing tall and proud in the middle by the pond. The planting of trees all around is beautiful and thoughtful; and the garden, too, in front of the gîtes and the games barn is lovely. I particularly enjoyed seeing the bright coral/orange climbing rose from the kitchen window each day. The kitchen is a real hub and well equipped. It has a huge table, easily seating our group of 9, with room for more. The large hallway area at the front of the gîte is an ideal place to come in from the pool and place shoes and hang towels and swim things etc. - with plenty of coat pegs; and a washing machine just across the hall. It is a real home-from-home in terms of having everything you might need: adapters on many of the sockets already in place, cafetières, espresso machine, microwave, tea towels, etc. etc. The hob is large and there are two ovens, ideal for large groups. You will find towels in all rooms and twin bath robes for adult/couples’ rooms. Don’t forget your swimming towels (you will be reminded upon booking!) There is an outdoor bbq, which we used on the first evening. The nearest superstore - for charcoal, firefighters, groceries and swimming shorts If you forget your own(!) is a 15-minute drive away and we were easily able to top up our shopping when needed throughout the week. There is also a recycling centre there, which we used whenever we went shopping; or there is one in the neighbouring town. After a warm welcome, you will see Paul and Charlotte round and about: on hand but never imposing. They live in between the two gîtes & La Charrière is their home. There is nothing commercial about this place; it is relaxed and homely and has a warmth and ease about it. Paul tends to the grounds: busying himself with jobs, such as watering shrubs, mowing the field, clearing the pond. Charlotte takes care of the allotment and we found little packages arriving throughout the week: the most beautifully ripe & tasty tomatoes & a pack of lovely little potatoes, for example. They keep chickens and a few days after we’d settled in they were allowed free range again, which was lovely. On one of the days, Paul drove us to the local winery, Domaine du Petit Clocher, where we had a wine-tasting and were able to hear about how this 99-year-old family-run vineyard made their wine - and to taste it of course! They have plans for a centenary celebration next year, so 2020 may be the year to go! :-) I particularly loved their sparkling wine, a Crémant de Loire, their dry rosé & Chardonnay and their Anjou rouge. Il y a très bon! Go along and decide for yourself! I could go on and on about this wonderful place. My husband and I - indeed our whole family - have fallen in love with La Charrière and feel as though it is a place we would love to return to again and again. (Or even live forever! Yes, my husband did snap a pic of a property for sale nearby! Ha!) Year after year - or at least every other - we would love to holiday here! We are already exploring dates for our return! It was the children’s first trip abroad and they all want to come back to Paul & Charlotte’s place. Thank you, thank you, thank you for welcoming us to your beautiful home and for providing such a perfect space for our family holiday. What a wonderful escape it was!

Le Chêne really is the place to come to rest. It has all the accomodations for a family holiday. An extra that was very appealing to us was the fact that is was also completely adapted for our daugher who sits in a wheel chair. Our hosts also were very helfull and willing to make our stay as pleasant as comfortable.

Endroit au calme Grande piscine, équipements au top (tennis de table, terrain de badminton ou basket, vélos en prêt sur demande...) Paul est très sympa et accueillant. La seule partie qui serait à améliorer selon nous est un meilleur nettoyage, mais c’etait vraiment chouette!

We were six. Four people with a mental disability, two supervisors. We participated in an international art project in the village. The gite is spacious, rooms are large, easily accessible. There are several bathrooms and there is sufficient storage space. There is a beautiful swimming pool. The breakfast outside, next to the majestic oak was a topper every day. Just like the pool. A place to return. Thank you, Paul.

Endroit calme, gite très fonctionnel. Nous étions invités pour l'anniversaire de notre frère, beau frère.Nous avons passés un très agréable moment de partage. Chambre spacieuse.Cuisine très bien équipée.Très grand salon télé. Salle de jeux avec billard,baby foot,ping-pong,basket,vélo mis à disposition.Très belle piscine très propre avec transats, parasols. Super accueil de Charlotte et de Paul. Toujours à l'écoute des différentes demandes formulées durant le séjour. Un super moment passé en ce lieu. Yannick Jacqueline

We were a group of 10 friends staying in Le Chêne, some of us painters. We used the barn as a studio in which to paint, which was great, Paul was very accommodating in making the area ready for us to use. The gite was perfect for us,a big kitchen in which we all ate together which was well equipped and living room and verandah overlooking the field . The bedrooms are spacious with lots of hanging space and storage, which is not always the case in gîtes, as well as roomy en suite . It is a very well designed gite. The pool is great. Paul and Charlotte were very welcoming and could not do enough for us.thank you both.

Merci une fois de plus à nos hôtes pour nous avoir accueillis durant ce long week-end de la Pentecôte Nous étions 16 : -2 gîtes, -Chambres et salles de bain nombreuses -grands espaces avec piscine pour les beaux jours, grange avec billard, terrain de basket, badminton pour les jours pluvieux - vélos à disposition - hôtes charmants Nous y sommes déjà allés 2 fois

Très beau gîte, spacieux, bien équipé et pratique. 6 grandes et belles chambres avec chacune sa salle de bains, un très bon couchage. Une cuisine avec une très grande table pour les grandes familles (nous étions 15!) Calme et reposant. Cheminée pour les journées d'hiver. Pour les enfants, grange attenante avec "salle de sport" (paniers de basket, ballons, filet de badminton...), billard et baby foot. A recommander sans aucun problème!

The accommodation was exactly as described and the number and quality of bathroom facilities was especially helpful for a larger group with young children. The additional facilities of table-tennis, snooker table, table football, badminton, and swimming pool, together with a large selection of bikes, provided ample distraction for everyone and the extensive grounds (fields in which to wander, trees under which to sit, pond and lake complete with wildlife) offered play space and resting space for all. We, our extended family, and our friends enjoyed our stay immensely, will hope to come again, and would unreservedly recommend this holiday home to others. The owners are on hand to give advice about trips out, are immensely welcoming, and nothing is too much trouble for them.