Mortagne Sur Gironde, Gironde Estuary, Charente Maritime
South Facing, Waterfront Duplex Apartment in Converted Mill
One Spacious Bedroom, Sleeps 2, perfect for couples
*Brand Newly Fitted for 2010 *Stunning Views *Private, Secure Parking
*Lift Access *Flexible Changeovers

Mortagne-sur-Gironde is a small, enchanting and picturesque port with the Gironde Estuary beyond, enjoying a wonderful backdrop of white, chalk cliffs. The mêlée of private boats, yachts and small fishing vessels are a constant delight to watch, either from your window or under the shade of the trees to the front of the building.

Just a few steps away, with level access, you will find a variety of restaurants which are open all year, with local seafood top of the menu. However, the menus are varied, and you can also, of course, get an excellent variety of other foods such as steaks, chicken, pizzas, etc. Or, just simply have a glass of wine and watch the world go by! During the summer months, bread, fruit, vegetables and many other delicacies are available on the port, including fresh fish, just a couple of minutes walk away. There is more commerce in the main village, including a bank, post office, bar/tabac, butchers, bakers and a well stocked Co-Op store for most provisions. Whilst it is quite possible to walk up to the main village, (and many people do!) it is not for the faint hearted; it is a comparatively short walk, but it is a very steep climb! There is a large supermarket (Super U) at Gemozac, which is a 10 minute drive, where you will find just about everything else that you may need. There are hundreds of restaurants in the various villages and towns, within a short drive, to suit every taste and pocket, ranging from the exclusive to the more simple.

Mortagne-sur-Gironde is, of course arguably, the prettiest village along the estuary, and off season is generally fairly peaceful. However, it hosts many fetes, brocante fairs and functions, usually free, during July and August, and at the weekends can be fairly lively. It is not a place particularly suited to the very young, and lends itself more towards the "young at heart"; there are no discos or noisy bars, but on some weekend evenings in the summer, you can expect to hear the sounds of people enjoying themselves in the local restaurants until the late evening. It can also be described a fairly peaceful the rest of the time!

The area is most famous for Cognac and wine, and on nearly every country road you will have the opportunity to taste and buy if you wish. There is simply too much to do and see in the area to list, but for starters the nearest beaches are at Meschers, about a 15 minute drive. It is a small town with a bustling port and harbour, offering a large selection of excellent and reasonably priced restaurants. A little further along you will find St George de Didonne and Royan, again offering superb beaches and a multitude of shops, restaurants and places of interest. Slightly further along the coast is where some very good surfing beaches can be found, or from Royan you can take the ferry across the Gironde to the wilder side of the Atlantic coast, where the surf is big! When the temperatures soar, however, some people swim in the river just outside the apartment!

La Rochelle is under an hour to the North, with Bordeaux less than an hour to the South, both having much to offer; La Rochelle is allegedly one of the prettiest ports in France, with masses of shops and waterfront restaurants to suit all pockets and tastes, and Bordeaux is famous for its architecture, and of course, wine. Boat trips along the estuary are available in many of the small ports, and in season and correct tides, they run from just outside the apartment on the harbour. Drive along the estuary road from the port towards St Fort sur Gironde, and you will be unlikely to see another car; you will, however, see a huge variety of unusual birds, including the storks nesting in the spring, eagles and buzzards soaring, amazing wildlife and spectacular scenery. The estuary road towards Royan, will take you through some of the oldest villages of the area and let you enjoy some amazing views of the Gironde estuary. Other main towns within an easy drive are Cognac, Sainte, Rochefort and Angouleme, all worth a visit.

The Apartment: is South facing, and is located on the 4th and 5th floors, with lift access. It commands stunning views to the front across the harbour, estuary and marshes, particularly in spring and autumn when the trees are not in leaf, and across the estuary to the rear. We accidentally stumbled on Mortagne in 2008 whilst on holiday, and instantly fell in love with the very typically French ambience; we bought the apartment to use as our own holiday home, not as a commercial venture, and it has been tastefully equipped and furnished with this in mind. Everything is brand new for 2010. The ground floor is open plan with a newly fitted kitchen with 4 ring hob, microwave oven/grill, fridge with small freezer compartment and plenty of kitchen equipment. With such an awesome array of restaurants to choose from there is simply no need for a full size cooker! The washing machine is located in the main bathroom. For your convenience, there is a downstairs wc with handbasin. The living area is comfortably furnished with a sofa each to spread out on, and incorporates a dining area with table and chairs. Stairs lead to the spacious bedroom with a very high, beamed ceiling; there is a very modern, en-suite bathroom, which is fitted with a washing machine, wc, basin, and a hydro-massage power shower with seat.

Outside: because the area and building are protected, balconies are not allowed. However, because of the location in the building of the apartment, it is possible to sit outside at the rear. Being at the end of the corridor and in the top corner of the building, there is no passing foot traffic; the evening sunsets are often spectacular, and the views across the estuary and cliffs breathtaking. Your "garden" is at the front, anywhere along the river!

The Building: is small, having just 12 apartments in the main building, and 2 at the rear. They are all newly converted to a high standard, and mostly currently owned and used by the "empty-nester" owners just for the odd weekend or holiday. Hence the building is well maintained and generally quiet with no late night noise from occupiers, and only suited to like minded people who will respect the other tenants. There is allocated parking to the rear for one car, which is accessed through the lockable gates underneath the building. This also serves as the access to the apartments, which is by open stairways or the lift. This is on a premium contract offering guaranteed service within 2 hours, 24/7.

How to get there:

Budget airlines fly to La Rochelle, Angouleme and Bordeaux, all three are within one hours drive. Currently, Poitiers, Limoges and Bergerac are all serviced by budget airlines and about two hours drive from Mortagne-sur-Gironde. Ryanair, Easyjet, Jet2, Flybe, BMI Baby and BA fly in to some or all of the above airports from many UK airports, including Stansted, Gatwick, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, East Midlands, Luton, Exeter, Southampton, Bristol, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Glasgow,  Dublin, Belfast and some others.

By Car: Portsmouth to Caen, Portsmouth to St. Malo, Dover to Calais, Newhaven to Dieppe, and several others are all accessible within an easy days drive
                           
 

Contact:

Linda quoting ref:# 501 F

Tel: +44 (0) 1206 271 484

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