Les Noyers Farmhouse - Lot Valley, SW France

by Pam Howarth
(Villeneuve sur Lot)

Les Noyers is a traditional 200 year old farmhouse tucked away in a pretty wooded valley with beautiful views in all directions the perfect place for those seeking a peaceful and relaxing hideaway.

Our nearest town is Villeneuve sur Lot (8kms), a town with a substantial history. The first activity in this area goes back to the Roman era. At the junction of two major roads, it was a strategic point but it was only in the 13th century that a bastide was built, a fortified town typical of the Aquitaine region. Pujols (6kms) is classified as a 'Historic Monument' and known as 'one of the most beautiful villages in France'.

The house has been carefully restored to retain all the original features including the magnificent oak roof timbers and thick stone walls.

The addition of new oak and pine furniture perfectly complements the structural timbers and presents a warm, comfortable interior. The three guest bedrooms are all situated on the first floor and furnished in a similar manner with clean, neutral tones and solid wooden floors.

There are two double rooms (each with a private shower room) and one twin bedded room. Please note that some of the roof timbers are low. The family bathroom is on the ground floor. You will also find a comfortable sitting area on the first floor (games, jigsaws, DVDs available).

Nature
The property consists of 50 acres of mixed woodland, meadows and pasture which has been designated an "Refuge LPO" (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) www.lpo.fr. We have extensive gardens with many trees and during spring the meadows are rich in wild flowers and butterflies. There is also a wonderful display of orchids (at least 6 different species) and we have cut an orchid walk through the meadows to give the best views.

There are resident kestrels, buzzards, barn owls and bats here with golden orioles, hoopoes, nightjars and nightingales present from spring/early summer. During May and June, you can often lie awake at night listening to the nightingales; kites are also common visitors. We are also sometimes lucky enough to catch glimpses of foxes, deer, wild boar and badgers.

The Lac du St Colombe (a 15 minute walk away) has resident coypu and you may spot the odd grebe or egret. During the autumn months, we have regular visits from the red squirrels who collect nuts from the walnut trees.

Markets and food
Local food delicacies of the area include duck confit, prunes, walnuts and foie gras - there are many wonderful local restaurants and we will be delighted to make some recommendations for you.Between them, Villeneuve and Pujols offer markets on 4 days of the week, the Sunday morning Pujols market and the Wednesday morning organic market at Villeneuve are particularly good.

Walkers
Les Noyers is in a wonderful position for walkers - the GR652 which is one of the routes of SAINT-JACQUES DE COMPOSTELLE, literally passes through the property. The trails here are truly lovely with wonderful views through delightful countryside; the shady woodland paths making comfortable walking when the weather is hot. A leisurely stroll from the house around the nearby lac de Sainte Colombe takes about 50 minutes. For longer walks, we have several planned trails between five and eleven kilometres.

For further details and prices please contact: pam@lesnoyers.com

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