Description
THE FARMHOUSE
La Forge is a delightful old farmhouse with a veranda/covered terrace, pool and large private
garden/orchard in peaceful countryside by the church on the edge of the hamlet of Casteron, in south-west France. Situated in the
Gers, it is near the border of both the Lot-et-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne.
Full of character, this old forge still has many of its original features, including cattle mangers in
the barn, and a historic village bread oven in a separate garden building (maison d'amis) converted by us to include a superb pizza oven. La Forge sits in an elevated position and on a clear day you can see the Pyrenees. Since I bought La Forge eight years ago, we have enjoyed our second home as a family - including visits from our wider family of nieces and nephews and their families. We all adore staying there, but now we want to make it available to paying guests so that it isn't an empty home for so many weeks each year. It deserves to be lived in!
PEACEFUL, PRIVATE GARDEN & POOL
The house enjoys the sun all day, from the veranda in the morning on the east side, round to an elevated
deck with round table and chairs to enjoy an unspoilt view for miles. The large garden is partly
wooded, with an orchard on the south side with damsons, cherries, figs, walnuts and persimmon
to pick and enjoy at different times of year. The salt-water pool (11 x 5 metres) is open from April to early October
and is heated with an air source heat pump when necessary. A cleaning robot operates daily. There is a pool slide to add fun for
children, and a fully retractable safety pool cover which is easy to operate. There is a selection of deck chairs and loungers, kept in the barn, together with large sun 'umbrellas' for hot days by the pool, and inflatable pool 'toys' for children.
THREE BEDROOMS PLUS CHILDREN”S ROOMS; THREE BATHROOMS
There are three double bedrooms, one being a sofa bed in the snug/
library. Two additional bedrooms are mezzanines effectively attaching children’s rooms to adult
bedrooms. One of these has two single beds and overlooks its corresponding double bedroom
through a safety glass and steel panel. The other is self-contained at the top of some stairs and has a
double bed. The ground floor bedroom for this mezzanine can be made up as a single or double
bed. Both of these linked bedrooms/mezzanines have their own en-suite bathroom or shower
room. There is also a house shower room/WC which is easily accessible for anyone sleeping in
the snug. The character of the bedrooms is extremely varied and flexible, reflecting the historic and rather quirky nature of the building. There are electric radiators for cooler times of year in each room. As owner, I do keep my own bedroom locked as it is full of all my things.
A VARIETY OF DINING PLACES
There is a well-equipped dining kitchen, with a large traditional log burner for colder days or
evenings - logs and kindling provided. The table can seat six adults easily with stools to add
seating for children. For the many months of the year when it is possible to eat outside, there is a round table on the elevated deck, as well as a large table on the veranda with a bench on one side and chairs
on the other, seating up to 10 people. There is a separate utility room with an american style
fridge-freezer (plus ice-maker), dishwasher, microwave, washing machine and food cupboards. A door from
the utility room leads straight into the barn, and also provides one way back to the far double bedroom.
WIFI, and INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GAMES
There is free wi-fi throughout, plus two televisions for use with DVDs or an Amazon fire stick. Various games,
lots of books, puzzles, DVDs and toys are kept in the snug. For outdoor play, there is a table tennis table, badminton net
and equipment, boules, and bicycles for all ages. Two strong goal nets and footballs, plus a large flat grassy area, make a decent game of family football possible. There's also a rope swing and even some wooden stilts!
A GREAT AREA AND LOCATION
La Forge is located in the delightful hamlet and commune of Castéron. There are no shops in the immediate vicinity, with the nearest shops a ten minute drive away, so a car is a necessity.
The nearest airports are Toulouse (one hour’s drive); Bergerac, Carcassonne and Bordeaux (all about 2 hours drive).
The nearest towns are Saint-Clar and Beaumont de Lomagne, both of which are attractive old
bastide towns with medieval arcades and weekly markets to enjoy, and only about ten minutes drive away. There are large supermarkets
for shopping in both towns. The towns of Fleurance and Lectoure are just a little further but both
well worth a visit. We love wandering around Lectoure's ancient ramparts. All these old towns provide delightful settings for a coffee or 'plat de jour' under the old oak beams of their arcades. And there's no shortage of excellent restaurants. Although the area is not at all 'touristy', it deserves to be! Throughout the summer months there is excellent outdoor swimming, plus multiple slides, at the lakes of the nearby 'Base de Loisirs' - at Saint-Clar, Beaumont, and Solomiac.
COMMENTS BY FAMILY VISITORS:
My nephew Jack says: "Me and a few friends enjoyed an amazing stay at Rose’s place. The accommodation is lovely and cosy whilst maintaining a traditional, rustic feel. I would definitely recommend to friends, and aim to return as soon as I can! The local surroundings are beautiful, and the night sky is captivating."
Steve says: I''ve stayed at La Forge four or five times now and always find it incredibly relaxing, whether in late autumn with the cosy log burner going, or keeping cool in the shade of the amazing veranda and the pool during hot summer months. The pizza oven in the ''maison d''amis'' is a great addition too.
La Forge oozes character - it is a truly historic building and as such has a special ambience for visitors to enjoy. I love it!
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
The property manager speaks english and french. There are no extra cleaning charges, but I do charge a £200 refundable damage deposit.
All towels and bedding are provided, including outdoor towels for the pool when that is open. Please contact me on +44 7889 813764 if you have any questions, or wish to discuss potential length of stay, or the price.