Le Parc 79 consists of 2 houses on 6 acres of private land. We sleep up to 18 people across both, which are normally rented as a unit, giving guests flexible use of the public and private areas.
Le Parc (main house) has 6 bedrooms (5 doubles + 1 twin + foldout bed). Le Pavillon (guesthouse) has 2 bedrooms (1 double +1 triple).
We offer a 12 x 5m unheated saltwater pool, terraces and parkland.
Due to the historic nature of the property it is not suitable for guests with mobility issues.
The space
LE PARC 79
Located on the edge of the pretty village of Gourge, Le Parc 79 is a tranquil family escape in the relatively undiscovered Vallee de Thouet - home to historic medieval villages and sleepy bucolic scenery. The houses and their outbuildings are a project of multiple phases to be completed (in the off season) over the next couple of years. With each year we endeavour to grow and improve the guest experience in terms of occupancy and quality of amenities.
The larger of the two houses - Le Parc, has been partially refreshed offering a good comfortable standard of accommodation for up to 13 people - not including an additional single foldout bed and a travel cot. The bathrooms are a bit dated and in need of refurbishment, but they are clean and functional.
The smaller of the two houses - Le Pavillon, was fully restored in 2024, again offering a comfortable standard of accomodation for up to 5 people.
Beds and mattresses are all comfortable and reasonably new. Most of the spaces have been freshly painted, and carefully collected items of furniture have been sourced with an eye on authenticity and sustainability.
The south-facing front garden of Le Parc has been landscaped and is home to a large gravel terrace, a roundabout planted with an olive tree, and a dry-garden filled with mediterranean shrubs including lavender, santolina and resemary.
Beyond that, a newly created bbq terrace catches the afternoon and evening sun, where we have table seating for all, a family size gas bbq and a soft seating area.
A 12 x 5m saltwater pool was installed in 2024. Ranging in gradual depth from 1.2 - 2.2m with full width entry steps for those that only want to perch at the edge. The pool is not heated, but being in the sun all day, it's always an agreeable temperature in summer. It is fitted with a security alarm for family protection.
LE PARC - GROUND FLOOR
Entrance Hall: A plain but elegant staircase leads to the two upper floors. There's an antique bench seat for getting shoes on and off. The heavy, original, wooden front door that opens onto the gravel terrace can only be bolted from the inside.
Dining Room: Access to the house is from the door to the rear. There's an antique table with seating for sixteen (a few additional places can be added on request) and for our winter guests there's a wood burner. A window framed with grape vines opens onto the south-facing terrace to the front.
Kitchen: Off the dining room is the original kitchen with feature fireplace and old clay tiles. The kitchen is largely unfitted, mixing vintage pieces with decent appliances - Smeg cooker, dishwasher, large fridge freezer and a good espresso machine.
Living Room: There are two deep three-seater sofas, a two seater sofa and a couple of ocassional chairs. The medieval walls are thick and keep the room cool in summer. There are windows on both sides. For winter guests we supply wood for the large wood burner in the old stone fireplace.
Bedroom 1: Our only ground floor bedroom with a comfortable double bed for two.
Beyond the bedroom is an unrenovated part of the building that houses a laundry area and a toilet - best for serving outdoor users on the bbq terrace.
LE PARC FIRST FLOOR
Bedroom 2: King-size bed with Eve mattress. Vintage wardrobe and chest of drawers. Small sofa and a table/work station. Large south-facing window looking over the roundabout.
Ensuite with bath, shower, toilet and basin.
Bedroom 3: King-size bed with Eve mattress. Large single bed with Eve matress.
Ensuite with shower only, toilet and basin.
First Floor Living Room: There's a large corner sofa, perfectly placed to enjoy movie nights on the 70 inch wall-mounted TV. We have Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV and a selection of French terrestrial channels.
Bedroom 4: Mezzanine level above the first floor living room. King-size bed with Eve mattress. Ensuite with shower only, toilet and basin.
LE PARC SECOND FLOOR
Bedroom 5: Three single beds
Bedroom 6: King-size bed with Eve mattress.
Shared Bathroom: shower, toliet and basin.
LE PAVILLON
Just 25m from Le Parc and linked by a gravelled path, Le Pavillon is arranged on multiple levels, dictated by the quirks of an old stone building that has enjoyed many different functions over the centuries. Abandoned in the 20th century, it was last used as a 2 bedroom house with attached barn in the 1800s. Recently we added a side extension to accommodate stairs and a large entry hall, lit by two large velux windows.
The old barn is now an open plan kitchen & living space with large sliding doors offering calming views of the parkland beyond. The kitchen is fitted with fridge freezer, dishwasher and cooker, and can also function as a summer kitchen for the adjacent, new pool area.
GROUND FLOOR
Bedroom 7:Three single beds
Shared Bathroom - shower, toilet & basin.
Kitchen/Diner - table with seating for 6.
FIRST FLOOR
Snug: wall mounted TV, sofa (convertible)
Bedroom 8: King-size bed with Eve mattress. Ensuite with shower only, toilet and basin.
POOL
Large 12 x 5m saltwater pool ranging in gradual depth from 1.2 - 2.2m with full width entry steps for those that only want to perch at the edge. Set in the landscape near a beautiful oak, the setting has a relaxed natural feel with plenty of space for loungers, picnic rugs etc.
SOUTH TERRACE
The gravel terrace to the front of Le Parc has a large round table, 8 wooden chairs and views across the field and woods towards Gourgé. There's a parasol that provides decent shade when the sun is strong.
BBQ TERRACE
South/west facing for long lazy evenings. Table for 18, Large gas BBQ, soft seating area.
GROUNDS
There are 6 acres of grounds at Le Parc - some parts are mown and some are left wild for nature to do its thing. Bio-diversity is important to preserve and if you're lucky you'll spot a few local characters - deer, frogs and toads, lizards, Ragondin, a wide range of birds and even the occasional grass snake. Insects of all varieties can be a touch pesky, but remember that you're on their turf and they play an important role in the food chain.
There's a pond to the front of the property which is home to a vibrant community of frogs whose chorus can get quite animated during the mating season April - July. The pond is not deep, and care should be taken around it as families of nesting birds are often in residence.
There are loads of old oaks dotted around the property. To the rear you'll find the nicest examples, one of which has a picnic bench beneath it to enjoy the shade.
Guest access
The main house is largely accessible for our guests. Anything that's locked or concealed is yet to be refurbished and made safe for visitors, or is currently being used to store equipment. The same applies to any locked outbuildings still awaiting renovation.
Other things to note
The Wi-Fi is good for the region which is yet to benefit from a programme of improvement kicking off in 2025-26. The router is located in the pink bedroom on the first floor and there are various booster points located in the house. We've been able to work (day jobs) without service disruption. Zoom and Teams meetings are not an issue.
In addition we have a Starlink service which provides fast streaming for the TV in the first floor living room.
Le Pavillon also has a seperate internet supply. All details and passwords are supplied in the house guide.
Depending on your service provider mobile signal can be patchy in places, but never non-existent. And internet messaging services are reliable when connected to the Wi-Fi.
