Le Caillau

Nérac, Lot-et-Garonne

Le Caillau is a stunning ‘manoir’, built in 1780, which stands at the summit of a small hill, with magnificent views on all sides of the rolling Lot-et-Garonne countryside. The house, which faces south and west, is immensely secluded and peaceful, surrounded by a colourful garden, lawns, trees and fields beyond. Le Caillau is a most comfortable all-year-round house, being cool in the summer and cosy in the winter months.

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Overview

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

3 double bedrooms
2 twin bedrooms
4 bathrooms, 2 bath / shower rooms

Rent per week

£3000 to £5500 per week depending on the season. Saturday to Saturday.

Key features

Beautiful views
Self contained studio suite
Peaceful and secluded
10x5m pool with pool house
All-year-round house
Resident gardiens who live separately

Testimonials

"...What can I say about our experience with Anglo French Properties. From our first communication when I emailed Jack and told him our our family wishlist, Jack came back with the perfect property for our family at Le Caillau. A beautiful house in the South West of France, a true home away from home. Kev and Shell who are the most amazing couple live at a little cottage on site and they really do make it like home, they are a wealth of knowledge on the area and are great with kids. We were sad leaving. We stayed for 3 weeks and really took to French life, the pool was a great hit and we spent many days at the pool with its breathtaking views. There are so many beautiful villages all within a short drive, each with breathtaking views, markets and loads to do. Nerac is a couple of minutes from the house with all the amenities you would need, and if you are lucky to be there in July the town hosts amazing night markets where the community come together and just hang out, eat, listen to music and drink wine, all with a back drop of the town. Le Caillau was such a beautiful house, and as an interior designer it was a visual dream, all the beautiful art work, furnishings and collectibles really make you feel like you are in a family home. We really don’t have any negatives, it was a dream holiday, in a dream house, in a dream location being looked after by the dream team Kev and Shell. From the bottom of our hearts thank you all."

Noel, Tanya, Florence and Henri, Ireland 2023

"...Le Caillau is a wonderful retreat from the hustle and bustle of London life; surrounded by beautiful open countryside, forests and sunflower fields. The garden and pool area are a particular plus with far reaching views and mature trees. The house is cool during the day and very comfortable with the authentic lived-in feel of a much loved-family holiday home - floral fabric wall-paper and shades of Nina Cambell without the fussiness.The guardians, Kevin and Michelle, are charming and could not have been more helpful. I couldn’t recommend Le Caillau more highly."

Freddie Wingfield Digby, London, England. 2022

"...My family and I were looking for a special place for a family holiday for what would be the first time we would all spend a week together since before lockdown. After looking at several different options we settled on Le Caillau and it was the best choice we could have made. Set in glorious countryside and surrounded by farmland and sunflower fields the views are stunning and we all loved the total tranquility. The house is beautiful and worked brilliantly for our three generational family. A major highlight was being so beautifully looked after by the caretakers Michelle and Kevin who live in the grounds. They were always on hand if we needed them to answer any queries or give us advice about local activities. As well as lazing round the beautiful pool we enjoyed a boat ride down the river, a bicycle ride beside the river under a shady canopy of trees with a cafe along the route, an excellent adventure playground for the children, kayaking, visiting some of the local restaurants, one within walking distance across the fields, exploring local villages and going to the markets. We would definitely return and cannot recommend it highly enough."

Fiona Melville, Chippenham, Wiltshire England 2022

"...We stayed at Le Caillau for a week in August 2019 and we couldn’t have been happier. It was a lovely drive up to a wonderful looking house, however the really beautiful thing about it was the view at the front of the house, you felt free, private and very peaceful. The swimming pool was charming, the view from there was as if you were the only people existing. If you like the countryside and you enjoy being in someone's home and not a plain tomb of a rental this is the house for you. We ate lunch by the side of the house in the shade and dinner in the evenings at the front overlooking the garden and fields, the housekeeping couple were incredibly helpful, they did more hours for us to leave us free and were incredibly accommodating with every request. The area itself is lovely, we went down the river in Nerac, there was a simple sports site 5 minutes away with a fantastic zip wire through the trees for children, lots of markets every day in different towns, and I am sure great restaurants although we never tried them. The 3 main bedrooms were huge with lovely bathrooms and the house had a really happy lived in and loved feel to it."

Georgina Rylance, London.

"...We had a terrific holiday at Le Caillau in June. We are not France specialists but this area has a wonderfully relaxed feel and the house is a delight, sitting beautifully in its own extended grounds. The swimming pool was very popular, with stunning views and the whole holiday was extremely relaxing and easy. Kevin and Michelle could not have been more accommodating and friendly. Jack and his team were very attentive in advance so it wasn't a surprise that all went smoothly. Thoroughly recommended all round!"

Jonathan and Deborah Kennedy 2022

"...Le Caillau is the most charming and child friendly country house. Obviously a much loved family retreat, it is elegant and expansive inside and out, all open fires, books and welcoming sofas, and pleasingly ornate bedrooms. Outside there is plenty of room to roam barefoot through the trees, with open views of the Garonne countryside and a secluded pool across the grass. Quiet and rural without being totally remote, we were all utterly enchanted with it"

Catherine Ostler, Contributing Editor, London.

"...We have now begun our slow drive home after the most fabulous holiday at Le Caillau and we wanted to thank you for all you have done to bring it all together. The house was exactly as we expected from your description and it was so ‘familiar’ in many ways, taking us both back to fond memories of childhood holidays, with endless space and ease. Michelle and Kevin were, as you had predicted, an absolute delight, managing to be hugely discrete while being wonderfully friendly. We really enjoyed getting to know them over the fortnight we were there, and they really helped make our stay at Le Caillau very memorable. It was our first time in that part of France and we loved Nerac and the area. Above all, we will remember our time at Le Caillau for the extraordinary peace and quiet, which is not easily matched elsewhere. Thank you again! "

Christopher and Penny Walkinshaw, Cambridge England 2023’

The House and Accommodation

The Kitchen

With fitted wood units, a double sink, a dishwasher, a built-in electric oven, 3 gas hobs and 1 electric, a microwave, a large fridge/freezer/ice maker, an electric kettle, cafetière, toaster, blender etc. Off the kitchen is a drinks bar with a second fridge and a microwave.

The Principal Sitting Room

With sofas and armchairs, a wood-burning fireplace, card table and a window facing east with CD player/music system and wide selection of CD’s.

The Sitting Room 2

With a sofa and armchairs, a wood-burning fireplace, a wide-screen satellite TV, CD, DVD and video players plus a selection of DVD’s, CD’s and videos. The room has windows facing south and east, and a breakfast table in front of French doors which open to the south facing dining terrace.

The Dining Room

Opening off the principal sitting room and the hall, with a table seating 10 and a window facing west

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Master Bedroom 1 Suite

Leading from the principal sitting room a superb large double bedroom with 6ft 4 poster bed and two generous east facing windows. With chaise longue, dressing table, chests of drawers and has it’s en suite Bathroom. A large carpeted bathroom with bath, WC, bidet, washbasin and armchair.

Bedroom 2 – The Pink Room

With a 6ft-wide 4-poster bed, an armchair, chaise longue, dressing table and French windows to a Juliet balcony looking East. Opposite this room is Shower/Bath Room 2 with a shower and a washbasin.

Bedroom 3 – The Blue Room

A very light room with a floral decor, a 6ft bed, a sofa and French windows to a Juliet balcony facing east, and south. This bedroom could use either bathroom 3 or bathroom 5. Bathroom 3 is a very large, carpeted room, with a floral decor, a roll-top bath, a bidet, antique vanity unit, WC and a window facing south. Bathroom 5 is up some stairs, a very large, carpeted bathroom with a bath, a separate shower, a chaise longue, a washbasin, a bidet and a WC. Windows facing west.

Bedroom 4

With a pair of antique, 3ft single beds, a dressing table and a window facing west. This bedroom also has an Ensuite Bathroom with a bath and handheld shower, washbasin and a window facing west.

The Studio

The Studio has an additional bedroom and bathroom. On the north side of the house (ground floor) and accessed via its own entrance is a very large and airy studio. This has two single beds which can also be made up as a double bed, a 2-seater sofa, a small satellite TV, a kitchenette with sink, a 2-hob electric cooker, a small fridge, a coffee maker and windows facing north and west. The studio also has an Ensuite Shower Room with a washbasin and a separate WC.

Garden and Grounds

Le Caillau stands in 5 hectares (12.5 acres) of colourful garden and grounds, including lawns, shrubberies and trees, with fields beyond.

A 200-metre, tree-lined drive leads to the house off a very quiet minor road. At the top of the drive, an archway (with the gardien’s cottage on one side), leads to a large gravelled parking area beside the house, with a pretty dovecote opposite the front door.

Tucked amongst a clump of trees and about 50 metres from the house, is a small spring so young children should be supervised when playing anywhere near it.

Sitting room 2 and the kitchen open onto a west-facing terrace which has an oval dining table with 8 wicker chairs, a round table seating 4, wrought-iron benches and large sun umbrellas. From the terrace and garden are splendid views over the surrounding fields and woods, with benches arranged under shady trees.

Swimming Pool

At the west side of the house is a filtered, alarmed and floodlit swimming pool, measuring 10×5 metres, with wide Roman steps at one end and an overall depth of 1.5 metres. A number of sun beds with mattresses, plus chairs and a table are set out around the pool. The pool house has a small fridge, a sink and a shower. A gas barbecue is also close by.

Location

Le Caillau is 5kms from the small town of Nérac, described on road signs as a ‘Cité Royale’, as it boasts the palace of King Henri IV (1553-1610). It has good shopping, cafés, bars and restaurants, plus 3 supermarkets on its outskirts.

Within a short walk from the house is a charming restaurant called Les Contes d’Albret which also sells foie gras. There are several other excellent and well-priced restaurants in the vicinity, in particular, the Auberge de Fourcès in the ‘bastide’ (fortified village) of Fourcès.

The Lot-et-Garonne is the most extensive, organically-farmed region in Europe so the fruit and vegetables in the local markets are largely organic. There are orchards everywhere (plums, apples, peaches, etc) plus a number of vineyards making good quality red and white wines. The countryside around Le Caillau is also full of wildflowers, butterflies and birdsong, and teems with wild-life including red squirrels and roe deer.

How to get there

Airports

90 mins from Bordeaux airport
90 mins from Toulouse airport
90 mins from Bergerac airport

Autoroute junctions: 30kms from exit 6 on the A62 Autoroute

Train

The TGV: Agen (20 mins)

Things to see and do nearby

Golf

There are several golf courses in the area. The best are the 18-hole Golf d’Albret at Barbaste, 9-hole Golf d’Agen Bon Encontre and 18-hole Golf de Casteljoux. Details are in the information folder.

Tennis

There are tennis courts nearby and details are in the information folder.

Walking

There are marvellous walks in all directions from the house.

Bicycling

Bicycles can be hired by the hour or longer in Buzet.

Go-Karting

There is go-karting at Leyrac and Caudecoste.

Children's Activities

In Barbaste there is an adventure park for children of all ages called Cap Cauderoue.

Boating

There are boat trips on the River Baise at Nérac.

Cities, Towns and Villages

In addition to the palace of King Henri IV (1553-1610) in Nérac, places that are well worth a visit include: Moissac, with its 13th century cloisters; Agen, with its medieval quarter, wide selection of shops, and important features including a theatre, a museum, a cathedral and an attractive historic quarter.; Bordeaux’s famed vineyards of the Medoc, St Emilion, Pomerol, Sauternes and Barsac; and Toulouse, with its Space Museum and fascinating tours of the Airbus factory. A number of charming Bastide villages are scattered locally – Fourcés is a must, unusual in that it is a circular bastide village and you can eat there too.

Tourist Office

The Office de Tourisme at Agen has masses of useful information about other things to see and do in the area.

Wine/Vineyards

There are many stunning towns and villages to explore There are a number of local vineyards producing very reasonable red and white wines. Details are in the information folder. Bordeaux and St Enilion are within easy driving distanvce for a day.

Riding

There are livery stables nearby, providing horse riding and pony trekking.

Skiing

Ski-ing in the Pyrenées is a 2-hour’s drive.

Additional Information

Arrival, welcome and departure: Tenants should arrive between 4pm and 5pm on the commencement day, and leave no later than 10 am on the agreed day of departure. They will be met on arrival by Kevin and Michelle.

Wifi and Broadband: Le Caillau has WiFi broadband internet access, plus telephones in several rooms.

Housebook: An information folder at Le Caillau contains helpful information including when and where local markets take place, details of nearby shops, recommended restaurants, picnic spots, local fairs/festivals and many other things to see and do in the surrounding area some of which are suggested below

Additional entertainment: There are a number of English language books, playing cards and board games for the use and enjoyment of guests.

Services included: A cleaner is employed by the owners for 3 hours per day on 3 weekdays (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). Kevin and Michelle, the gardiens, look after the grounds, gardens and the swimming pool. Maintenance of the garden and swimming pool is the owners’ responsibility.

Air conditioning and heating: This is very much an all-year-round house. All the rooms are centrally heated and there are wood-burning fireplaces in both sitting rooms. There are fans in the bedrooms and hairdryers in the bathrooms.

Children: A baby cot with bedding and a high chair are provided.

Car Parking: Parking is available outside the house.

Rents
2024
Period (2024) Weekly rate
May and October  £3,000
June and September  £4,000
July and August £5,500
Christmas and New Year £6000
All other months £POA
Easter Week £4000
Terms and Conditions

The Booking Process – A deposit of 25% of the rent will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the Rental Agreement, with the 75% balance to be paid 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the tenancy.

Security Deposit – A Booking and Security Deposit of £500 will also be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing this Rental Agreement. This will secure the booking, and will cover the cost of (a) telephone calls made on the landline during the tenancy, (b) replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, and (c) any exceptional cleaning work which may be required at the end of the tenancy. This Deposit will be refunded (less any deductions as outlined above) within 4 weeks of the tenancy’s conclusion.

Tenants should advise Anglo French Properties Ltd at the end of each rental of any breakages, losses and/or damages.

Minimum stay: Unless otherwise agreed, all rentals will be for a minimum of one week and will begin and end on a Saturday.

Arrival Time & Departure times: Tenants should arrive between 4pm and 5pm on the commencement day, and leave no later than 10 am on the agreed day of departure. They will be met on arrival by Kevin and Michelle.

Number of People: Unless otherwise agreed, there should not be more than 10 people (plus babies) staying in the property at any one time.

Security: The owners’ insurance policy requires that all doors are locked, and that all windows and shutters are closed when tenants are away from the property.

Energy costs are included: The energy costs are included in the rental price.

Heating costs: The heating costs are included in the rental price

Linen and towels: Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge and will be changed on a weekly basis.

Utilities: adjacent to Bathroom 3, with a washing machine, clothes dryer, an iron and an ironing board.

Pets: Pets are permitted at the owners’ discretion.

Smoking allowed: No smoking allowed inside the property. Caution should be taken when smoking outside during the summer months as the risk of fire can be extremely high.

Internet access: yes, included in the rental price.

Optional / additional services available: any additional services, if available, (eg extra cleaning or cooking) will be agreed in advance at a pre-agreed rate per hour. These costs will be the sole responsibility of the tenant.

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