The Les Vallaies Residence
Property perks
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ConciergeA concierge service is available for this property
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Baby rental
equipment partnerWe work with a carefully-chosen baby equipment rental partner in this location -
Kid & Coe
selectKid & Coe Select properties have been visited by our team and checked for their suitability for family travelers -
ItineraryWe provide a family-focused itinerary for properties in this destination
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Professional
partnerThis property is professionally managed by a trusted partner
Perks for the Parents
These 5 holiday cottages – with a shared, heated pool, toys, baby equipment, a games barn and children’s activities – are exclusively for families in peak season, meaning your kids will make lots of new friends and you will too. All cottages sleep up to 6. Chat with like-minded parents at the pool, have a BBQ together, and once the kids are in bed, enjoy a glass of wine in the communal area. Les Vallaies offers activities onsite or at their nearby property including pottery, fabric painting and a scuba diving taster for the kids, to professional wine tastings, vineyard tours and yoga for the adults.
Why Kids Love it
In July and August, the Les Vallaies is exclusively for families with kids, including babies, toddlers, children and young teens. The younger ones enjoy the sandpit, swings and slide and all the toys in the enclosed garden; the older ones love the pool and the games barn where they can hang out with their new friends and play table tennis, table football and air hockey. The hosts can provide all the baby equipment so you don’t have to pack it. A potty, toilet trainer seat, change mats, travel crib (with soft mattress), stair barrier, non-slip bath mat, high chair, booster seat and a hand blender are standard in every cottage. The hosts can also provide a bottle sterilizer, baby monitor, baby bath, baby seat too. Every cottage comes with kids’ books and toys and a DVD library.
Things to Know
Minimum stay: 4 nights in May, June and September. Minimum of 7 nights in July (14 nights for certain dates/cottages during peak school holidays). Rates range from 95€ to 240€/night and there is a 85€ optional cleaning fee for the end of the booking, which can be paid in cash during your stay. Towels are only included in May, June and September reservations. In July and August towel packs are an extra charge. Safety notes: the pool is surrounded by a high wall and the gate has child-safety latch and is alarmed for extra safety. Nevertheless, children must be supervised around the pool at all times by an adult. Young children should also be looked after in the games barn as it is in the pool area. When staying in the pool-side cottages, access to the garden is via the public lane, so young children must be accompanied. The garden cottages or villa would be best for families with younger children. The hosts have been running family-friendly properties for over 20 years so have a lot of experience. Wendy is also a registered childminder and can provide evening babysitting on request. There are fees for services/activities like babysitting and pottery painting that can be arranged and paid for locally. The hosts also run The Grange du Moulin Grites - another set of properties just 2km away which can also be booked with Kid & Coe.
About the Location
Les Vallaies is located in rural France so a car is essential to take advantage of this beautiful area. It’s an easy 1-hour drive from La Rochelle airport, but Bordeaux, Poitiers and Limoges are also possible. The cottages are a 10 min drive from the nearest town, Saint Jean d'Angely, which has supermarkets, boulangeries, bars, cafes and restaurants and a twice weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings. Hire out a canoe, kayak or pedalo at Plan d’Eau, a lovely park around the river or check out the 17th century Abbaye Royale. Cognac (distillery tours) and Saintes (Roman town) are just 30 mins’ drive away and La Rochelle with its gorgeous harbor, Angouleme and Niort are all within an hour. The nearest beaches are La Grand Cote, just over an hour away, making a day trip with sea and sand possible.
Accommodation Details
This collection of holiday cottages includes 4 stone gites and a modern villa, sharing the same site. Each cottage has 3 bedrooms and a bathroom and sleeps 6 with a kingsize master bedroom and 4 twin / single beds in the remaining 2 bedrooms. Each cottage is fully equipped with a dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, electric oven, 4-ring gas hob, electric kettle, fridge freezer and all crockery and cutlery needed for a self-catering family holiday. There is a DVD player, dining area seating up to 6 and a living area. Each cottage has a private terrace area with garden table, chairs, parasol and BBQ. They share the facilities of play garden, heated swimming pool and play barn.
Style Notes
Family-friendly and welcoming. These cottages are converted from stone barns, so have thick stone walls which together with the tiled floors help to keep them cool in the summer (there is no air conditioning). On the 1st floor are exposed oak beams and wooden floorboards. They are furnished simply to suit the needs of young families – you won’t find crystal glasses or Louis XIV furniture – but with everything you need for a comfortable self-catering holiday. We love the safe, enclosed garden and the games barn that will keep the kids entertained for hours, the pool that has a shallow end for little ones and is heated to 27 degrees, and the range of activities that provide fun for adults as well as the kids.
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Air Conditioning
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Baby Bath
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Baby Monitor
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Babysitter / Nanny
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Backyard / Garden
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Balcony
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Bathtub
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Bed Rails
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Bicycles
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Cabinet Locks
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Changing Table
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Chef / Catering
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Children's Dinnerware
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Corner Guards
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DVD Library
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DVD Player
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Dishwasher
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Elevator
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Fireplace Guards
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Game Console
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High Chair
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Housekeeper
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Outlet Plugs
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Parking
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Pet-friendly
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Pool
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Pool Gate
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Stair Gates
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Television
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Toys / Children's Books
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Washer / Dryer
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Wifi
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Window Guards
Charente-Maritime, Southwest France
Beaches, islands and oysters
Stretching from La Rochelle down the southwest coast almost as far as Bordeaux, Charente-Maritime is one of France’s most beloved vacation destinations, with long sandy beaches, fantastic fresh oysters and pretty islands to visit. Hire boats and explore the coast; dine at pretty seafood restaurants and visit the fantastic aquarium in La Rochelle on a rainy day.