Poitou-Charentes, Vienne, France

A40586TAL86 - Benefiting from a superb position, boasting the perfect combination of tranquil countryside and easy access to shops and services, this house, whilst providing every comfort inside, is firmly rooted in its surroundings, its trademark ceiling-height fully-glazed doors bringing the best of the outside in and offering each and every bedroom direct access to the garden and woods and meadow beyond.

A generous gravelled drive sweeps around from the road to the understated main door and undercover parking to the rear. Upon entering through the "front" door, you can choose to turn right into a handy utility room (8.7m²) from which a further door leads back out to the undercover parking area, meaning that you can unload the car without having to brave the rain, wind, hot sun or whatever. Back in the entrance hall, a door opposite that to the utility room opens onto the kitchen (6.4m²), which in turn is open to the vast yet cosy main dining/living/stufy space (48m²) featuring a modern wood-burner and a total of 3 double patio doors, all leading onto the raised terrace and offering spectacular views over the lawn and the woods beyond. Openings to either side of the fireplace lead back to the central hall area (10m² including the part up to the front door) off which is a WC with washbasin (1.7m²) and to your left, the master bedroom (25m²) with en-suite shower room (4m²).

Stairs lead down to the garden level, where you arrive in another large living area (42m²) some of which could be sectioned off to provide a fourth bedroom if required. There is also plumbing provision for the addition of another kitchen or kitchenette if you wanted to create an independent appartment at this level. To the front of this area, patio doors open out onto a covered terrace (covered by the terrace above) and to the left and right, two bedrooms (both 13m²) each have their own patio doors too. Back by the stairs, a door opens onto a second shower room (10m²) with shower, washbasin and double flux air circulation system. There is also a separate WC (1.6m²) and, to the rear below the utility room, a storage area/wine cellar (23.8m²).

The central woodburner creates both a focal point and a good source of heat in the winter, supplemented by electric radiators if required. The house, being modern, is well-insulated and the Canadian air circulation system keeps the whole house supplied with ambient fresh air even when the house is closed up.

Outside, a feeling of space and tranquillity is omnipresent, with almost 8 acres in a single block of land encompassing lawn, flower beds, vegetable patch, truffle oaks, mature woodland, and stream-edged meadow. Hopefully the days of lockdowns are behind us but if you were to be confined to the limits of your own property, there's nowhere you'd feel freer, to walk in your own woods, sit and watch for deer, simply breathe and soak up the sunshine. The half-open barn attached to the rear of the house allows you to park under cover, as well being the perfect place to store logs, lawnmower and other garden equipment, bikes, etc.

And when you do inevitably need to go out and do your shopping, see a doctor, meet friends, etc, Châtellerault is only 5 miles away, with regular high speed trains up to Paris or down to Bordeaux, and access to the A10 motorway. It also has bars, restaurants, secondary schools and sixth form colleges, medical services (including a branch of the Poitiers University Hospital), sporting and cultural facilities, all manner of clubs to join, not forgetting French lessons for those who need them!

Visitors in search of entertainment can easily take day trips to many of the châteaux of the Loire, and the popular attractions of Futuroscope and Aquascope are only 20 miles away. It's a great area for walking or cycling and there are plenty of historic and picturesque towns and villages to explore.

Cheap flights run regularly between Poitiers (25 miles) and the UK, and the nearest ferry ports are between 3 and 4.5 hours away.