Description

Title: Traditional historical 17 th century manor on the ocean with private cave...

Capacity

8 people for the 4 bedroom  4 people for the 2 bedrooms

Type

Apartment (in Manor) - 6 Rooms - Floor: 1st of 2 - Independent access- 115 sqm
4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 shower rooms, 2 WC.
Facing : South
Garden : 115 sqm

Composition

American kitchen, Kitchenette, Dining room, Living room, Mezzanine, Balcony, Terrace, Garden, Private parking, Petanque playing area.

Bedding

4 double beds

Services

Linen provided, Toilet linen provided.

Equipments

 Appliances:
Dishes and Cutlery, Cooking utensils, Fridge, Freezer, Stove/Cooker, Oven, Microwave, Dishwasher, Washing machine, Tumble dryer, Vaccum Cleaner, Iron, Fan, Central Heating.
 Entertainment:
TV, Video Player, DVD Player, Satellite/Cable.
 Outside equipment:
Garden furniture, BBQ, Sun Lounger.

View of

Sea, village, Countryside. - Open view

Activities

Golf, Tennis, Fishing, Horse riding, Swimming, Bowling, Water sports, Mountain-biking, Thalassotherapy, Hydrotherapy, Naturism, Casino, Cinema, Night club, Amusement Park.

Remarks

Animals not accepted
No smoke

Rental rates

Above the sea and the fresh water, clouds rise up mirroring upon the surface from where they came, strange colours, light greens, pinks and purples. Fantastic creations that you see for only a moment and then regret their passing, decorations forming bizarre monuments, fantastic archways, sublime bridges, sometimes arches of triumph, the door of the ocean.

Michelet

It was seaside tourism which made Royan a real town. The first bathers to launch the resort came from Bordeaux, the wine aristocracy, the upper middle class who went back up the Gironde by boat every week...

In 1826, nearly all the street were pawed.

The number of stone house increased. In 1843 the civil society of bathing of Royan proposed "cold baths in waves on the beach by the sea, and warm sea water and fresh water baths inside the building." On the eve of the Second Empire, ballrooms, parties, concerts and other entertainment brought new distractions to the holidaymakers.

Under the Second Empire the gas lampsburned and the candelabras illuminated the boulevards. In Pontaillac, dominated by the beach, the Gulf Hotel is a true palace.

Already, the first regattas entertained the Grande Conche.

Three unmissable moments punctuated the day of the perfect Royan tourist : the afternoon swim, the café des bains in the early evening and the casino later on ! Affluent people. The boulevards were widened, a golf course was opened, first 9 holes then 18... Even a flying club was opened ! From 1936, paid holidays animated the Grande Conche.

But Royan remained the meeting place for all of Paris.

Sacha Guitry, Emile Zola, Picasso, and many other artists made the fame of this seaside resort go way beyond our boundaries.

Seaside architecture is a completely separate architectural style which was born at the end of the XIXth century and which resulted in even more fantastic villas until the eve of the Second World War.

Royan offered a remarkable range of this architecture where the extravagance and fantasy of the architects were freely expressed. Each villa is a world in itself, sometimes inspired from local characteristics, sometimes from the style of english cottages, sometimes from the size and adornments of neogothic chateaux, sometimes from the exotic styles of an oriental opera....one single basic principle for everything : to have an unlimited sightedunbeatable originality : elegant stones, seaside style and imposing neogothic mansions, temples of the idle society and the gentle lifestyle of the atlantic coast.

This phoenix town has risen from its own ashes twice in a millennium. History has given Royan two very important roles to play. At the beginning of the 11th century, and for nearly eight hundred years, Royan was the stronghold to the Gironde, a bitterly disputed citadel because of its strategic location. During the 19th century, its lovely beaches, coves, and pine forests transformed Royan into an outstanding seaside resort.

From then until now it has been the capital of the "coast of beauty".

The Santons, a Celtic people, settled in this land, which was later called "Saintonge", in the 4th century B.C. The Santons welcomed the Romans who came to protect their country from the barbarians. Six years later, however, they had a burst of patriotism and answered the call of Vercingétorix.

Four centuries of peace enabled the region to develop. The Gallo-Romans created salt marshes and cultivated oysters along the Gironde and the mouth of the Seudre. They founded Médiolanum, later called Saintes, the capital of Saintonge. In the 12th century, with Aliénor d'Aquitaine, the Saintonge region including Royan, came under English rule and did not become French again until 1451. A century later, in 1562, religious wars invaded the peninsula. Royan's possession of the fortress was essential for the control of the Gironde. Thus the town was sometimes Huguenot, sometimes Catholic.

During the 18th century, Royan found peace again. Under the first empire, Royan became the convalescence centre for Napoleon's army.

seaside resort with everything you could want to have a good time. A fashionable beach, two casinos featuring great shows, a park with shady paths lined with lovely villas!

A new town full of light

Facing the sea behind an arena of sand, the new town of Royan is bathed in sunlight. The unpretentious city was designed by a team of architects lead by Corbusier and inspired by the Modern movement and the Athens Charter. The urban architectural style was typical of the construction in the period after the war. An open air museum.

In half a day or one day at the most, you can visit the spectacular group of menhirs, rich examples of Romanesque architecture, naturals caves hollowed out from the cliffs with the charm of the sleeping Beauty's Castle and the haughty solitude of the lighthouses including the magnificent Cordouan.

This beautiful haven in France is now dry. After having been the salt capital, one of the most glorious forts of the XVII century and the birthplace of Samuel Champlain, the founder of Quebec, activities in Brouage quieted down when the marshes dried up. The ramparts and the path shaded by elm trees around the ramparts are full of charm!

The estuary of the Seudre, the smallest river in Europe, is a part of the Marenne-Oleron basin. The green oyster country's fame is due to the quality of the oyster beds which produce oysters with a beautiful green colour, well appreciated by consumers.

Nothing in common with a traditional zoo!

While so many other zoos provoke compassion for all the poor beasts deprived of their freedom, the Zoo de la Palmyre is a state-of-the-art zoological park whose 15 hectares provide a lovely spacious home for the animals in a remarkably well-kept natural site.

Since the 11th century, the Saintonge region has been the home of Romanesque churches whose beauty reached their peak in the middle of the 12th century.

A kind of archaic simplicity is found in this squat but elegant architecture, which creates an intimate and welcoming ambiance. Even though each church has some unique feature on its facade or tower, they have similarities which give the impression that they come from the same family. The churches along the pilgrimage route to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle display the famous shell decoration.

The history of architecture and urbanism, Royan is unquestionably "the most 1950's town in France". It reflects the style of the talented architect of the reconstruction, Claude Ferret, who worked on the rebuilding of the town along with 150 other architects.

Royan was the only town in France where the application of the main urban and architectural principles of the "Modern Movement" were tested. Claude Ferret, pupil of Corbusier, opened the new town to a cocktail of air-light-sunshine, the major precepts of the famous Athens Charter. The wide sea front follows the natural crescent moon shape of the main beach, the avenue is of light design, a shaded boulevard leads to a covered market made of thin concrete in the shape of an anemone corolla.

The extraordinary profile of Notre Dame de Royan resembles a small boat with high sides whose bow is the chevet. The church is the work of Guillaume Gillet and the engineer René Sarger. It rises to a height of 36 m at the highest point and 28 m in the centre. The proud belfry pierces the sky and the spire of the tower reaches 60 m above the ground.

Meschers will seduce you with its white cliffs where the wind and the sea have hollowed out deep caves, its five beaches of fine sand in the hollows of the cozy bays, its fishing boats which make their up the Gironde and its market at the foot of the large square bell-tower of its 15th century church.

Cordouan ! The pride of the Gironde and the oldest lighthouse in France. Long ago, there was a rocky outcrop which linked the lighthouse to the Grave headland. Now the link is barely visible at low tide and Corduan's isolation adds to the magnifience of its architecture. For four hundred years, its light has shone 40 km out into the open sea. The Cordouan lighthouse and Notre Dame de Paris were the first two monuments to be classified as historical monuments in 1862 at the requested of Mérimée !

It is a blessed country where you can enjoy sausages with fresh, fattened oysters washed down with local white wine. Oysters from Marennes, Tramblade or Bourcefranc are a well known feast for refined tastes.

It's also quite a country for those who enjoy experimenting and trying the local specialities such as snails, "chaudrée" (local fresh fish cooked in muscatel wine), "mongettes", as well as "gratons"(cooked goose fat) and "tantouillée" which the devoted food lovers call "gigouri"(pork offal, chicken and red wine stew). It is also the country of great liquor where the Sainte vineyards cross the Cognac country. The marvelous Charente table is full of savoury surprises from dishes based on family traditions. Make the most of the never-ending riches from the sea and the coast.

The snail is as important to the people of Charente as the French cock is to the French nation; an emblem and a dish. Called "Cagouille" in the local language of Saintonge. Excellent seafood cooking, turbot, bass, hake, Saint-Pierre, monkfish, sea bream, mullet, mackerel, herring ... mussels, oysters and sardines, Charente cooking uses unique methods to obtain the best from seafood. Many local recipes have travelled around the world.

Above the alignment of grape vines and the undulating rows of green or golden leaves, a poetry of flavours and perfumes floats over the vineyard.

The Welsh and the Romans discovered salt, an inexhaustible treasure on the coast of Saintonge. The workers in the marshes were soon looking for the refreshment of a glass of wine. Likewise, the tradesmen and the civil servants, who have grown rich from the salt, required the best wines for their tables. The country was soon covered with vines. There was no abbey, no castle and not even a bourgeois house which didn't have a vineyard. At the beginning of the XVII century, poverty set in, but with it came ingenuity.

All the wine that was not sold was burnt. This strong flavoured alcohol became a coveted exchange item with sailors from Holland, Great Britain and other places. The Dutch called it "brandewijn", burnt wine.

The English changed this word to "brandy". The name "Cognac" was heard for the first time in 1725.

The Charentes country has had its share of luck. In the XVI century everything happened by accident, a vineyard owner put fresh grape must in a barrel with some Cognac brandy. After a few years an unknown but succulent beverage was discovered. Pineau from Charente was born!

In effect, this vineyard owner caused a mutation by stopping the fermentation of the must with the addition of alcohol. He created a sweet wine, sunny and fruity which has become a marvellous aperitif or dessert wine.

Beaches, coves and bays have made Royan and its surroundings a paradise with a record amount of sunshine.

All kinds of sailing is practiced at the marina, between the waters of the Gironde and the Atlantic. Sailing or motor boats, Gironde or sea, Cordouan or the Perthuis, let yourself be guided. You just have to make the choice according to the weather and the tides.

Advice to the lucky few !

Tthe sailing territory of Royan is the only one in France to accumulate so many associated sites. A formula comparable to the affliation of valleys and ski lifts at ski resorts.

A important natural reserve for marine life, the wild estuary of the Gironde provides good catches for professional fishermen who can also fish in the sea: 1100 tons of fish of quality species are unloaded every year at Royan, a good third of them are sole.

It's hard to choose between the lovely chain of long beaches and discrete bays cut into the rocks with so many varied expositions to the sun. There are lively beaches where you can play many sports and meet other people as well as calm and private coves. The gentle slopes of the beaches at Royan seen to have been designed for the pleasure of bathers and children. Royan is the sunshine champion of the Atlantic coast with 2,400 glistening hours per year.

The quality of the fine sand plays an important part in this group of beautiful beaches making Royan and its surroundings a real beach lover's paradise.

Discrete bays

Long beaches

At the Foncillon swimming pool, overhanging the Foncillon beach, bathers have enjoyed diving into filtered seawater heated to 28° for the past fifteen years.

The swimming pool is open from the end of May to the end of September. The pool stretches for twenty-five metres parallel to the bank below. The private "cabanas" can be rented by the week or for the whole summer.

The Grande Conche is a sandy beach 2650 m long facing directly south, something which is very rare on the Atlantic Coast. This exceptional exposure adds to the assets of a natural harbour protected from the dominating winds by a providential geographical location. Without mentioning the gentle climate.

At the top of the Atlantic coast's hit-parade of resorts blessed by the sun, Royan has many assets and charms. A business that's "afloat" with holiday makers and beach enthusiasts. Royan has a population of 22,000 in the winter which grows to about 80,000 in the high summer season. The Arvert Peninsula, welcomes nearly 450,000 holiday makers every year, with seasonal adjustments as they say. It is true that Charente-Maritime is the second most visited touristic region in France. Royan is proud of its Atlantic coast sunshine record, with some 2,400 hours of sunshine per year.

The beach at Pontaillac was made fashionable by the Lacaze Family from Bordeaux, and has been frequented from the beginning by a worldly "high class" clientele. Nestled between ruggedly cliffs, the bay of Chay is the most intimate and one of the best beaches for families in Royan. The bay of Pigeonnier is also very calm. In the bathing season, pigeons fly around the cliffs.

The beaches from Saint-Georges to the Grande Côte as well as the unspoiled Côte Sauvage (the wild coast) are supervised by seasonal lifeguards from the Société Nautique de Sauvetage en Mer (The Nautical Lifesaving Society). There are more than 20 first aid posts along the coast.

A favoured port of call between La Rochelle and Arcachon, an anchored port in the heart of the city, well sheltered from the wind and the swell, directly open to the sea without any kind of lock. Royan has more than one asset in its seabag.

At the heart of the port of Royan, the new Nautical Space (1,200 m²) has an attractive architecture which pays tribute to the sea. Moorings and marine watch are there waiting for you. From the small sailing boat to the yacht, for children or confirmed skippers everything has been worked out for your satisfaction.

(computerised reception, teaching room, qualified staff, all modern equipment) 3rd sailing harbour on the Atlantic coast with more than 1,000 docking rings. Royan has a harbour area of 3 ha allowing all types of sailing and navigation to be enjoyed in complete security. With the Nautical Space you can live with the open sea. Royan and you : a family atmosphere.

The regatta competitors who come to the Gironde are fine sailors, careful about currents, under currents and the turning of the tides.

Clearly separated from the area set aside for fishermen, the harbour has an area of three and a half hectares, accessible to all boats. Well sheltered, protected against storms and strong winds, the yachting harbour has specific advantages. Its surface area puts it in third place on the list of yachting harbours along the Atlantic coast.

The harbour offers passing sailors the chance to berth in the heart of the town, with direct access to the shops and services provided by the city. A destination for coastal navigation, Royan has the particular characteristic of being able to offer departures into estuarine waters and also out to sea.

Light sailing - catamaran, sailing dinghy, beginners boat, windsurfing - surfing and body-boarding, canoeing, kayak, sea kiff, parascending, hydroplane, water-skiing, flying kites and sand-yachting.

For the pleasure of sailing and gliding fans. Complete beginners welcome as well as future, not yet confirmed, enthusiasts.

An area for organised games

The programme of the "sailing centre", inspired by ski valleys and resorts which increased thier skiing areas by combining them, is the best that can be found in France.

With six sites between Seudre and Gironde, there is an incredible choice : La Tremblade, Ronce-les-Bains, Les Mathes, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, Royan, Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, Meschers and Mortagne-sur-Gironde. Together they form a vast space for leisure activities.

During the summer at each of the sites, technical advisors in easily identified information points located in blue and white striped canvas tents, give information on weather conditions and excursions, help with equipment adjustments, and give technical advise regarding the rental of the right equipment suited to the individual and his or her level.

First aid posts complete the picture, creating an environment where everyone can enjoy the beach and water in security and mutual respect.

Navigating the estuary

The countryside along the Gironde offers much variety, from the caves of Meschers to the beaches of the Côte de Beauté, from the lighthouse at Cordouan, whose silhouette dominates the mouth of the river, to the glistening coast on the other side, from the headland of Verdon to the Medoc coast.

Everyone spends midday at their own port or so the French saying goes. If you can't be at your own harbour, enjoy a stop over at Royan, a true port for the canal of the Midi. For the passers-by who are headed for the Mediterranean via the canal, Royan is also an important port of call.

Before, during square net fishing it was just the nets that moved. You would go by boat to the place where there were fish. Then you would set up your hut. Be that as it may, this traditional fishing dates from at least two centuries ago, on the water and then from the coast , fishing from these huts on stilks that have such a pictures silhouette.

Laid on the sea bed, these square nets catch all the fish who swim above it, to get them out you need to throw them in the air, whilst they are all wriggling on this fine mesh trampoline. Square net fishing is an old fishing technique, a special kind of fishing that is only done between March and July on the open sea.

Today, some 660 square nets have been counted in the Charente-Maritime region. Only used for leisure fishing. the prawn from charente still need to fear these square nets, but they share this fear with mullets, plaice, soles and eels.

These progressions towards the sea, wooden landing stages covered with huts are a part of the countryside. Even better, they belong to our patrimony.

The Royan fishermen of noble species use fishing and trawl nets in the sea and a variety of nets in the Gironde estuary. The fish are carefully looked after. They are put in covered tubs under cellophane film upon which ice is placed . This prevents the ice from being in direct contact with the fish.

The flotilla at Royan? 25 small fishing boats of less than 12 meters set off daily to fish inshore with trawler nets, pots or drift nets.

They even fish for eels in the Gironde at the right season. The members of this league bring back conger and bass which are still alive, the little trawlers concentrate on small sole and shrimp.

Trawlers and the pot boats catch cuttlefish, pot boats also catch prawns in their submerged traps. In the harbour, the pot boats are recognisable by their many poles on which pennants of all colours flutter. These pennants are used to locate the lobster pots in the sea.

Above the sea and the fresh water, clouds rise up mirroring upon the surface from where they came, strange colours, light greens, pinks and purples. Fantastic creations that you see for only a moment and then regret their passing, decorations forming bizarre monuments, fantastic archways, sublime bridges, sometimes arches of triumph, the door of the ocean.

Michelet

The coast, the frontier between land and sea, gets it's countless shapes from the breath of the tides. Twice a day the tide rises for six hours, followed by six hours of descent .

Every day the amplitude and the rhythm change between high and low tide according to the lunar cycle. The strong tides coincide with the full moon and the new moon, the weak tides with the first and last quarters.

The rocky shore uncovered at low tide and well known by fishing enthusiasts on foot, conceals under each pebble a whole animal world : a carpet of shells and crustaceans living in the cool shade of the tide pools.

On the coast around the estuary, enormous mud flats appear at low tide providing the herring, black-backed and black-headed gulls, oyster catchers and kilder birds with the riches of a never-ending food supply. From tide to tide, the interchange between the ocean and the coast continues, undermining the cliffs, filling in the bays.

The casino : Place your bets

Gambling is always a great temptation. Who can resist trying their luck at the slot machines ? The famous one-armed bandits don't scare anyone and are good fun for those with a taste for gambling in their blood. One hundred slot machines, blackjack, roulette and shows, we have it all. A haven for the resort's regular migrating night birds. After swimming, winning, or at least trying your luck.

Cap Royan : Discover the best of the sea

How can you refuse a seawater cure while relaxing in a dressing gown ? Let the sea give you its best. Set off immediately for Cap Royan between fine sand and blue sky, under the sun and the gentle pressure of saltwater.