Private detached stone house overlooking a lake

La Maison des Vignes, a detached stone house set in its own private garden and overlooking a lake, is the perfect place to enjoy a holiday in the French countryside.

The ground floor of the house, which is filled with character in the form of original oak beams and stone walls, consists of a large kitchen/diner, a living room and a shower room/toilet/laundry room. A steep wooden staircase leads up to the first floor, where you’ll find two bedrooms - a double and a twin.

The garden, which surrounds the house and is not overlooked, is the perfect place to relax and enjoy French-style outdoor living. Apéro and dinner under the stars is the ideal way to while away the evenings. And with no light pollution at all, the night sky really is a sight to behold.

It’s also the ideal place to spot the local wildlife (Golden Orioles, Buzzards, Pine Martens, Herons, Woodpeckers and Deer are just some of the wildlife that has been seen here), making this gîte perfect for bird spotters and nature lovers alike!

You can cycle to the nearest dépot de pain to pick up your daily dose of French bread and croissants (or it’s less than 5 minutes in the car). Alternatively, only 5 minutes’ drive from La Maison des Vignes, in the famous village of Sainte-Sévère-sur-Indre, where Jacque Tati’s film Jour de Fête was shot, there is a boulangerie, a restaurant, a bar, a grocery shop, a tabac, a butcher, a pharmacy and a variety of other little shops.

Why choose La Maison des Vignes?

You’ll be spoilt for places to relax and enjoy this wonderfully peaceful place. Watch the wildlife from the edge of the lake at the bottom of the garden, take a nap under the shade of a parasol or pick a few grapes from the forty-year-old vine which hangs over the front door - the choice is yours.

When you arrive, you’ll find that the house is equipped with everything you need for a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. There’s WiFi, both English and French TV, lots of boardgames and books, a BBQ and even pingpong and babyfoot tables in the hangar. Linen and towels are also provided.

You’ll even find a Luxury Welcome Basket waiting for you if you have booked for 7 nights or more, filled with everything you need for your first breakfast, including fresh bread, croissants and even a bottle of sparkling wine! For our vegan guests, we also offer a vegan-friendly Luxury Welcome Basket - just let us know if you require the vegan option when booking.

And, as the house is on the border of the Indre and Creuse departments (and indeed the Centre-Val de Loire and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions), there are plenty of things to do and places to see!

Things to do in the local area

If you can tear yourself away, the local area offers lots of activities, from wine tours to water sports.

Wine tours - Goûts du Berry offers wine tours of the local AOC Chateaumeillant (20 minutes’ drive away - they will pick you up from La Maison des Vignes, so no need to worry about designated drivers!), where you’ll get to try the area’s delicious rosé gris, as well as tours farther afield to Sancerre, Reuilly and Quincy.

Follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s most famous painters, writers and directors - French writer George Sand lived in the Indre and you can visit her estate, which is just north of La Châtre. The Vallée des Peintres, frequented by Monet and Detroy, including the villages of Gargilesse (one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France) and Crozant, is within easy reach of the house (around a 30 minute drive).

Sainte-Sévère-sur-Indre, only 5 minutes’ drive from the house, is where Jacque Tati’s film Jour de Fête was shot - you’ll find a visitor centre here and there are various events held throughout the summer.

Water sports - The area is filled with leisure lakes (perfect on a hot summer’s day), where you can partake in everything from paddle boarding to canoeing to zip wiring! The closest lake to La Maison des Vignes is less than 10 minutes’ drive away and is equipped with a téléski nautique - an innovative system with a 525 metre circular cable which pulls water skiers/wake boarders around the lake. There’s also a beach, Frisbee golf, BMX track and plenty of picnic benches for those who would rather stay dry.

The famous Lac de Sidiailles, only a 20 minute drive away, is the perfect place to picnic and offers a wide range of activities including branch adventure (like GoApe) and a zip wire experience around the lake!

The Pays des 3 Lacs is also within easy driving distance.

Golf & Spa- Only a few minutes’ drive from the house is the Les Dryades golf course (6120m – 20078ft). For those who don’t enjoy the game, there’s also a spa at the hotel.

Fishing - the Creuse has over 3000 hectares of lakes and dams and 3800 kilometres of rivers and streams, making it the perfect place to indulge in a spot of fishing.

Beaches - There are countless lakes with sandy beaches within easy driving distance of the house. More information about all of these will be provided when you arrive.

Cycling/walking/horse riding - The rolling countryside makes this area perfect for cycling enthusiasts and walkers alike. There are bikes at the house already. Local maps are available to borrow. You can go horse riding through the countryside at a place 10 minutes’ drive away.

Restaurants - Whether you prefer haute-cuisine or traditional French home-style cooking, you’ll be spoilt for choice for where to eat. The area’s specialities are not to be missed - particularly the pâté aux pommes de terre and the area’s local red and rosé gris wines. A list of restaurants and their opening times will be available in the house.

Markets - Pick up some local produce before sitting back and enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace of a local tabac. A full list of morning and evening markets will be available on arrival. We also provide a list of local vide greniers (brocantes) at the house.

Local towns - The bustling town of La Châtre, with its market square and pavement cafés, is only 20 minutes’ drive. Boussac is also worth a visit on market day (Thursday morning). Les Pierres Jaumâtres (40 large - and mysterious - blocks of granite) and the Toulx Sainte-Croix, with its 360 degree views of 7 departments (Creuse, Corrèze, Haute-Vienne, Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, Cher and Indre) are within a few minutes’ drive of Boussac.

Aubusson and its famous (now UNESCO recognised) tapestries are also only an hours’ drive away.

Rock climbing and flying - At the Monts de Guéret, a 45 minute drive from the house, you can fish, rock climb and paraglide (a great way to take in the views).

The Labyrinth Géant, the worlds largest permanent plant maze, is also nearby.

Nature lovers - A little farther afield, around an hours’ drive from the house, you will find La Brenne natural park. With 3,000 lakes, this is the perfect place to see a wide range of birds and wildlife from the free-to-access observatories. It’s also home to Cistudes, European Pond Terrapins, which you can often see sunbathing on logs!