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House and pool Garden view House and courtyard Eating outside Master bedroom Adults sitting room Kitchen Shaded dining area Courtyard TV room / playroom Ground floor bedroom       Property Location     Artagnan Near Mielan, Gers, (old Gascony), Midi-Pyrenees, France       One-off feature     Once home to the `Master of the village`, Artagnan is now home to countless guests. This large, yet perfectly proportioned house has been lovingly restored with little touches everywhere to constantly surprise and delight. The perfect base for a holiday in Gascony.       Property Info     Accommodation Type: House     Property Setting: Rural     Holiday Type: Relaxing / Family     Bedrooms: 4     Guests: 8     Catering: self-catering       General Info     This classic stone "maison de maître" built in 1838 has been restored to a high standard and boasts wonderful panoramic views towards the Pyrénées. It is situated 8.5km from Trie-sur-Baïse with all shops and services, market every Tuesday, supermarkets and tennis courts. Artagnan is situated in old Gascony where the modern world seems to have passed it by. The region Gers and Pyrénées border each other and equally offer beautiful scenery of rolling green wooded hills, rivers, valleys with golden yellow sunflowers and maize with shimmering views of a lake or the snow capped Pyrénées, in the distance. Buzzards and kites soar overhead on the warm thermals. Situated on the same latitude as Nice with lovely warm summers but without the hoards of people and traffic congestion. Enjoy the quiet uncrowded roads of this sparsly populated farming area, and breathe in some of the cleanest air in Europe.       Details on the area surrounding the property/accommodation     Mirande (17km) is a lively little town with a traditional market on Mondays and a selection of cafés and restaurants. The 13th Century cathedral at Auch (40km) is well worth discovering, as well as the many attractive villages of the Gers. There are three 18 hole golf courses within 50km, and a leisure lake at Miélan (9km) which offers swimming and fishing. Mirande has a waterpark with aqua slides. Horse riding is available at nearby St-Michel (10km). The closest skiing resort is 100km away at Saint-Lary. There is a good outdoor adventure centre near Pavie (40km). A water park with aqua slides, a pony riding centre, pottery classes, an animal park and for the larger children a tree top adventure park. White water rafting is available in the Pyrenees and is great fun for all the larger family members. There is a " centre of well being" 10 minutes away offering a wide range of relaxing treatments.       Getting there & away/local amenities     Getting There: Nearest airports are Tarbes-Lourdes, Pau, Toulouse and Biarritz. Or if coming from the UK you can come by car using eurotunnel or ferries. Detailed directions will be given on booking.     Nearest airports: Lourdes 45km /Pau 73km /Toulouse 111km     Car Hire: Advised     Nearest restaurant: 8.5km     Nearest shop: 8.5km     Nearest market: 8.5km       More Info Owner Info     Name Tim Coleman   Contact Phone No. 00 33 (0)5 62 67 05       Accommodation details     Activities Nearby Art & Craft / Birdwatching / Cooking / Cycling / Fishing / Golf within 20km / Horse Riding / Therapies / Walking       Interior Facilities CD Player / Cot / Dishwasher / DVD player / Highchair / Internet Access / Linen provided / Log Fire / Maid Service / Satellite TV / Telephone / Television / Washing Machine       Interior Details The interior has been tastefully restored and comfortably furnished with a mixture of antiques and local rustic pieces. Many original features have been retained - stone arches and walls, wooden floors and beams. On the ground floor are a living room with a beautiful arched window, a sitting room with a Gascon fireplace, a very well-equipped kitchen/dining room (with many cook books), a laundry room and a separate wc. An eclectic selection of CDs and DVDs are provided. Also on the ground floor with its own door into the courtyard is a double bedroom (brass bed) with en suite bathroom with a separate shower unit and a wc. The first floor has a double bedroom with an en suite bathroom with a wc and a dressing room, a twin bedroom (beds can be put together to make a double), a twin bedroom with two large single "lits bateaux", and a bathroom with a wc.       Exterior Facilities Balcony / BBQ / Courtyard / Garden / Garden Furniture / Parking / Swimming Pool / Terrace       Exterior Details The property is set in 2 acres of grounds which extend into fields offering wide open spaces and peaceful surroundings in lovely countryside. There is a vast grassy expanse in front of the house, ideal for children to play in, and a covered paved terrace by the swimming pool (8m x 3.5m) which is surrounded by grass and a high hedge. There is a fenced-off fish pond and an old well secured for the protection of children. Guests are encouraged to help themselves from the herb garden. The garden and grounds are totally fenced-off as well as the pool area. The heated pool is also fitted with a security alarm. Also outside you will find table tennis, badminton, boules, swings, slide, trampoline, sand pits, paddling pool, sit on tractor and digger, tricycles, adult & children's bikes.       Further Details The interior has been tastefully decorated to retain many beautiful original features. There are panoramic views of sun-kissed countryside and the snow-capped Pyrenees to the south. The owners occupy a detached converted barn next to the main house - they have a separate entrance and do not have access to the heated pool. We pride ourselves at Artagnan for being child friendly. All your beds will be made up with "The White Company" bed linen so all you have to do is make yourself at home. On the large flat grassy area there are goal posts, balls of all shapes and sizes, swing ball, a badminton/volleyball net, swings, a slide and a sandpit with buckets and spades. On the flat courtyard area is a basketball net, table tennis table, boules, toddler pusher, sit-on pedal digger, bike with stabilisers, kids bikes up to 10/11 years, helmets and 2 adult bikes 1 with a detachable child seat. From a safety perspective the swings, slide and sandpit (under the shade of an oak tree) are entirely separate from the fenced off pool area. The pool is also alarmed. Inside there is a wide range of toys from baby toys to videos and DVD’s.       Conditions of Rental Sleeps 8 including babies (maximum 6 adults). Weekly rates from Saturday to Saturday. All prices in £ sterling and includes a welcome pack, The White Company bed linen, pool towels, bath towels, hand towels, tea towels, bath mats, soap, cleaning products, local phone calls, electricity, gas, water, swimming pool/garden maintenance and basic cleaning on departure. A generous welcome pack is provided, with our compliments, which includes fresh bread, a selection of cheeses, fresh milk, breakfast items, beer and wine. We are more than happy to shop for any additional items you may require prior to your arrival. We will need 1 weeks notice for this free service and you only pay for your additional goods. There is a local French lady (highly recommended) who can cook and deliver in advance or during your stay. Babysitting and housekeeper also available on request.       Other Information Babysitting available / Child Friendly / Cook available / No Smoking       What visitors have said about Artagnan       We have just returned from Artagnan having had what can only be described as the perfect family holiday. The setting is Idyllic. The standard of the property is suberb and enhanced by Tim & Razia's eye for quality and detail, which is applied to everything in the house, including the toys (we suspect their children have a hand with these!) We have three children and finding the right setting can be a challenge by far. The house is full of everything you would ever need to cater for young children - from sterilisers, high chairs,toys and bikes. Everything. However what set this trip apart was the hospitality of the Coleman family. Prior to our arrival they were a source of great advice and whilst we were there they went to great lengths to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. Arrival shopping, babysitting, culinary advice all included. And their wonderful children were equally as welcoming and helpful. A fantastic holiday. David, Rachel, Ruby, Oliver and Jem Prasher,    Twickenham,    Aug 2009  What a fantastic holiday! The best and by far the most relaxing one since the birth of our son. The house and surroundings are very well equipped and very safe. It is also extremely clean, convenient and of very good quality (I already miss The White Company towels). Our son was thrilled by all the toys around and loved playing with George, Eva and Louis. The heated swimming pool is also fantastic and very much appreciated having a 10 month old daughter. Razia, Tim, Louis, Eva and George made us feel like friends of the family. They spared no efforts to make our stay enjoyable (the welcome pack alone is something to remember). Razia kindly babysat our children twice while we were there and we felt extremely confident about it as she definitely has a special sense with children. We cannot recommend this place highly enough. Thank you again to the Coleman's family for its kindness and generosity. Isabelle,Jan,Ronan & Charlotte de Laat-Leuenberger,    London,    Aug 2009  Just wanted to say what a fantastic time we had satying in this wonderful house. It exceeded all our expectations and everything has been catered for down to the finest details. If Carlsberg did holiday homes, this would be it! The making of the week was the welcome of the entire Coleman family allowing the grown ups to have more relaxing than we could ever have imagined. Many thanks. Jacqueline, Ross, Amelia & Fergus MacEacharn,    Twickenham,    Aug 2009  Shhhhhh - we shall tell people about this wonderful holiday but not too many as we want to return !! Thank you again for such a wonderful holiday. James, Michelle, Oliver and Theo Hone,    Yorkshire,    Jul 2009  Comment by the guest to the agent: The service and attention to detail by the owner was exceptional and probably the best I have ever seen. Guest comment to owner: Just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for a great holiday. Your level of commitment to ensuring we had a great holiday, attention to small details and effort you put into making our holiday a success was exceptional and was greatly appreciated by us. Giles, Amelia, Matthew & Josh Heeger,    South Africa,    Jul 2009  Glad we came back !! Another lovely family holiday. Perfect! Thank you. James. Petra, Jessica & Toby Venton,    Kent,    Jul 2009  Tim and Razia have realised everybody's dream of being "Lost in France". Artagnan has a unique ambience of comfort and relaxation - this was a wonderful experience thank you again to your delightful family. We had a super time in your beautiful house - you provided absolutely everything we needed which made our family holiday very special indeed. Thank you for your generous hospitality. The extended Smith family,    Yorkshire,    Jun 2009  Firstly an enormous thank you again for your kind hospitality and for all your help and advice before and during our stay. It was a very memorable stay which we all enjoyed tremendously and we really appreciated all your assistance that definitely went that extra mile and far surpassed our expectations. Olivia, Michael, Sebastian & Christian Veal,    Ireland,    Jul 2009  At last - a place that's perfect for our toddler and baby, and great for the grownups too! There's nothing that you haven't thought of! Thank you for a marvellous holiday home and for all your thoughtfulness and attention to detail which was much appreciated. We are still raving about our wonderful week with you and are busily recommending you to all our friends. We can't thank you enough for making us so welcome and for such a glorious week in your beautiful Artagnan. I'd be back like a shot. The house is just marvellous. We have treasured memories of our time with you and can't thank you enough. Adrian, Tessa, Ralph & baby Hugh Suggett,    Buckinghamshire,    Jun 2009  I just wanted to say that we had such an amazing holiday and we have not stopped raving about it to everybody we see and who dares ask about our holiday, we then proceed to bore them to death as to how perfect the house was and you guys made it for us. You have been such a welcoming family and we are just trying to work out when we can next come out. Thank you so much! Charlie, Rob, Freddie and Bella Timmis,    Shropshire,    May 2009  Thank you for the most relaxing family holiday in the history of ever. Your hospitality has been second to none and it has been a dream holiday. The house you will be pleased to know was as fabulous as I had dared to dream. The children didn't want to leave. We agreed that it was our first family holiday that we have ever had where we all enjoyed it equally as a family. Our host and hostess Tim and Razia were grace personified and couldn't do too much for us. We were spoiled and pampered, pampered and spoiled and I cannot recommend it highly enough if you have children or if you don't. The house was beautiful and fantastically furnished. It was blissful. Katy, Jason, Tilly, Tallulah and Oscar Wheatley,    Lancashire,    May 2009  Just to say again how much we enjoyed our week with you at Artagnan. Everything about the lead up to our holiday, from your ordering in our shopping, the welcome pack, the advice pre-arrival and all the little extras was just wonderful. The house was exactly as we'd hoped it would be, beautifully presented and very well(and thoughtfully)kitted out. The old rule of thumb "if the kids are happy, we're happy" rang true, they settled in instantly allowing us to get on with the serious business of exploring the beautiful surroundngs and enjoying some serious R&R. Thanks for organising the cook, the pork and prunes was divine. Thanks again for all your efforts, you have a great formula for a lovely family holiday and we feel very lucky to have found you! The Venton family,    Kent,    Aug 2008  Tim, Razia and their children were very welcoming and made sure that we had everything we needed to enjoy our stay. The house and gardens are gorgeous and provided everything to keep our 2 amused, busy and happy for the stay. We particularly loved the pool with its range of floats and toys, badmington, swing ball, the chickens, the range of toys,(in particular the petshop toy, prams, dolls and action man!, the big collection of books, the markets in nearby towns, great food in the restaurants, to top it all we had glorious sunshine....and after a summer of rain at home it made a welcome change. This is a great place for a family holdiay! Kathy, Simon, Jake and Ellen Cornwell,    Weybridge,    Aug 2008  The house is huge, old and modern at the same time and has everything you could think of for babies and kids. The views are beautiful, the local villages are all very picturesque and Tim, Razia and their family who live in the converted barn next door are extremely welcoming and helpful. We highly recommend a stay here. Marianne, James and Luca Perrin,    Middlesex,    Jul 2008  We have just returned from two fantastic weeks at Artagnan. Our hoiday was the best we have had as a family thanks to the generosity, professionalisim and thoughtfulness of Tim, Razia and their children. We can not think of any way in which our holiday could have been improved and believe the Colemans give many five-star hotels a run for their money in terms of providing a personal, professional yet discreet service. Lindy, Bevis, Pia and Cade Comer,    Somerset,    Jun 2008  We have just returned from a week at Artagnan. Believe the hype....the house, grounds and owners are all absolutely wonderful. Every little thing we thought of was already organised for our enjoyment. The kids loved the pool and all the toys, we loved the ice cream maker and cooking in the brilliantly equiped kitcen. We can genuinely not recommend this place enough. Massice thanks to Tim and Razia and their lovely children for their hospitality and friendliness. Roxanne, Tim and Jake Caplan,    London,    Jun 2008  We had a wonderful week here. The Coleman's have created a fantastic villa with all the right touches to make for a luxury adult holiday from huge fluffy towels to candles, a coffee machine, a fridge full of delicious cheeses and a brilliant DVD collection. They have also thought of absolutely everything you could want for a baby or kids from a baby monitor to pool toys and a booster seat to take out to restaurants. Everything is in fantastic condition so you really don't need to lug all the usual stuff with you. Our one year old got sick while we were there and Razia and Tim looked after us even coming to the doctor to do the translating. You won't want to leave this place but if you fancy a day out the area is great for exploring. I can't recommend it highly enough! Josie, Damian and Connor Jory,    London,    May 2008  Where do we start, what a fantastic holiday, thank you so much for the hospitality and organisation you showed. The house and set up was fantastic, we and the kids had so much fun and came home recharged and relaxed. The chef was fab, we really felt we had a break from the norm. It is the best family holiday we have ever had. Inoubliable. Aaran,Sarah,Jake,Oscar, Zac and Cosmo Henry,    Suffolk,    Aug 2007