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House view from orchard Main house Pool view over mountains Master bedroom Front entrance Vaulted dining room
	Property	Location
	Le Mas de Fabrias	Aubenas, Rhone Alps, France
	One-off feature
	This superb 17th century stone manor house is set in a stunning location with views up to the Ardeche mountains. Fully restored, the interior is breathtaking and includes galleried mezzanines and vaulted ceilings. There are beautiful gardens, a private pool and lots to do in the surrounding area. The perfect base for a group holiday.
	Property Info
	Accommodation Type:	Manor House
	Property Setting:	Mountainous / Romantic / Rural / Village setting
	Holiday Type:	Relaxing / Family / Sports & activity
	Bedrooms:	8
	Guests:	16
	Catering:	self-catering
	General Info
	Fabrias was built in the late 17th century. The two substantial wings are linked by a 20 metre long Hall on the upper floor , which has galleried mezzanines and a covered balcony. On the ground floor the stunning vaulted kitchen/dining room opens on one side onto the walled front courtyard, and at one end onto the garden, with views up the valley. The secluded pool, up above the house, has the same wonderful views. The house sleeps 16, with 8 double/twin bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. The pigeonnier beside the pool houses a further simple, but romantic, bedroom and shower room. Carefully restored and modernised in 2005-7, the house has a mixture of European furniture, including antiques, and designer made Indian rosewood furniture, as well as some limed teak. Lush Indian silk curtains/materials throughout.
	Details on the area surrounding the property/accommodation
	For outdoor–lovers, try canoeing/kayaking on the Ardeche (20 minutes to the main base). Or swimming in the crystal clear –but bracing – upper Ardeche as it tumbles down from the mountain into big rocky pools. There is a sandy beach on the Ardeche in our village (gentler water here). Tennis courts too. Endless wonderful hill-walking, including out from the house. Cycling – and sampling - through the nearby Ardeche vineyards and olive groves. For the tourist, the Ardeche is famous for its special old, restored, villages. Aubenas is a fine old medieval town (good shops and markets too). Avignon and Nimes are just over an hour away, as is the Rhone/Provence valley with all its Roman antiquity (Alba la Romaine is 15 minutes). For the gastronome, good restaurants in Aubenas, Vals, and many villages. And the local Ardeche wines are fun and interesting. Goats cheese, mushrooms, fabulous fruit, and chestnuts are among the local specialities.
	Getting there & away/local amenities
	Getting There:	UK flights to Lyon or Marseille - 2 1/2 hours; or Nimes 1 hour. Motorway from Paris/Lyon via Montelimar(40 minutes). TGV to Valence then linked bus connection to Aubenas. Car necessary at Fabrias to get the best.
	Nearest airports:	Lyon/Marseille/Nimes 2 hours plus
	Nearest train station:	Valence/Montelimar. one hour
	Nearest ferry terminal:	Channel ports
	Nearest bus stop:	Village
	Car Hire:	Advised
	Nearest restaurant:	In village or in Aubenas and surrounding villages
	Nearest beach:	River beaches along the Ardeche
	Nearest shop:	Everything in village, more in Aubenas
	Nearest market:	Aubenas
More Info Owner Info     Name Michael Arthur   Contact Phone No. +493020457102
	Accommodation details
	Activities Nearby	Beach within 5km / Birdwatching / Canoeing / Climbing / Cycling / Fishing / Horse Riding / Walking
	Interior Facilities	CD Player / Cot / Dishwasher / DVD player / Highchair / Internet Access / Linen provided / Log Fire / Satellite TV / Telephone / Television / Washing Machine
	Interior Details	The house has two wings joined by a long stone vaulted kitchen/dining room above which is the huge music room/salon/hall (with TV, DVDs, grand piano etc). There are thousands of books in the hall and in the separate vaulted library on ground floor. There is a covered balcony overlooking the closed courtyard. Using the mezzanines, games room and pigeonnier mean there are four more semi bedrooms available beyond the 8 proper ones -so parties of up to 20 are possible. There is a small breakfast/dining room on the ground floor, an elegant smaller salon, library, huge vaulted kitchen diner, and semi basement stone-vaulted games room (table tennis). It is an excellent year round venue – in winter there are three open log fires and central heating throughout. It is fully equipped for large parties - 2 dishwashers, 2 washing machines etc.
	Exterior Facilities	Balcony / BBQ / Garden / Garden Furniture / Parking / Swimming Pool / Terrace
	Exterior Details	The kitchen/dining room and Salon open onto a spacious garden with stunning views up the valley to the mountains, south-west facing. Teak table and chairs, enough for everyone to eat outside. There is also a secluded courtyard round the corner, looking up at the pigeonnier (where there is a simple 9th bedroom if needed). Good for shady eating in the day, or an evening BBQ. The pool – 13 m x 6 m – is up above the house and reached by stone steps. Pool house provides another shady place for lunch. Teak pool side furniture. Across the village lane, is our large walled (and gated) garden, overlooked by a superb 'threshing terrace' that we use for evening drinks. A stream runs through the lower property - this was the watering system for the original farm.
	Further Details	The house is just up in to the foothills of the Massif Central – the Ardeche mountains are your view. The upper reaches of the River Ardeche flow through village. Easy access by car to main Rhone valley sites - from Roman history through to today's vineyards. 10 minutes to mediaeval town of Aubenas. Hour and a bit to Avignon (south) or Le Puy (north).
	Conditions of Rental	£500 deposit to confirm a booking, returned straight after let assuming no major damage/breakages. Saturday to Saturday lets. Not less than a week. All year availability. 4 hours mid-week house keeper/cleaner included in rent. Handyman Jean Luc is 200 metres away, in case of any problems. He does the pool and garden too.
	Other Information	Babysitting available / Child Friendly / Cook available
	What visitors have said about Le Mas de Fabrias
	Our large group of two families has been holidaying together for years and we all thought Fabrias was the best we had been to in 15 years. Gwen ,    ,    Jul 2008