Property & Location

Le Moulin de la Quine is 3km north west of the small town of Saint Savinien-sur-Charente and is set in gently undulating countryside overlooking a hamlet and tree lined valley leading to the lovely Charente river 2km away. The house is a typical old Charentais farmhouse and the windmill is also stone-built in the traditional style. Both are at least 200 years old, probably more. A similar windmill in Saint Savinien itself is dated 1681.

Set in the peace and tranquillity of the countryside, the garden around the house is really beautiful and is a lovely place to relax after a day on the beach or exploring the area. There is also a croquet lawn for more energetic guests, though the turf is not quite up to Hurlingham standards!

The garden has been described as a mini-nature reserve. Ornithologist visitors counted 33 different bird species in two days. Buzzards and kites soar overhead, nightingales sing in early summer, hoopoes feed on the lawn. There are wonderful wild flowers too - bee and lizard orchids among them.

St Savinien

St Savinien, built on a rocky promontory overlooking the Charente river, is a tiny, picturesque town whose facilities include tennis courts, a new swimming pool, a miniature boating lake, horse riding and river trips as well as shady places by the river for picnics. Only 5 minutes by car from Le Moulin de la Quine, the town has excellent local food shops and supermarket and several restaurants and bars. St Savinien is completely unspoilt and while it welcomes visitors it is definitely not a tourist trap.

Climate

Met records show that the “La Rochelle pocket” is the second sunniest part of France and the temperate climate is one of the main attractions for visitors to this part of Charente Maritime.

Travel

by Air
Ryanair flies into La Rochelle, only 50 minutes away. Airports at Bordeaux, Poitiers and Nantes are within 2 hours' drive.
Also Flybe flies into La Rochelle from Southampton.

by Rail
The TGV comes into La Rochelle, also Surgeres and Angouleme.

by Ferry
The channel ports of St Malo, Caen, Cherbourg and Roscoff are 4 1/2 to 6 hours away.