Montargen Holidays in France

Montargen (pron. mon tar zjong), which is old french and means mountain of silver, is a beautiful private property set in 13 acres of landscaped grounds on the slopes of a secluded valley on the outskirts of the ancient village of Saint-Maurin in South West France. The main property is the Manoir, a large 13th century farmhouse. Gite1 and Gite2 are converted from the property’s maison d’amis, literally ‘friend’s house’ or guest house. This property is thought to have been built at a later date, possibly during the French revolution in the late 18th century to serve as a staging post for horseback travellers and messengers.

The gites have been designed to the highest standards including accessibility and, as with our properties in Scotland, have been equipped with very special features for the less able. The Manoir, has been restored sympathetically in keeping with its original design, which include very large rooms, small windows and thick stone walls which combine to keep it cool in the very hot summers and warm in the mild winters. A particular feature of the Manoir is the two fantastic arched loggias (pron. lozshia) or balconies, one on each floor, which overlook stunning views across the ‘secret’ valley.

All three properties share the same landscaped grounds, maintained to a high standard with the aid of an automatic irrigation system. The property is accessed through electric gates. The shared private piscine (swimming pool) is situated immediately outside the gites in a sheltered area of the gardens. The neighbours are mostly French farmers, as the property is surrounded by unspoilt working arable farmlands, unchanged for centuries. The grounds contain, amongst other things, a ruined tower and natural springs with black and golden carp and local frogs populating the spring pools. There are ‘resident’ deer that wander the property and offer occasional sightings to the vigilant.