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- Historic townhouse
- Pretty courtyard garden
- Ideal car-free holiday
- Short walk to shops & restaurants
Original stone-built houses are a considerable part of Ile de Ré’s charm, and the chance to stay in one is an absolute treat, especially when it’s as comfortable and well located as Maison Merindot.
Tucked away down a cobbled street in St Martin de Ré, the outside of this 17th century townhouse is ridiculously photogenic, with brightly painted shutters, an antique door knocker and even an old well. The magic continues as you step through the private courtyard and into the house, a quirky yet tasteful mix of styles and centuries, carefully curated by its interior-designer owner. Maison Merindot is vintage heaven, romantic yet practical for a small family, with a modern kitchen and bathrooms. That all-important outdoor space is provided too, with a cute courtyard garden for long lunches, a sneaky siesta or dinner beneath the stars.
If you arrive by car there are two large public car parks about 500m away, but once you’ve unloaded there’s no need to drive anywhere for the rest of your stay. Bikes can be secured in the street outside the house, and it’s a short stroll along cobbled streets to the harbour, the heart of this UNESCO-classified town. St Martin’s famous fortifications are as old as Maison Merindot itself, but today this charming town is dedicated to the holiday pleasures of fresh seafood and fine wine, boutique shopping and gallery browsing, all within moments of your front door.
The Local area
The house sits on a quiet cobbled street, a short walk to restaurants, cafés, food shops and the covered market selling everything from baguettes to bikinis, with most of the food produce being local. During the summer months there’s also a lively night market here every evening, the perfect place to pick up some local specialities for an instant dinner or a beach picnic the next day. Your nearest beach is La Cible, a short bike ride away, or Le Bois Plage just a hop across the island (4km). Ile de Ré has around 60 kilometres of flat, well-maintained cycle paths, so even if you haven’t ridden a bike in years, it’s easy to get around and much more pleasurable than driving. It’s also worth taking a look at the old town fortifications, laid out in a distinctive star shape and fun for young would-be pirates and knights to explore. Their sheer scale is testament to the regard the French had for this little island, which seems as strong today as it was 400 years ago.
An in-villa chef and meal delivery service is available by arrangement at all our French villas
Accommodation
Layout
- 2 bedroom townhouse (sleeps 2-4)
Ground floor
- Courtyard garden entrance with shaded dining area
- Hallway
- Open-plan living/dining area with flat screen TV with Netflix and DVD player, ‘Alexa’ music dock/speaker
- Fully equipped kitchen with oven, hob, microwave, coffee-maker, fridge-freezer, dishwasher
- Laundry room with washing machine and dryer
- Shower room with WC
First floor
- Double bedroom (160cm bed)
- Twin bedroom (90cm beds, can be converted into a double on request)
- Shower room
- WC
General
- Simpson Travel telephone representative
- Complimentary WiFi
- Cot and high chair available
- Iron, ironing board and hairdryer provided
- Simpson pool/beach towels provided
- Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the property
- Pets are not permitted
- Activities close by include cycling, horse riding, surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, fishing, oyster-tasting, boat trips
- In October some seasonal restaurants, shops and bars may be closed
- For further information on Terms and Conditions specific to this French property please click here
WiFi
- All properties with WiFi are able to support basic functionality such as web browsing and checking emails*
* We aim to offer an uninterrupted service but sometimes due to factors beyond our control reliability can be affected.
Access times
- Check-in time – 4.00-7.00pm
- Check-out time – 9.45am
Services
- Weekly clean and linen change for stays of two weeks or more
Optional services offered
- Additional cleaning available
- Babysitting available
- Surf lessons (please enquire)
- Bike rental (please enquire)
- All extra services payable locally
- Prices quoted are subject to change
Getting there
- Airports
La Rochelle 25km
Nantes 165km
Bordeaux 215km - Ferry ports
St-Malo 355km - TGV stations
La Rochelle 30km
Location
- St Martin centre (market, bakery, shops, restaurants) 5min walk
- Plage de la Cible (local beach) 20min walk or 5min bike ride (1,500m)
- Le Bois Plage (watersports beaches) 4kms
- Well-connected by cycle trails to other island villages (Loix, Ars, La Flotte, La Couarde)
We had a lovely stay, thank you. Il de Ré is just gorgeous. The house is so well placed – so central and yet off the beaten track. It was easy to stroll into town for an ice-cream or to potter around the shops and it takes no time to get over to the beaches. The kids loved bodyboarding and having picnics on the beach. We loved the little bar/restaurant on the corner of rue Merindot. The food was great and the staff are lovely. The house was very well equipped. The kitchen and shower rooms are really lovely, clean and fresh. It was great having UK tv to watch some of Wimbledon. We ate all our meals outside, the courtyard is pretty and so private. The beds were comfortable and good sizes. Valerie came to meet us to help us find our way with the car to unload which was great, as driving around the narrow streets and one way system on our own would have been difficult.
Our choice of France properties is diverse, ranging from simple charm to genuine luxury and style. Much of our portfolio is privately owned, and price alone is therefore not a universal guide. We contract all our accommodation in person, and each property has its individual appeal.
To help you make the right choice based on your own priorities, we have devised a simple grading guide to be considered in conjunction with each individual property description, awarding up to a maximum of five stars for the below categories.
* For further clarification on Facilities, please view the 'Details' tab for each property or speak to one of our experienced sales consultants.
Described as the Pearl of the Atlantic, Ile de Ré has long since been on the radar of upmarket Parisians, sailors and sophisticates, famed for the beauty of its contrasting landscapes and the refined elegance of its towns and villages. The island’s ease of access and well-marked cycle trails afford a realistic opportunity for a car-free holiday and with 100km of glorious unspoilt coastline, a micro-climate that makes it one of the sunniest regions in France and a way of life that celebrates nature and conservation, this chic little island is an enchanting destination for beach-lovers, foodies and anyone looking to embrace the great outdoors.
Explore our collection of villas in Ile de Ré and discover why everyone’s talking about the Pearl of the Atlantic.
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