Mervent is a beautiful forest nearby. We have a villa that was designed and built by my husband right in the center of the area, a short walk from the river and bars. It's such a great spot with plenty to do for the whole family. If you are interested in outdoor activities, this is the perfect destination for you. There is a sailing school to hire boats of different sizes. There are walks and cycle paths through the forest as well as pony treks if this appeals to you. There is an adventure park that all ages can enjoy, and finally a zoo that has been recently improved.

A welcoming French couple run one restaurant by the bridge and offer a reasonable menu du jour as well as a good range of snacks, happy to cater for large groups too.

It has been frustrating as it is such a stunning environment, but has needed someone with vision (and money) to update the other two bars. An Irish lady has bought one of the bars recently so we are waiting to see what she does with this. It is the most perfect setting, breath-taking!

It is with great anticipation that the spacious venue set right on the rivers edge, next to our villa is reopening! It is a quiet life we lead out here, especially through the winter months, so this is the talk of the commune and we have high expectations! The complete overhaul has taken sometime, but it is looking very smart, the work was well-needed and has made a huge difference.

We had a lovely sunny lunch there not long ago. The menu is quite simple, classically French, and a little expensive, you do pay for the right to sit beside the river which is wonderful and worth it! I think we need to allow them time to get settled into the business and the area, which I'm sure will help them to iron out the teething problems that are apparent with any new business.

As a final thought, the staff were friendly, the setting is incredible and the food was pretty good. For tourists and locals this is the perfect spot for a relaxed lunch or an aperitif, definitely worth a visit!

Our villa in Mervent