Welcome to Le Ruault (pronounced "Le Rue-oh"), our small patch of French countryside on the edge of the Loire Valley.

Le Ruault comprises two separate well-equipped rental properties: Poplar House sleeps 8 in 4 bedrooms; Orchard Cottage sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms (although they can be rented together, making it an ideal solution for anyone looking to spend a holiday with extended family or friends). Nestled in seven acres, the grounds include gardens, an orchard and a small fishing lake.

The properties share a 12m x 6m heated outdoor pool. Situated at the far end of the garden, it's in a real sun trap making it a lovely place to relax with the rustling from the poplars and birdsong for company. It's open from mid-May until the end of September and you're free to swim any time of day. We've had some guests who have hardly strayed from it for the duration of their stay and others who've loved diving in to cool off after a day out. The Roman steps allow easy access and the depth graduates from 1.2m to 1.8m at the deep end. There's an automatic rollback cover, which serves two purposes: keeping the pool safe (when it's not in use) which is good to know if you have young children, and keeping the warmth in overnight. We've lost count of how many children have learned to swim - or indeed improved their confidence - in it.

We have WiFi across the whole site. Each property has a selection of books, games and DVDs plus English and French TV. We offer table tennis, badminton and a range of adult and child bikes for you to enjoy if you're feeling more energetic.

We guarantee you a great night's sleep on our pocket-sprung divan beds, with crisp, white, 100% Egyptian-cotton bed linen. Each property has one bedroom with a permanent king-sized bed in it. The other bedrooms can all be configured either with twin beds or a super king bed.

Poplar House has two ground-floor bedrooms, which share a bathroom; Orchard Cottage's main bedroom is on the ground-floor and has an en suite bathroom. These make Le Ruault suitable to rent by people with reduced mobility. We can also provide grab handles for the baths and a shower seat.

For those with younger family members, we have travel cots with mattresses, high chairs, changing mats and buggies - all of which might save a bit of space in your car.

We purchased Le Ruault back in 2007 and made it our full time home in 2017. We have poured our hearts into perfecting the accommodation and its surroundings. We like to say we purchased a house and grounds and now we have a home with gardens! We have been welcoming guests to Le Ruault since 2008 and hope you will be keen to come and stay too!

Tim, Emma and Ranulph (aged 10) Scott-Smith

The Loire valley

The Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its wine and châteaux with much to see and do. The cavalry town of Saumur, on the banks of the Loire, has a rich, cultural background and an imposing château. We are approximately 25 minutes' drive south of Saumur, surrounded by vineyards and fields of sunflowers. We offer peace and tranquility and also an ideal starting point to explore the best that the Loire valley offers.

Nearby towns and villages

Our nearest village, Bouillé-Loretz, is only 2.5 miles/4 km away. It has a bakery, a small village store and a bar/restaurant. Argenton L'Eglise is approximately 4 miles/6.5 km away. It has a bakery, a bar-tabac, a bank with ATM, a little supermarket, and a pharmacy. Le Ruault is approximately 20 minutes' drive from the towns of Thouars, Montreuil-Bellay and Doué-la-Fontaine, where you can find a selection of restaurants, supermarkets and fuel stations.

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