DESCRIPTION

Serres is a fine, south-facing, late C18th (date-stone 1791) farmhouse with perhaps the best panoramic views of the Pyrenees anywhere in Gascony - truly stunning! The rooms are comfortable, well-proportioned and the house has been imaginatively and elegantly restored. The pool (12x6m) is opposite the house, linked by old farm buildings to create a courtyard effect. Part of the farm buildings now form a very attractive shady outside sitting/eating area.

Serres is only 20 minutes' walk or 5 minutes' drive to Marciac, with its famous International Jazz Festival (www.jazzinmarciac.com) held every year for three weeks from the end of July to middle of August. Because of this Festival, Marciac has a high level of facilities, as well as being a very attractive small town.

The pool at Serres is very well-sited with landscaped, with paved terraces around, plenty of sunbeds and a special, large double sunbed with awning over. The gardens, with mature olive trees and flowering shrubs are a delight.

There are old stone steps up to the double front door with fanlight and carved date stone over. This opens into a generous tiled hallway with an elegant old oak staircase. To the right of the hallway is the large comfortable Sitting Room with East and South facing windows, fireplace with wood-burning stove, TV and music system. Opposite the Sitting Room is the family kitchen with long oak table, large, open fireplace with wood-burning stove and an intriguing old bread oven to one side. The kitchen is well equipped with stylish interior decoration.

The hallway also leads down a couple of steps to the rear of the house and into a large games room with a 'Pool' table, bean bags and adjacent shower/laundry room. This shower room also serves the downstairs twin bedroom leading off the games room, which has a door out to the East terrace.

A half-landing leads from the stairs to the rear of the house at first floor level. A large landing leads to a double bedroom (with third bed) and, along the corridor, a separate loo and large family bathroom with shower. The main staircase leads up to a landing (with a south-facing window looking across open countryside to the mountains beyond) which has doors to the two main bedrooms. On the right is the master bedroom with ensuite shower room. On the left is the second double, which has an old-fashioned roll top bath in the room.

The ski stations of the Pyrenees are only 1.5 hours' drive away, offering excellent winter skiing and a huge nature reserve in summer with hill-walking, paragliding, rafting, canoeing, etc.