Description:

Maison du Canal is situated on almost 5 private acres overlooking the Canal Lateral and a one-lane, picturesque bridge crossing over it to the house. The driveway winds through flowers and flowering bushes to an ivy-covered farmhouse with plenty of parking space in the rear.

The entire house is furnished with traditional French furniture and antiques, including large wooden armoires, lithographs and prints. The two-story high living room has striking wooden beams, two large, comfortable couches, a coffee table, chairs, reading lamps and a magnificent tall, 18th century fireplace. The picture windows look out on the terrace and gardens facing the canal. French doors lead out onto the terrace. There's a small corner with a combination radio, tape and CD player with dozens of classical, jazz and contemporary CDs and tapes. A curving staircase goes up to a large mezzanine with a balcony overlooking the living room. There's a queen-size convertible sofa, bureau, coffee table, desk, bookcase and chairs.

The dining room, an extension of the living room, has a traditional wood dining table which seats 10 to 12 and an antique buffet with complete sets of dining ware. A side table holds small sconces and large Creuset casseroles. French doors open out onto the front lawn. The walls are hung with French balloon ascension prints and various lithographs.

Just off the living room and dining room is the kitchen, with a tiled floor and a round country table seating 5. Antique yellow-and-white cupboards hold glassware, dishes, bowls, serving platters, etc. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything one needs, including blenders, hand mixer, electric coffeemaker, coffee grinder, refrigerator with freezer, pots and pans. French doors lead out onto a terrace overlooking the pool and the canal. A table seating six is on the terrace for alfresco dining.

From the kitchen one walks through the front hallway into the study. There are bookcases, an antique wooden filing cabinet, a small desk with telephone and fax. There's a modem connection for computers on the desk. There's also a long, antique desk with two chairs, facing the garden outside. A large, locked armoire is in the study for the owners' use only. Two sets of French doors lead outside. At the far end of the study is an "entertainment area," with satellite television, DVD and VHS players. There's a large coffee table, two small couches and additional chairs. A bookcase holds dozens of VHS and DVD movies.

A staircase from this area goes up to a small, charming bedroom with an antique, single French sleigh bed. There are windows and a small porthole, which looks out onto the canal. There's a bureau and closet as well.

A corridor off the front hallway leads to the first floor bedrooms. Two of these have queen-size beds, armoires for clothes, bureaus, and double windows looking out on the front lawn and the 17th century church beyond. Each bedroom has bedside tables with lamps and a chair and reading lamp.

At the end of the corridor is a bedroom with a single antique brass bed, bureau, armoire, reading chair and lamp, bedside table and a double window. Also at the end of the corridor is a bathroom with bathtub, bidet, cabinet and sink. The room next to it is a small WC with toilet.
     
The large utility room off the front corridor and next to the dining room has a washer and dryer, large sink and a cabinet for household supplies. Behind a folding screen is the furnace and large shelves above it for storing luggage. At the end of the Utility Room, next to the dining room, is a bathroom with sink and shower. A table and cabinet hold toiletries, hairdryer, etc. There is a garage off the dining room with three bicycles: two mountain bikes and one lady's bike, all with helmets, pumps and locks. There are also badminton and croquet sets.
     
The front lawn of the house is spacious, with a stone bench and a swing set. A terrace runs along the rear of the house. Part of it is covered and has chairs for reading. The other part has a round dining table, an old, covered well, dozens of rose bushes, flowering trees, a magnificent cypress with roses entwined and flowering bushes. A stone stairway leads down to a "barbecue area," with a round table (with umbrella) seating 4 to 5, a barbecue setup, two antique metal chairs and a bench. From that area stone steps lead to the pool area. There's a beautiful pool, totally private, with five chaise longues, small tables and surrounded with flowers and bushes. Steps lead into the shallow end and the deepest end is about 7 feet.      Beyond and down from the pool area is the very large lower, fenced-in yard, bordering the canal. There are fruit trees and a large lawn.

Location Information:

The nearest village, Damazan, is five minutes away by car; there's a patisserie, grocery store and other shops. Aiguillon, 15 minutes away, has market days each week with fresh vegetables, cheeses, meats and a supermarket (Intermarche). 30 minutes away is the city of Agen, with fine stores, museums, Dessanges hair salon, restaurants, a train station. 45 minutes away is Villeneuve-sur-Lot, a beautiful old city with four towers, many stores of every kind, a barbershop, museum, large, indoor market and fine restaurants. Just beyond Villeneuve is Pujols, one of the most beautiful villages in France, and Penne, another village known for its artists' colony. Also 25 minutes away is Vianne, one of the only circular bastide villages in France, known for its Faience ceramics and fine glassware (you can watch the men blow the glass). Up and down the canal are charming small restaurants and 20 minutes away, in Buzet, home of the Buzet wines, you can rent a small boat to go up and down the canal.