We stayed here late July 2011. Our group was 6 adults and 4 kids (age 2-5). This is perfect for young families - the grounds (shared with other young families staying in the 3 adjacent cottages, so our kids had even more people to play with) were beautiful. Loads of shade and places the kids could play out of sight but not so far away as to need constant monitoring; swings; sunken trampoline that we couldn't get our kids off; lovely treehouse etc. And sheep!

Pool was also fantastic, and reassuring that it was safely gated - no risk of little ones wandering in.

Although the other properties were fully occupied (all English families during our visit), it never felt crowded in the communal areas - there was loads of room, secluded areas and three large barbecues (which we made good use of...)

Accommodation had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. useful stuff in the kitchen like decent pans, blender, electric beaters etc. Fresh herbs growing in the grounds were also a bonus (there were also apples, pears and mirabels and the surrounding hedgerows were laden with blackberries that sadly weren't quite ripe enough for us to sample, but some lucky people in August will be able to make great pies).

Surrounding area also gorgeous - sunflower fields in full flower were amazing to see. Several in our party made use of the bicycles (including child seats) to get around and loved it.

Nearby town Chef Boutonne has most stuff you'll need. Don't miss the lovely little chateau - we got a guided tour and our little ones loved it - especially the toy section in the attic. A bit further afield, St Jean d'Angely had a great leisure centre with slides etc for the kids; the Friday food market at Melle was also a great experience.

all in all, a wonderful restful stay - great value. We'll definitely be back

We have just returned from our 3rd visit to "Les Hiboux"and it was just as fantastic as in previous years (despite some poor weather!!). We were introduced to the properties by a friend for her 40th birthday where the party was mainly made up of adults, and it worked perfectly: the pool is great for lazing around and the games room provided entertainment in the form of table football, darts and pool in the evenings after a barbeque. We stayed on for a further week with our 2 boys (then 2 and 3years old) which was equally successful as the garden is an absolute haven for an old fashioned adventure - you can let your children out of eyeshot so that they are free to explore and "be kids", knowing that they are safe and with friends. There always seems to be a great crowd of children staying in the other gites, and they love playing together, mixing ages. The boys are now 5 and 6, and it continues to work brilliantly for us as a family holiday. This year, we had one week of glorious weather, followed by a few wet days. There was still enough to do with all the games and toys provided (including my youngest learning to ride a bike without stabilisers for the first time on one of the bikes provided- rain no barrier!) but we did feel the need to venture out. There are plenty of markets throughout the week, but the major attractions are all quite a drive away. Nevertheless, the whole family enjoyed Zoodyssey, and the aquarium at La Rochelle is great. Tim and Ellen have always achieved the perfect balance of being on hand with information or help with problems yet leaving you to enjoy your holiday in their beautifully maintained houses and garden. Don't worry about carting out lots of toys and books for your children - they have thought of all of that too! We'll be back again!!

Visited in July with family 4 adults 3 kids aged 3, 7 and 10 had a great time. We stayed in the very well equipped Les Hiboux Farmhouse for 2 weeks. Didn't even need to eat out ,we visited the French markets in the nearby villages and BBQ'd most evenings and when the weather wasn't so good cooked in the large farmhouse kitchen. Very relaxing for the adults as the kids were quite happy to play with their new friends in the fantastic garden and swimming pool. The gardens were very safe for small children to run around without being supervised , my sisters 3 year old enjoyed his freedom as did his mum. We visited Futuroscope in Poitiers which was well worth a visit for the older children. Hope to visit les Hiboux again in the future.

We choose this for the excellent range of activities on site for our 3 and 5 year olds and were not disappointed. We also wanted to have the potential for 'playmates' with other gites on site and this too was a huge success, especially for our 5 year old son.
As for the adults - we chilled out completely doing some touring around, but mostly just enjoying the pool, the garden and the great environment provided. Tim and Ellen were fantastic hosts offering valuable advice and info.
We loved the bread/croissant van that called at the top of the drive during the week.
A great stay and we will definitely be back!