A café-bar with a home above has come up for sale in one of the most beautiful villages in south-west France, discovers Ruth Wood
Business of the month
Alegendary cherry tree grows in the courtyard of this café-bar in the beautiful riverside village of Vouvant. Many moons ago, a visiting missionary is said to have healed a boy with cherries picked from it in the depths of winter. Everyone loves a good story – almost as much as they love tea and cake, which is why Café Cour du Miracle (miracle courtyard) has been such a hit with locals and visitors alike.
The British owners have also capitalised on their property’s location in one of the most beautiful villages of France, only an hour from Vendée’s sandy beaches and the bustling port of La Rochelle. Now though, they are looking to pass on the commercial premises to new owners, along with the two-bedroom home above it.
Café Cour du Miracle is in the heart of the community, opposite the Tour de Melusine. On the ground floor is the café-bar, which is fully fitted and recently decorated. There’s also a customer WC here. A rear door leads out to the cobbled courtyard, where customers can sit at parasol-shaded tables.
The first floor contains the professional kitchen, owners’ lounge and utility room; then it’s upstairs to two bedrooms, a shower room and toilet, which are off a landing, with some loft space above. There’s a cellar under the café-bar and a wooden decked terrace opposite on the main car park, offering extra alfresco seating.
Vouvant, or at least its castle, w
