It was late April when I knew that the day would come when we were going to go to Cognac and stay there for a while, be it a few days or even more, and we did. But never I dreamt that even after making sure that I had booked the right place, we would turn up at a property so breathtaking, glorious, and extra special.

It was a sunny day, more than extra hot, when following Waze’s directions, we arrived at the house, surrounded by a fence hiding century-old stories. After parking our car, we entered the house that would be ours for almost a week, and admired every corner, every piece of furniture, and every detail (there were many), especially the ones from antique markets. It almost did not want to go outside – that’s how special it was. The fireplace in the corner did make me wish it was colder outside.

Happy to be outside, Gatsby ran around the many hectares of land while the girls got dressed for a plunge in the large swimming pool, one of our favourite places in the days to follow.

This house, which used to be a priory built many centuries ago, became a British family property around 35 years ago. A large family home in which the smallest part was given to us – travelers who love a piece of history in its most beautiful form. Surrounded by a large park, rose bushes, lemon trees, gardens, and a river, we were given the freedom to feel at home by starting the day with coffee outside overlooking the park and Charente River, followed by visits to the market and boulangerie in Cognac, a drive to the ocean for oysters, endless swims in the pool, and dinners outside while enjoying the silence of Bourg-Charente. The doors of each room let us step outside onto the terrace, making every entrance and exit extra special.

Five days were not enough. Not here. The tranquility of this place begs you to stay longer. Life stops here. It has a slower pace, as if there was no other world around you. It freezes time, time so precious to us. We left, but the moment we got into the car, I booked this place for the following summer. For a much longer time because there's no other way with a place like this.