Welcome to Coten Towers
(The Coten family on holiday in Mumbai)
Discover the many delights of Gascony, especially its food and wine, with a stay at Coten Towers.
We are former Barbican residents now living in south west France, with our daughter Alice-Rose and Labrador Elfie.
Joe and Nina Coten
The house
Our family home is a small mansion built in the 1850s with period reception rooms. A lot of the original features are intact, such as the wrought iron staircase and the Venetian mosaic flooring on the ground floor. There is an art collection with a number of original pieces by Constantin Guys and also Maurice Utrillo, with in addition some contemporary works.
The garden
In the secluded upper garden there is a 10m by 5m swimming pool, with a water temperature usually above 20 degrees between the end of April and the end of October. There are several trees over 100 years old and the lower garden has a number of fruit trees.
Your room
You will be staying in a spacious ensuite double bedroom on the first floor overlooking the swimming pool.
Please be aware that there is no TV in your room, nor in any other part of the house. We do however have Wi-Fi.
Alternatively we have an ensuite double bedroom on the ground floor overlooking the garden, if you prefer.
Table d’hôte
We serve breakfast and dinner either on the terrace or in our period dining-room. We will be joining you at the table for dinner for what is generally a most convivial evening!
We showcase local produce such as Boeuf de Bazas and poultry from les Landes, and we grill entrecôte and magret de canard on vine branches, which is a regional speciality. Also acclaimed is the master of the house's cassoulet, which once eaten is never forgotten. Other highlights include asparagus, summer fruits, game, cèpes, cheese from the Pyrenees, walnuts, oysters and much more, depending on the season.
For information on our dining options, please refer to the Pricing page of the website.
Wine
We have a cellar that will please the discerning diner, with a number of fine and rare bottles, as well as some older vintages for those wishing to experience wines of character with the prestige menu option.
There are also some excellent local wines from the Entre Deux Mers appellation and these include Bordeaux Supérieur among the reds. These will be served with the menu "Tradition"
Getting here
Our village, Gironde sur Dropt, is just under an hour from Bordeaux Airport, which is served by British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair. We recommend you hire a car from the airport to make your onward journey to Coten Towers. You will find a car necessary for local excursions. NB Coten Towers has secure parking.
The surrounding area
As well this being a wine-lover’s paradise, there is lots to do and see nearby. We are happy to make recommendations but it is worth researching the Bordeaux and Entre Deux Mers tourist information websites before your visit:
La Réole
Our nearest town dates back to the Middle Ages and takes its name from La Regula, referring to the monastic governance that was the local law of the land in those times. Interestingly there was a street in the city of London, now College Hill, that was called La Reole in the 13th Century. This was because numerous merchants from this area set up their wine import businesses there. Before France achieved nationhood, the capital of the Duchy of Aquitaine was Bordeaux. In times of plague, however, the government decamped to La Réole, and sat in Le Manoir du Prince Noir just outside the city walls. This is one of a number of places worth seeing, along with the Benedictine monastery, the town hall commissioned by Richard the Lionheart and the quaint narrow streets of the old town. The medieval château overlooking the Garonne is a private residence and not normally open to visitors. La Réole makes for an ideal morning or afternoon excursion.
The Saturday morning market is a vibrant and colourful affair. It has just been voted the best market in France, which is rightly a source of much local pride.
During the last weekend in September there is an excellent early music festival. Previous artists include James Bowman and the Kings Singers.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a delight to wander around and warrants a full day out, as there is much to see and do. Although it is less than an hour away by car, you may find it easier to take the train. There is a country halt within walking distance, with several direct trains a day to Bordeaux. Trains are more frequent from La Réole, a 5 minute drive away.
For wine enthusiasts, the "Cité du Vin", the world's largest wine museum, is an unmissable day out. Allow a whole day for your visit.
