French holiday rental: the joys of a swimming pool

I have always aspired to having a house with a pool and now that we have one – believe me it’s everything I had hoped.  I suppose that when you hire a holiday home with its own pool you get a taste of what it is like without having the upkeep.  That luxury of swimming when you want, for how long you want without having to consider the needs of total strangers who also want to swim.

Of course this freedom isn’t just restricted to the pool itself but also the area around the pool – want to move your sun lounger to the other side of the terrace?   Hey just do it – you aren’t going to pinch someone else’s spot.  Our pool area also is very secluded as it is completely surrounded by hedges making it a very peaceful and tranquil place to chill out.  I think the most liberating and relaxing part of the pool is being able to float around on top of the water whilst seated in a very comfortable blow-up chair – I am easy to please!

When we bought our house  in France it was mid winter, so the pool looked very different – all covered up and prepared for the colder weather, so we had to wait for 6 long months before we got to open it up and get it “summer ready”. In the meantime we checked the level of water regularly – it was really the only thing we could do at that point. When we were eventually able to take off the cover, it was like opening a belated Christmas present.

Then you learn about how it all works, the technical jargon, the daily and weekly regimes of the upkeep.  Much time was spent walking up and down the aisle at the local DIY store, which is dedicated solely to pool maintenance – just like the UK really – yeah right.  We would wander up and down the aisle gazing at all the equipment and toys for the pool, like kids in a sweet shop.

Having a pool is a bit like owning a puppy, the more work you do at the beginning, the easier it will be for you …..and the pool. I never realised how much time we would spend just gazing into the water trying to decide if it was clearer and more blue than the day before  Then when the chemical levels are correct it’s a race to see who will get in first.

I always smile when I get up in the morning, open the curtains and look out onto the crystal clear water of the pool – it looks like a turquoise jewel – sparkling and inviting…. Even when it’s raining it looks amazing – I still can’t believe it is our pool.