Charming Country Cottage
Set in Beautiful French Countryside
Sleeps 2 (1 Bedroom)
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Le Vieux Fournil is a converted bakehouse, still with the original oven opening into the living space, providing that extra piece of interest and history to this wonderfully quirky building. The kitchen and bathroom are housed in the original woodstore and pig sty. The bedroom is converted from the hayloft although now the high ceiling is grandly adorned with its own chandelier! The cottage is located in the region of the Pays de la Loire with its spectacular landscapes in the north and vast vineyards to the south. The house is 2 km’s from the historic town of Lassay-les-Châteaux which boasts one of the finest examples in France of a fortified medieval chateau. The town has many winding streets amongst which can be found examples of medieval living all situated just off the main Market Square where you will find shops, bars and restaurants. This is an ideal base for those seeking walking or cycling holidays in wonderful countryside or alternatively just a relaxing break from city life!
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 31 March 2012 - 27 April 2012 | €280 | 3 | ||
| 28 April 2012 - 1 June 2012 | €340 | 4 | ||
| 2 June 2012 - 31 August 2012 | €395 | 7 | ||
| 1 September 2012 - 28 September 2012 | €365 | 4 | ||
| 29 September 2012 - 26 October 2012 | €320 | 3 |
Notes on prices
Prices shown are for the property per week in euros but can also be quoted in UK stirling if you wish to pay in pounds - usually quoted at 4 cents below the published bank rate at the time of enquiry. During the summer months bookings are from Saturday to Saturday (June/July/August) unless otherwise specified. For shorter bookings outside this period please contact the owners for a price per night.
Changeover day
Changeover day flexible oustide of peak summer months. Arrival after 4pm. Departure by 10am.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Upstairs bedroom has stone walls, exposed oak beams, chandelier and wood floor. Double bed with white linen and quilt, dressing table, bedside table and lamps, chest of drawers, clothes hanging facility from beams and oil filled radiator. |
| Bathrooms: | Large modern shower room with part exposed stone walls. Fixed 8 inch 'rain' shower with alternative detachable shower fitting in tiled walk-in shower space. Electric wall heater, basin and WC. |
| Kitchen: | Well equipped kitchen with electric oven/grill, gas hob, fridge with ice box, ironing board and iron. Further freezer space is available in the freezer located in the laundry room. Butler stone sink under kitchen window overlooking views into the valley. |
| Utility Room: | Utility room in separate building with washing machine, laundry baskets, pegs mop and broom and additional freezer. |
| Living Rooms: | Living room has two seater sofa, coffee table, dining table, TV/DVD and radio/ipod station. The original oven is still intact and opens into the living room with a candle inside which can be lit to reveal original features. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
Towels and bed linen are provided and will be changed weekly if a single booking runs to 2/3 weeks. If you don't want the bother of cleaning up and clearing away on you last day take advantage of our "Get up and GO!!" service - please ask for details. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge/freezer washing machine iron/ironing board tv central heating barbecue |
| Suitability: | pets accepted |
| Location Type: |
Notes on accommodation
To ensure that you have the best start to your holiday you will find a complimentary 'starter pack' in the cottage to make sure that there is no need to worry about those essential items on the first night/morning. The 'starter pack' contains, a toilet roll, washing up and cleaning materials, aluminium foil, salt & pepper, olive oil, mixed herbs, milk, teabags, coffee, bread, butter, jam and a bottle of red wine. Guests may also take advantage of the DVD library which contains over 300 DVD's which can be borrowed on request. There is also a tailor made guidebook detailing the facilities in the local area plus a number of books/pamphlets providing detailed maps and guides for cycling, walking and places of interest. The cottage is non-smoking. Pets are accepted provided they are well behaved and kept under control. The owners Sandra and Paul live in separate accommodation on the site and will be happy to assist with any requests/information.
Outside
Le Vieux Fournil has it's own private garden for the use of guests at the cottage, all set within 1.8 acres of land surrounding the property, which in itself is surrounded by fields. A BBQ is provided with outdoor furniture, two deck chairs, sun parasol, small metal breakfast table with two tulip chairs. In the garden there is a larger table and chairs which can be used anywhere as you wish. There are two picnic rugs and two cushions in the cottage which can be used in the garden or taken out for the day. A picnic bag and freezer blocks are also provided.
Coast/Beach
Sille-le-Guillaume, 50 mins - lake and artificial beach set in over 3000 ha forest. Normandy Beaches, 2 hrs - must visit for those interested in WWII. Mont-Saint-Michel, 2 hrs - second most visited place in France after the Eifel Tower. Stunning walled port of St Malo and the holiday resort of Dinard, 2 hrs both with fabulous restaurants and shops. Concale, 2hrs - Pretty fishing village, world renowned for its fresh oysters that can be eaten on the beach (or in a restaurant if preferred!).
Golf
There is a 9 hole golf course at Bagnoles de L'Orne 25 mins
In addition there is an excellent 18 and 9 hole golf course at Laval 40 mins away. Approx €45 for 18 holes, no membership fee required and an excellent restaurant in the clubhouse!
Slightly further there are golf courses at Flers 45 mins, Belleme 1 hour and Clecy 1 hour.
Special interest holidays
Season 2012
Le Mans - 1 hr 15 mins from La Gautrie
24 Hours Race 16 - 17th June
Classic Car Rally 6 - 8th July
24 Hour Motorbike Race 8 - 9th September
Travel
Own transport essential for this countryside location.
Eurotunnel - Dover to Calais 35 mins. 4 hr drive, mostly motorway.
Ferries - Dover to Calais approx 4 hour drive, mostly motorway. Dover to Boulogne approx 4 hour drive, mostly motorway. Newhaven to Dieppe 3 hours drive from Dieppe but longer crossing. Portsmouth to either Caen or Le Havre 2 hour drive.
Airports - Cheapest - Usually Ryanair to Dinard.
Rennes 1 hr 20 mins hours drive. Dinard, Nantes, Tours 2 hour drive.
Distances
2 kms from the cottage, Chantrigné is a thriving village with a local shop/post office, hairdressers, mobile local butcher, garage and one of the best local restaurants in the area for real traditional food. Both Lassay Les Chateaux, 2kms and Ambrières, 6kms have all of the above with the addition of local weekday markets, bank with cash point, post office, vets practice, tourist information office, restaurants and supermarkets. A medical centre and dental practice is also located in Lassay.
Further details
Within a 30 minute drive. Lassay-les-Châteaux, 5 mins one of the Mayenne Departments six 'Petites Cités de Caractere' with its stunning medieval chateau, winding streets and pretty market square. Mellary Cider Museum, 10 mins, see (and more importantly taste) how traditional cider is made from the apple to the bottle. Ambrières-les-Vallées 10 mins, all year round activities include an equestrian center, sailing, walks/cycle routes of all abilities. Summer months – open air swimming pool, archery, mini golf, kayaking, canoeing, tennis. Mayenne, 20 mins superb Musee du Chateau . Fontaine-Daniel, 20 mins beautifully preserved village set around a lake with a traditional textile mill and fabric outlet. Bagnoles de l'Orne, 20-25 mins spa resort reminiscent of a Swiss mountain village, enjoy the high life at the casino and horse track or maybe just relax at the spa before dining out in the many restaurants in this little piece of café society set in the forest of the Parc de Normandie. Ferté Macé Forest, 25-30 mins lake and artificial beach - many cycling and walking routes plus watersports in the summer.
Within a 1 hour drive. Falaise, 40 mins magnificent castle home of William The Conquerer. Jublains, 40 mins Roman encampment discovered in and around the town , now preserved. Carrouges castle, 50 mins austere but captivating, the castle of is like a summary of history from the 11th to the 20th century. Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, 50 min described as 'one of the prettiest villages in France'. St Suzanne - Beautiful medieval hilltop village and fortress.
Within a 2 hours drive. Rennes, 1 hr 20. For those looking for sophistication, shopping and culture Rennes has it all. Bayeux, 1hr 50 visit this lovely town of canals and winding streets, visit the museum housing the famous Bayeux Tapestry depicting scenes from the 1066 Battle of Hastings. Anger, 1hr 55 for wine lovers visit the vineyards of the Loire and maybe even tour a chateau before purchasing a case of wine!
Booking notes
Non refundable deposit of 25% of total cost of booking payable within 7 days of initial booking confirmation. Balance of booking cost to be paid 6 weeks prior to arrival. Refundable breakage and damage deposit of 100 euros will be payable on arrival.
Guest comments
Lovely cottage and location, all beautifully presented with real attention to detail. We've loved the cycling and surrounding countryside. Top quality bed linen and an amazing shower! John and Janet, Eastbourne.
We had a lovely relaxing time - this is such a special place! Sandra and Paul have worked really hard to create such a lovely and welcoming refuge to get away from it all - lots of lovely touches. Andy and Fozia, London.
You have created a beautiful and tranquil hideaway - the surrounding country is magnificent and clearly steeped in so much history. We had a superb time, thank you for the attention to detail, it makes a huge difference between a holiday and an unforgettable life experience! Pippa and Taz, Nottingham.
What a heavenly place, charming and captivating in every way! It is the first holiday place which didn't exaggerate how nice it was! Lara and John, Dublin.
Owner profile
Paul et Sandra
About the owner
Paul and I both had busy careers, too much stress and unhealthy lifestyles. We would longingly watch all those TV programs about changing your life, moving to the country, renovating a barn into a designer palace all whilst Kevin McCloud peered into the camera wringing his hands in despair - if only that could be us! In 2007, just as my son left home I found myself made redundant and always one to look on the bright side decided to have some 'me' time. That quickly turned into 'seize the day' mentality so Paul quit his job, we put our furniture in storage, packed our Clio to the roof and set off for France with a map and a gite booked for 7 weeks. Three years later we now have a beautiful property in wonderful countryside, a loony dog called Barnie and one big barn-still to be renovated.
Year purchased: 2008
Why the owner chose a home in this location
We absolutely fell in love with the area - like a huge Devon but without the people!! Family, friends, eating and socialising are the main focus for everyone here so there's never any hurry and nothing is ever too busy. It's great to just relax, unwind and enjoy the everyday beauty of the surrounding landscape and the abundance of fantastic wildlife. Although we live on a hilltop with great views and are surrounded by fields all our local amenities are just down the road including our favourite restaurant where a five course meal with wine costs just €10! In addition the coast is only an hour and a half away for those days when we want some sea air, a run on the beach with the dog and a plate of really fresh shellfish.
Unique benefits of the property
We wanted to create a holiday cottage that we would have wanted to stay in when we went away - big soft pillows, white linen on the bed and a great big shower with lots of hot water, (not just a luke warm trickle whilst crouching in a small smelly cubicle). Most of all a place that could feel like a home not just a holiday let.
We also wanted to take the hassle out of trying to find out about local places to visit or eateries that are good value and great food rather than discovering it all on the last day when your holiday is almost over. We have put together a comprehensive book with all the local attractions and information leaflets, along with books on the local area, cycling and walking routes and trips further afield. We look forward to seeing you soon - Sandra, Paul et Barnie.
For booking and further information
Property Ref FR4922
Contact Name:
Sandra Hughes
(FRANCE) +33 243320147
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Property Ref FR4922
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