People | 12 |
Bedrooms | 5 |
Bathrooms | 2 |
Property type | cottage |
Minimum Stay | 4 - 7 nights |
‘Les Aubépines’ is a traditional Normandy Colombage, set in its own grounds on the edge of a tiny hamlet, near the forest of Eavy, overlooking the beautiful Varenne Valley. There is a safe enclosed front garden next to our sheep-field and apple orchard and to the rear of the house a further garden with breakfast patio and small vegetable plot. We also have a games room with table tennis, darts and basketball net. The area is ideal for bike rides and country walks, with the extensive forest of Eavy just up the footpath behind the house. There’s a children’s play area and free tennis court in the adjacent village, golf, horse-riding and fishing a few minutes away. You can arrange to canoe down the river or visit the nearby “Reve de bisons” on a buffalo safari. Sailing, go-karting and quad biking are also within easy reach, near Dieppe. The local villages all have weekly markets and excellent restaurants. Dieppe with its beach, busy market and superb fish restaurants, 25 mins.
David Groome and Glenys Law are a married couple living in North London. David writes books on Psychology and Glenys is a retired language teacher, now running the Nostalgia Holiday Rentals business.
Glenys Law purchased this cottage in 1998
We have always enjoyed the timeless beauty of the French countryside and the warm welcome given to us by the residents of Orival. Normandy is easy to get to, yet amazingly unspoilt. The views from our cottage are spectacular and we thoroughly enjoy just sitting and relaxing there.
Our cottage is surrounded by fields and woodland. It is on the edge of the hamlet, but far enough away from other properties to feel secluded and private.
It's a wonderful place to relax, but also a place where there are many opportunities to enjoy the countryside, visit places of interest, spend a day on the beach, enjoy numerous sports such as golf, canoeing, tennis, fishing, cycling, etc.
We really loved our week at Les Aubepines, Bert & Morag (Brighton)
We had an absolutely fab time, we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We thought the house was just gorgeous and in an amazingly beautiful setting. If we could do it all again - we wouldn't change a thing. We left just happy, positive comments in the visitors book and truly had a 10/10 experience . We enjoyed cooking for 8 on the aga and absolutely loved the table tennis.Thank you so much for allowing us to rent your beautiful home, katef@blueyonder.co.uk 08.04.12
Just a short note to say a very big thank you, the house is lovely and in one of the best locations in northern France. We are keen cyclists and the area as you know is perfect for this type of activity. As for walking in those woods at the back" breath taking" once again thank you.
mickcooper01@googlemail.com
My son and I spent a couple of delightful days here in Normandy in our cosy little house. Wonderful views, fabulous sunsets, amazing forest . It is great to also report that two new bars have opened in our nearest village, one with a little grocery store and one with a restaurant! Good news. Still a wonderful place after all these years.
We stayed here for a week in early September. We found the cottage perfectly homely and clean, no issues with mice. The rooms were well laid out and very comfortable, it was peaceful and quiet.
But the yippy dog next door was a nuisance sometimes but the owners sorted him out.
We did have some issues with the loo and intermittent flushing, not sure if the cistern efficiently refills itself. The shower was lovely, plenty of hot water.
Having the TV was a nice surprise as some evenings were wet and damp so it was great to have some indoor entertainment. The pictures did freeze occasionally but it certainly did not annoy us.
I would recommend the owner retake some outside pics as much of the back garden and patio area is overgrown. The patio area as advertised is not representative of whats currently there.
This are really niggles. Glenys always promptly answered e mails and Nadine was lovely and kind to us when we arrived. This place is authentically Normandy and it was great to stay in such a characterful wee house.
I would heartily recommend this place to people.
Really comfortable, clean, and well stocked. Easy to find. Thank you for a great week!
I want to start with some positives, the location and look of the property are wonderful for a chilled and 'off the beaten track' holiday. The cottage itself is typical Normandy and set up a fairly steep track away from the main road means some peace and quiet (note some as will come to shortly) and the gardens are lovely and well maintained meaning sitting outside and enjoying the sunsets makes for a pleasant end of the day.
The location does mean very little is in easy reach, the nearest bar/restaurant that was open when were out is around 7 miles away in Saint Saens (there is a nearer one but this was not open once when we went through) and although the golf club was an option its also a fair drive to visit if you just want to sit outside and have a coffee.
The downside of renting this particular cottage however were the issues with a mouse/mice - also the owner's view that this is just 'to be expected' due to it being a country cottage. I do not feel that mouse droppings in the oven, a nest in the bottom of the oven, many droppings all over the single bedroom beds (even the top bunk bed) and nest materials on the window sill of the bedroom are acceptable. Even if you dont mind sharing your living accommodation with rodents, watching one run around at midnight whilst your family choose to be at the other end of the building was not my idea of a relaxing time! Sadly even when buying mousetraps to catch the offending animal we were unable to do so which meant ensuring everything was washed before use, we chose not to use the oven due to the mess inside. This has been noted by a number of previous visitors.
The BBQ was very rusty and so small, barely big enough to cook for two let alone more, there was apparently another one which we never saw and was not in the garage. The door lock was a nightmare to turn (5 mins of trying required most times)
Although we did not come on holiday to watch TV, having access to one was in the details yet often we would sit for a minute at a time whilst the sky picture froze.
As mentioned earlier although not the owners fault the yapping/barking dog at the cottage next door was a constant break in the tranquility, as with the above observations, noted by many other guests in the visitors book from the past couple of years.
This was not the worst place to stay by any means but the owner needs to take feedback more seriously and act upon it not just brush it aside as seems to be the case in our experience.
me and my family had one cool and relaxing time.if you are thinking about do IT its amazing
The Aubépines is in a quiet rural location with views over the valley. Cattle in adjacent field and geese and chickens in garden next door.
Easy access up newly tarmaced drive with parking at rear of house for one large SUV vehicle.
Property in reasonable condition.
Ample seating in lounge and dining area. Comfortable double bedroom on ground floor (there was only 2 of us staying) but lacking in wardrobe space. TV via Sky satellite kept dropping out. Only 2 DVDs available for grown-ups. Unfortunately there is no wi-if in the property.
The kitchen is fairly well equipped although we missed a dishwasher.
Shower was hot with good water pressure.
Garden a bit untidy in places especially the back garden which is dominated by an overgrown tree.
Location is a very suitable base for exploring Normandy and the Alabaster Coast with some good restaurants nearby. The town of Auffay, a few minutes away by car, has rail station with free parking and good service to Rouen - it also has an interesting Friday market.
Our greeting by Nadine, the key holder, was warm and welcoming.
The deposit was refunded promptly.
We had an enjoyable week in September, with good weather and feel that the house was good value.
Coast/Beach:
Half an hour's pleasant country drive will take you to a choice of unspoilt beaches. Enjoy the sands of Quiberville at low tide or the pebbles and rock pools of charming Veule les Roses. If you want the facilities of a large town choose Dieppe, with its bustling market, excellent seafood restaurants and engaging history. Nearby Pourville and Criel have all the charm of small traditional resorts with spacious beaches flanked by colourful beach huts, white cliffs and just a fish restaurant or two.
Travel:
The most direct ferry service is Newhaven – Dieppe with Transmanche Ferries. This crossing takes four hours and you then have a thirty minute drive. You can get cheaper crossings with P&O from Dover to Calais,, this takes only 50 minutes and you then have a 90 minute drive down the A16 and A28. It’s best to shop around and book ferry crossings online. The village of Orival is situated on the D154 between Bellencombre and Torcy.
Distances:
The nearest shops, boulangerie, bar and restaurant are in Bellencombre (4km), which also has a tiny market on Tuesday mornings. The nearest supermarkets and weekly markets are in the picturesque villages of Saint-Saens (7km) and Auffay (8km). Within cycling distance there is the Rosay Apple and Cider museum and a delightful goat farm. The historic town of Rouen is a half hour by train from Auffay. The beautiful animal park at Cleres and the amusement park at La Bocasse are a 15km drive away.
Further Details:
Although there's lots to do in the area for active youngsters and a temptation to do nothing at all but soak up the peace and tranquillity, Les Aubépines is a good base for a day-trip to Paris by train or a visit to Monet's garden at Giverny. Rouen makes an excellent day out too, it takes 30 minutes to drive or go by train.
This is also an ideal base for a fishing holiday, extensive fishing lakes are only half a mile up the road and you can buy a day's fishing licence on arival. There are also trout farms where you can catch your own fish for supper. There are many riding stables in the area and most of them let you hire a horse if you're an experienced rider or go on a guided group visit, if you're a beginner, on delightful excursions into the forest. For those who want a healthy holiday there is a spring at the edge of Bellencombre giving you free access to an unlimited supply of your own Spring Water.
Rental Period | Minimum Price | Additional Nights | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Event Price | |||
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Summer Holidays
22 Jul 2018 -
2 Sep 2018
7 night minimum stay
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£420
for 7 nights
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£420
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Christmas
23 Dec 2018 -
6 Jan 2019
4 night minimum stay
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£257
for 4 nights
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£450
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My Standard Rate
4 night minimum stay
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£168
for 4 nights
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From
£42
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£290
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Notes: Rates are based on 2 guests; add £5 per night, per additional guest |
Fees | No additional mandatory fees |
Refundable Damage Deposit | £150 |
Booking Notes:
A deposit of £150 confirms your booking and serves as a refundable deposit against damages or excessive fuel use. The full rental amount is payable 8 weeks before the start of the holiday.You are advised to take travel insurance in case of unforeseen problems. Cancellation refunds: up to 8 weeks before – no cancellation charge. 4-8 weeks – 50% of rate refunded. 2-4 weeks – 25% of rate refunded. Less than 2 weeks – no refund. Sorry, we only accept bookings for the whole house and whole week during peak periods.
Changeover Day:
Saturday is changeover day, depart by 12 noon , arrive from 4pm. However weekend visits and alternative dates may be available off-season.
Notes on prices:
The low season price displayed shows a 25% discount for couples only.
Larger groups booking in this period pay the full £390.
The prices displayed are for the main house only, with 3 bedrooms and one bathroom.The new loft conversion with 2 more bedrooms, bathroom and lounge area with balcony is available at an additional cost of £100 -£200 per week.
We offer a 10% discount for a second week booked in the same season and for returning customers. Christmas and New Year are priced as August.