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La Valette La Valette is a well appointed home, deep in the French countryside but only an hour's drive from the ferry ports of Le Havre, Caen, Cherbourg or St Malo, in a region renowned for its Camembert cheese, dairy products, apples, cider and la Calva - Calvados apple brandy - not to forget its fresh fish and seafoods.
This is a secret hideaway in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The old farmhouse is approached down a long drive between fields, from where you can just see the spire of Mont St Michel. It is so tranquil, you can hear a butterfly land ! The house is set in three acres in the middle of open farmland, lying in its own little valley, 2 miles from the village. In the garden, there is the old boulangerie, still in working order, overlooking a pond fed by a spring, with a brook running down to a small river at the bottom of the adjacent field. It is a pastoral setting, with a few cows usually quietly grazing in the garden to keep the grass down - except for the main lawn with its rose-beds which we tend ourselves. There are sheep in the field and everything from buzzards, kestrels, owls, woodcock and kingfishers to deer and wild boar abound !
In fact, it is home from home : if you are fond of the rolling landscape and the coast of Dorset, then you will be at home in this part of Normandy - it's just a little bit warmer. We are not far from Avranches, where you can walk across the sandy bay to Mont St Michel, and the picturesque towns of Fougères, Villedieu-les-Poelles, Granville, Domfront and St Malo are all close at hand. The Loire valley, the Brittany coast and the Suisse Normande are easy day excursions, or for the historically minded, there are the D-Day Landing beaches and the Bayeux tapestry. You can relax on the most spectacular sandy beaches only 15 miles away, from where you can take a boat trip to the Iles Chaussey. If it's golf you want, there are several excellent golf clubs locally. One of the major equestrian centres in France is St Lô, so it is not surprising there are many riding stables in the neighbourhood, and of course, you can cross the bay from Avranches to Mont St Michel on horseback as well.
The house is a typical Normandy granite farmhouse, more than 250 years old. It has been completely renovated to the highest standard with oil fired central heating and all mod cons. It has four double bedrooms and three bathrooms, one with bath, the other two with showers. The living room is magnificent, with a chestnut hardwood floor, and dominated by a huge granite fireplace in the Norman tradition. The kitchen is fully fitted, with double sink, cooker, hob, fridge, dishwasher, bread maker, microwave, telephone, integrated oak units, table and chairs. There is a separate utility room with sink, freezer, second fridge, washing machine and dryer. There is also a boiler room with sink and clothes airer. We normally sleep seven, but have enough beds for eight by arrangement. In addition, the living room downstairs has a double bed underneath the sofa. In the garage, there are two bicycles, a barbeque, sun loungers, hammock, garden chairs, workbench and everything else you need to enjoy the wonderful views and the peace.
Completely hidden from view, this is a private estate and a little piece of heaven. It is still a family home, and we are there every month. But it looks so sad when we leave, because it loves to be occupied ! Below, you will see links to more photographs of the house and garden and information on the region. For more information, click on one of the following links : |
