French Self Catering and B&B holiday Gites
situated in the Loire Valley with swimming pool, walking, cycling, bird
watching. For
some of the best scenery in France in a traditional cottage you could not find a
better place than Les Chaumiers Campagnardes.
We are situated in a
very quiet hamlet called La Riolais in the commune of St Julien de Vouvantes,
near Chateaubriant,
in the heart of Western Loire. Less
than 45mins from the wine producing region, the Jade Coastline and the chic
resort of La Baule.
Les
Chaumieres Campagnardes consists of 3 cottages (gites) and a farmhouse that has been
sympathetically restored and renovated to afford guests luxurious accommodation
whilst maintaining traditional character. Set in 2 acres of private garden
and orchard with a 7.5m x 3.5m solar heated pool that is totally secure and with dedicated sun terrace and
shower. In the garden you will find sun loungers, reclining chairs, hammock,
chillin' chair (under the shade of a 200 year old oak tree !), children's play area,
a real wooden play house and small garden with table & chairs,
table tennis, boules court, badminton, quiet area and summer house.
We also have a small fishing lake (Mare ) that has carp, tench, roach and rudd waiting for someone to daggle
a tasty morsel with-in biting distance ! The mare was restocked in 2007
and has some very fine fish just waiting to have their photo's taken ! Also
added in 2008 are some Goldfish to make it easier for the little ones to see the
fish. There is
fishing equipment and bait on site and there is no charge for their use.
Enjoy the local area or, if you want an
adventure, go in to the very large forest at the rear of Les Chaumieres
Campagnardes on one of our bikes. There is no charge for the use of the bikes
although we do not provide any safety equipment. We do provide local maps that
highlight all local roads, paths, tracks (farm & forest) and points of local
interest, again, free of charge.
When you arrive you will find a small Welcome pack (for a cuppa or something a little stronger !)
and a few odds 'n' sods to get you going.
We have an associate
company that can find cheap or good deals on most ferry crossing with most
carriers. Contact details will be provided during the booking process.
On the first Sunday of your holiday there will be a Free Reception Drinks
evening where you can meet your holiday neighbours and have your first close encounter to
Ray's sense of humour ! The drinks take place in the garden where we
sup a cocktail, have some munchies, tell a few jokes, listen to Ray's endless
collection of 70's music and watch the sun set. On the rare occasions that it is
raining then we sit in the bar area that has an open front looking out over the
garden down to the field where the Shetland ponies will parade for the small
price of a piece of bread.
Finally, for ease of payment, we have set up
a PayPal account to
enable you to pay your Deposit and/or Balance by Credit Card. Sadly, the use of
this service attracts a Credit Card Charge of 4% that, as a small family
business, we cannot absorb. As such, you will need to add this cost to your
rental charge.
The Western Loire stretches along
the Atlantic Ocean, just below Brittany. It is a particularly scenic
region, with some 30 miles of the Jade Coast and the Savage Coast, plenty of green countryside, and
250 miles of rivers, canals and lakes. The nearest stream is at the bottom of
the garden.
Ocean,
rivers, canals - water is the soul of the region. The Loire, classified here as
a World Heritage Site and lined by many Renaissance chateaux and passes close to Angers,
the capital of Anjou. You can be tasting the many wines, ciders and gastronomic
delights of the Loire within a few minutes drive of us.
Saint
Nazaire is a major commercial port and a centre of local WW2 history (HMS
Campbeltown), Nantes, the regional capital, and Angers, Saumur, Ancenis
& Tours offer visitors a cultural heritage dominated by Gothic art and the
Renaissance. Also, the local area was a hot-bed of the Marque (French
Resistance) during WW2 and as such have many monuments and museums commemorating
these brave men and women.
History
comes alive in the Vieux Mans or during the extravaganza of the Puy du Fou in
the Vendée. The Guérande marshes, Ile de Noirmoutier and La Brière are all
protected nature areas, ideal for walking and are exceptional for bird watching.
The lake at Vay boasts that 95% of all birds visiting the region drop in for a
dip, and in many cases to rear their young (pleasant neighbourhood yousee !) The
local sea food platters are ideal and tasting the wines of Saumur or the famous Muscadet
are not to be missed. For more information please go to the 'What's
On' page.
Also,
we have some of the best scenery in France! From lakes to rivers, forests to
fields and historic/cultural to modern. No matter what you are looking for, we
have it.
So, whether you are looking for a chilled, relaxing break sitting on your own
sun terrace, dipping in the swimming pool, catching fish in our pond or going
out and about tracking down all the hidden treasures our region has to offer.
There is nothing quite like turning down a dirt track and finding a lake,
deserted house, stunning view or just a clearing in the forest knowing that you
are probably the first person to go there in a very, very long time !
Guests
- regardless of age - will find plenty to fill their day even if you opt
to stay in the 2.5 acres child friendly garden with loungers, reclining
chairs, summer house, boules court, child play area and play house,
pool, pond, outdoor table tennis plus much more !
We guarantee a
fantastic holiday with our commitment to you that we will strive to ensure
you go away happy and chilled. Christina and I work
25/8 to ensure you have a great holiday !
We have built a
photo-gallery with a selection of photo's from the property and the surrounding
area. Also, you will find video tours of all the gites at Les Chaumieres Campagnardes and with
photographs of St Julien de Vouvantes and the
surrounding area. This will give you a clear idea of what we have to offer both
on-site and in the near locality. Because these photographs are quite large and may
slow down the loading of this site we have a dedicated site elsewhere on the
internet. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to link to this gallery.
We look forward to
offering you a warm welcome at Les Chaumieres Campagnardes.
If you find our gites
are full for the period you require then don't despair, we have formed an
association with similar gites that offer a high standard of accommodation within
a 6km radius of us. Contact us for more details.
You can rest assured
that we will only recommend properties that meet the high standards we have here
at Les Chaumeries Campagnardes.
Our association
does not form a comprehensive list of accommodation within the area. For a more
complete list please visit the
tourist office site.
