A traditional farmhouse in a tranquil rural setting.
The cottage, originally a farmhouse, is in the small hamlet of Le Haut Fresnay, some 8 miles south of Domfront in Lower Normandy.
Built from local stone, with a terracotta tiled roof, La Fermette can accommodate up to six people, plus a baby, and is well-furnished and equipped. It also has the added benefit of electric central heating for the cooler months of the year. Oak-beamed ceilings add character and charm throughout the cottage, especially in the sitting room.
When Le Haut Fresnay was a working farm in the 19th Century, La Fermette was the main farmhouse. It seems that the farmer built the property first and then a barn (now the owners' private house), which was much larger than the farmhouse. The date and his initials can be seen carved over one of the doors. The farmer planned to build a new, larger farmhouse but died before this happened, so La Fermette continued to be the Leroy family home until 1970.
There is a fenced courtyard garden at the front of the house. Originally, this was the garden for the family – the rest of the grounds were used as the "basse-cour" (farmyard). Although small, this garden is a real sun-trap in the morning and a wonderful place to enjoy your coffee and croissants. Best of all, you can leave small children to play in this garden safely without constant supervision. There is also enough space for two cars to park by the cottage.
At the rear of the property there is a private patio, which is surrounded by lawns (and is not overlooked). There is an extensive lawned area to one side, bordered by mature hedgerows and trees, which runs down to an orchard, where there is also a small "stumpery".
The back patio has garden furniture and a barbecue – the perfect place for an early-evening aperitif followed by an alfresco supper as the sun sets.
On the ground floor of the cottage is a spacious, open-plan sitting room with dining and kitchen areas. Warm lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere and the 50cm-thick granite walls ensure that the sitting room is always cool during the summer months. In addition to a wood-burning stove, there are electric radiant heater panels in the room to provide extra warmth during the cooler months of the year. The wood-burning stove is surrounded by lots of comfy seating - and a digital Freesat TV service offering access to all the main UK TV channels, along with a DVD player. French TV is not available.
The dining area occupies a convenient space at one end of the sitting room and the dining table, which seats six, is conveniently placed for service from the kitchen.
The well-equipped fitted kitchen includes a fan-assisted oven, a ceramic hob, a washing machine, a dishwasher, a microwave oven, a fridge/freezer, an electric kettle and a toaster. Maybe your idea of a holiday is to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible... but if you do like to cook, you’ll find everything you need for preparing the smallest snack or a five-course gourmet supper.
From the rear hallway, French windows open onto the back patio. The hallway also leads to a downstairs bathroom, which has a shower and hand basin; there is a separate WC. Stairs (with a safety gate at the top) then lead up to a large landing.
The landing gives access to the house bathroom and 3 well-furnished, spacious bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms have double beds and the third has twin beds. All three bedrooms also have fitted carpets, plenty of wardrobe and drawer space, dressing tables with mirrors, and bedside tables with reading lamps.
Bedroom 1 is furnished with a double bed, Bedroom 2 has a double bed
and Bedroom 3 has twin beds.
All bed linen (except cot linen) and towels are provided and included in our prices. If there is a baby in your party, a cot can be put in the twin bedroom. A high chair and a bedrail (for a single bed) can also be provided if required.
Although the house bathroom is adjacent to one of the bedrooms, it is not en suite and so is accessible to the occupants of all three bedrooms. It has a shower, a hand basin and a WC. There is an electric shaver socket next to the mirror, which is over the hand basin.
Outside, the large lawn alongside the cottage provides an ideal place for children to play, where parents or grandparents can either sit and watch, or else just rest awhile in a shady place under an old apple tree.
There are ponds and a stream, lawns and mature trees, and wildlife everywhere. You can see red squirrels, and birds of prey, and if you are lucky, hares, deer and even (rarely) wild boar! The peace and quiet is almost tangible.
The local village, Lore, with its small supermarket, is within walking distance. Ceauce, a small market town with a full range of shops, a bank and a small, weekly market, is a couple of miles away. 8 miles to the north is Domfront, a mediaeval market town with a fine church and a castle. Also nearby, you will find Lassay les Chateaux, with its picturesque chateau, lake and rose garden. Bagnoles de l'Orne, about 15 miles away, is a spa resort set around a lake with a casino, many restaurants and smart shops.