Further Information

Our aim, when we came to France, was to create gites that
were as ecologically sound as possible. So.....

La Grange à Foin is built in a re-used old hay barn. It is highly
insulated and heated by a wood burner thus reducing the need to switch on the additional heating. The wood is sourced locally. The ground floor has wine bottles embedded within for further insulation. The building is naturally cool in summer.

Much of the construction uses recycled materials and other materials have been reclaimed locally. New materials have be chosen to be sustainable and if possible, local. It is fitted and furnished with good quality second-hand items. All the appliances are A or A+ rated. We also provide guests with eco-friendly cleaning products and re-usable shopping bags.

Outside, in our grounds, there is a compost toilet should you desire it. There are also on-site facilities for recycling and composting. Whilst the primary aim of the smallholding is to provide our family with food, we have areas left to encourage wildlife including a pond, laid hedges and areas of long grass.

We hope, that by providing activities for you here, you will not feel the need to have to go out everyday to enjoy your holiday thus cutting down on car use. We have written up a series of local walks you can take from the gite and the stream just a few hundred metres from the house provides a perfect haven for children.

There are several organic food shops in the area as well as markets on most days which sell both local and organic products.

Collection Service - for visitors without a car we can provide a collection service from local towns. Please contact us to discuss.

We have some bikes here that you are more than welcome to borrow for local rides. However, should you wish to travel further afield we can help to arrange local bike hire for you. Please note that our bikes come with neither helments nor padlocks and details on their use is given in our Full Terms and Conditions.

A comprehensive tourist pack is available in the gite (including information on those attractions within a 50km/30 mile radius) but for a taste of the area please read on:

Situated in the middle of Normandy, La Grange à Foin is well placed for all sorts of activities. Countryside lovers will enjoy the numerous paths starting right on our doorstep and taking you through the green lanes of the area. We are just 15 minutes away from Suisse Normandie with all its outdoor activities and there are stables nearby for both riding and donkey trekking. For children there are zoos, theme parks, soft play areas, castles and the beaches are only an hour away.

Lovers of history are perfectly placed for experiencing history with the Normandy Landing Beaches and Bayeux close-by. The local towns have all the facilities you would expect including 3 lovely swimming pools, markets and shops. Mont St Michel is only an hour and a half drive from here. Oh and don't forget that we are in Calvados and where better to sample our region's drink than straight from a local producer.