Home description

Joanna and James Reintjes offer three separate pretty traditional cottages in a lovingly restored Breton longère, set in a very peaceful rural location, on the edge of a small hamlet - La Touche Gilbert. Situated between Dol de Bretagne and Pontorson, the property is in the Bay of Le-Mont-St-Michel just five miles (8kms) from the Brittany coast and close to St Malo, Dinan and Dinard. The cottages have each been carefully restored, retaining many original features, combined with a fresh decorative finish and rural luxury! Soft towels, lavender favours, with French flair!  Whether you desire beach pursuits, golf, fishing, exploring the surrounding gently rolling hills and valleys, or just relaxing in the grounds by the pool, we assure you the warmest of welcomes at our cottages.

Our aim is to provide you with comfort, a home from home feel, with modern convenience. The cottages form part of a traditional granite longère, which was originally used as almshouses for the local church at Sains. The cottages open out onto a south facing gravel courtyard, leading on to the garden. Each property has its' own barbecue and garden furniture for outdoor dining and relaxing. Bright geraniums, scented herbs, and pretty flowering shrubs in pots and borders decorate the courtyard.

The property is situated on the side of a gentle hill surrounded by farmland, copses and unspoilt countryside. The hamlet has friendly neighbours and one very quiet road. The property offers peace and relaxation for all.

The enclosed rustic style garden is approximately three acres with rambling roses, ceanothus, colourful annuals, rustling bamboo, flowering shrubs, young and mature trees. The remainder of the land (about eight acres) is grass meadow, with cows in summer, ancient oak and walnut trees. The garden boasts clear views of the open countryside with plenty of suntraps and shady spots. There is also a sandpit for young children, and badminton net for the more energetic!

Accommodation detail

(2 bedrooms - sleeps 6 people max)

Set at the end of the longère, and with its northern and western walls cloaked in Virginia creeper, this is the oldest part of the property. The cottage faces south, and the front door opens onto the courtyard and the hedged old orchard. The gravel courtyard outside the front entrance is a real suntrap! A gateway leads from here to the pool area.

This cottage originally had very old timbers, which have been incorporated in the restoration process, to retain as much as possible of the character of the building. The cottage is low beamed, and is furnished with quaint ornaments, giving it a cosy appeal inside.

Downstairs comprises living and dining area, with open plan kitchen, and stairs leading to the first floor. [NB stairs are steep and open plan on the lower half]. Everywhere is comfortably furnished - sofa bed and armchairs, restored fireplace with wood burning stove, and curtains throughout. The kitchen area is equipped with traditional style ceramic sink, ample storage, fridge with icebox, gas hob, combi-microwave oven and dishwasher.

On the first floor you will find two bedrooms with views of the garden to the south or looking out onto open countryside at the back of the cottage. Each has a picture window, with oak lintels, and part exposed traditional granite stonework. One room with an English double, and the other with two singles. In all rooms there are plenty of cupboards, drawers and hanging space for your holiday clothes, including a fitted cupboard downstairs for guests using the sofa bed. The spacious bathroom includes shower, basin, toilet, electric towel rail/room heater and shaver point. Baby bath available for small children on request.

All other details are as per the description in Camellia.

About the location

"Les Environs"

The tranquil village of Sains is a short walk away and offers a sports field with goal posts and basketball hoops,  three marked rambling trails including a cycle track through the woods. Fishing, walking and picnicking are available at the extensive communal lake - Le Pas Gerault, with two further fishing lakes nearby - Le Pissot and Le Grand Etang. The prominant church of Sains was built in 1861 in a neo gothic style and dominates the surrounding landscape. Sains has a long history and was originally called Saints.

Enjoy shopping for delicious local specialities (and basic provisions!) a short (5 minutes) drive away in Pleine Fougères with a good butchers, pharmacy,banks, petrol statation, several bars and a creperie Les Polders.  Intermarche super market is also a handy 5 mins by car for all your essentials - open Sunday morning in the summer. Pontorson has a very traditional open air market each Wednesday morning, many recommended restaurants and seafood shops, and a Champion supermarket (part of the Carrefour chain). There are also several good "traiteurs" (delicatessens), and bars including a piano bar.  Pontorson also provides a gateway for visits to the famous Le-Mont-St-Michel, and a large tourist office with internet facilities.

In the other direction visit the delightful summer gardens at Baguer Pican - La Cormaille.

Dol De Bretagne (a 15 minute drive west) is a very pretty market and cathedral town with half timbered houses, great "galette" (a traditional buckwheat savoury pancake) and gastronomic restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. The cathedral dominates the view down to the coast, and has a "Cathédraloscope" exhibition for those interested in the history surrounding the cathedral. The shops are again superb, with a fantastic bakery "le Pain Doré", two beauticians, "traiteurs" and clothes shops, just a few of the many on offer. The Saturday morning market attracts many shoppers, offering all types of French produce, including cider, delicious local cheeses, organic vegetables, garlic and herbs, plus a wide range of clothes, knickknacks, pots and pans and souvenirs

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and facilities.

How to get here

The cottages are situated approximately five miles from the coast, near to Le-Mont-St-Michel, in the village of Sains. The nearest town is Pontorson.

The cottages can be reached easily from the ferry ports of St Malo (30 minutes), Cherbourg (2 hours), Caen (1 and 1/2 hours), Roscoff (2 hours) and Le Havre (2 hours). The drive from Calais via motorways is approximately 5/6 hours for those who prefer a shorter (and cheaper!) ferry crossing. Recommended routes can be provided from each port. We have travelled most of the routes ourselves so can recommend which would be best for you.

The region can also be reached easily from UK by air (1-hour flight time), with regular daily flights with Ryanair from London Stansted and Est Midlands to Dinard (30 minutes away): they have some fantastic special offers, especially out of season.  Flybe also operate from Southampton to Rennes, which is ideal for short breaks, especially if you are already based in the south of England. Travelling from further afield? Flights into Paris or Rennes. Travel from Rennes (1-hour drive, or train 45 minutes). The drive from Paris takes 4/5 hours, or 2 and a half-hours by train, via Rennes to Dol de Bretagne. Car hire is available from the airports, and we can assist with all your travel arrangements including hire cars and breakdown assistance.

Discounted ferry fares are available from our own travel club memberships - please request details. To secure the discount you need to provide confirmation of travel to our property and our reference number, which we will forward to you once you have made your booking with us. Ferries do get quickly booked up for peak months of August and late July, so early booking is advisable to secure your preferred route.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and airports.

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Facilities

Facility	Details
Type	Cottage (Self-catering)
Bedrooms	1 double, 1 twin
Spare beds	2
Bathrooms	1 bathroom(s)
Capacity	6
Linen	Prices include all linens
Changeover day	Saturday

Facility	Details
Internal facilities	Central heating (electric), Wood burning fire or stove
Kitchen facilities	Dishwasher, Fridge, Cooker, Microwave
External features on site	Barbecue, Fishing lake, Garden, Scenic views, Swimming pool, Swimming pool (shared use)

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Additional price information

Please see Camellia for additional price information.

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