Chateau - Inclusive Family Holidays, Self Catering Cottages, Exclusive Hire

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Where is it

• Location:  North West France  >  Normandy  >  Manche
• Closest town/village: Savigny (Manche) (5 minutes)
• Closest airport: Dinard Airport - Ille et Vilaine (80 minutes)
• Distance to coast: 9.3 miles
• Access: No public transport available, Airport pickup available, Car Essential, Taxi from airport, Taxi from train station, Train station pickup available Car hire
• Property highlights: Barbecue, Garden, Scenic views, Swimming pool (shared use)

 

Le Castel is a classic Napoleon III chateau near all of Normandy's top tourist sights.

We specialise in all inclusive family holidays during the peak season and family suites on a B&B basis at other times.

We have four family suites, which each have two inter-connecting rooms.

We also offer whole chateau bookings for special parties, weddings etc. The suites easily turn into seperate ensuite rooms

In the three acres of grounds there are two self catering cottages that can be hired individually or together.

Le Castel is small, intimate chateau with twin turrets in Normandy's Manche region. We offer high quality and versatile accommodation for up to a total of 23 people.

Our hugely popular all inclusive family holidays sold out during 2011 and summer 2012 is filling up. The week of Aug 4 is fully booked.

If you book the whole house you have the option of being fully catered, part catered or self catering.

The self catering gites are in a beautiful 18th century stone Longere. One cottage has two bedrooms and two bathrooms (one ensuite), another cottage has two bedrooms, a bathroom and  second toilet.

The chateau guest house sleeps up to 15 adults in four double rooms, two  twin rooms and a triple room. There are also two fold up beds for children and three cribs for babies.

The two bed cottages each sleeps four people. Child beds and cots are also available. We also have high chairs.

Guests in the chateau and the cottages have use of a huge marquee filled with toys and a woodland den area plus above ground swimming pool (unheated, summer only) sand pit and swings.

The house and gite are set in three acres of secluded parkland in countryside just outside the cathedral city of Coutances. Le Castel is ideally located for visiting Mont St Michel, the D Day Beaches and Bayeux. 

Wide, sandy beaches are 20 minutes away.

Le Castel is ideal for exclusive hire - groups of family and/or friends can take over the whole chateau at reduced rates. You can hire it on a self catering basis, with bed and breakfast or as a fully catered house party. At Christmas and New Year the chateau is only available on an exclusive hire basis. The chateau is elaborately decorated for the festive season with a 9 foot high Christmas tree, dress fire places and staircase. The chateau is perfect for old Victorian party games like Murder in the Dark and Sardines. The chateau is warm and cosy in winter, with central heating a roaring log fires.

Le Castel is also perfect for small weddings. The back drop of the house makes spectacular photographs.

We can give you a code for a discount on Brittany Ferries, who run services from Portsmouth and Pool to Caen or Cherbourg, which are both an hour from Le Castel.

A week's all inclusive package in the chateau is from £1,800 for a family of three and £2,200 for a family of four. This includes a two bedroomed suite, all meals, drinks (soft drinks, wine and beer) plus child care most days. For more info see the family suite section of this website.

Le Castel family holidays

Le Castel offers all inclusive holidays for families.

• All inclusive packages for families during the summer school holidays. Prices from £1,800  to £2,600 (sterling) for a family of three or four in the chateau (or 1,800 euro in the cottage) – includes accommodation for a week in a luxurious two bedroomed suite, all meals, all drinks (soft beverages, wine and beer), child care on most days
•  All-inclusive family holidays:

There is a choice of four family suites in the main chateau at Le Castel plus a cottage in the grounds.

The all-inclusive holidays offer:

• 7 nights accommodation in a two bedroomed suite or cottage
• All meals, including children’s meals at 5pm followed by adult only suppers or dinner later.
• All drinks, including soft beverages, milk, water, wine and beer
• Raid the fridge – help yourself to snacks at any time.
• Child care (age 3 to 12)  on some days so parents can either have a lie in or simply read a book in peace.

Each family suite has a box of toys and children’s books. There is also UK telly, DVDs, books. The cottages have their own TVs etc.

Outside the children will find:

• Swimming pool (above ground, 5.5 metre (18ft) in diametre. Not heated and in use summer only
• Two trampolines - a 10ft one with a safety net and a 12 ft one without a net
• Camelot style play marquee (80 square metres) with soft flooring, learning toys and soft toys for nippers. Loads of Fisher Price and Tomy toys. There are also bikes (please bring your own helmets). Aimed at 3-12 year olds
• Sand pit
• Swings dotted around the 3 acres of grounds
• Woodland den with loads of planks, tree trunks and branches that can be rearranged as the kids like.
• Across the road is a dairy farm – we can arrange a tour.

The accommodation:

• Dauphin suite: This consists of two interconnecting ensuite rooms which take up all of the second floor – a massive 76 square metres of space. Mum and Dad’s room has a king-sized draped bed plus a claw foot bath set in the window with views over the grounds – perfect for a long soak. There are also a couple of easy chairs and an ensuite toilet. The kids’ room has three single beds and a sofa that can be turned into a fourth bed. There is a large ensuite shower room plus a small area with a microwave and kettle to make drinks and snacks or warm baby food. The Dauphin suite costs £2,200 for a week for a family of three or four. Additional children are £150 a week each.
•  Emperor’s suite: Two luxurious rooms on the first floor with great views of the grounds from 3m high windows. Mum and Dad’s room is called Napoleon and has a draped double bed. The kids get the Josephine with two single beds. The two rooms share a large shower room and we can put a baby bath in for you if required. There is also a kitchen with a microwave and kettle to make drinks and snacks or warm baby food. The kitchen can be turned into a third bedroom with a fold up bed. The Emperor’s suite costs £2,400 for a week for a family of three or  four. Additional children are £150 a week each.
• The Roi suite: This is our most elegant suite. It consists of  the massive Marie Anoinette room for Mum and Dad plus the silk lined Louis room for the kids. Between the two rooms is a lounge area with a sofa. There is also a kitchen with a fridge, microwave, coffee machine and kettle so you can make snacks or meals whenever you want. The Marie Antoinette room has a large draped double bed (with a footboard) , sofa, desk and an ensuite bathroom. The Louis room has twin beds plus a small sofa that can become a bed. There is an ensuite shower room. The Roi suite costs £2,600 for a week for a family of four. Additional children are £150 a week each.
• The Comte suite: This is a small suite on the ground floor that is ideal if Granny and /or Grandpa want to tag along. It can also be used by a couple with one child. It consists of a small lounge with a sofa bed for a child, a double bedroom with ensuite bathroom. Direct access to the terrace. Prices from £1,650 for a couple all inclusive. £1,800 for a couple with one child.

Need even more space? Well the Roi and Emperor’s suite can be linked together to make a four bedroomed flat with a kitchen diner. The Napoleon room can be converted into a large lounge if required. Price depends on the number of guests.

There are two cottages in the grounds that can be hired on an all inclusive or self catering basis.

• Voici cottage: A two bedroomed, two bathroomed cottage in the four acres of grounds.  It is more rustic than the chateau but very comfortable. There are exposed walls, old beams and wooden floors. The cottage can be hired on the all inclusive deal with access to the communal parts of the chateau. The cottage has a double room with ensuite, a twin room, a family bathroom, lounge and large dining kitchen. The cottage costs £1,800 for a week for a family of four on the all inclusive deal. Additional children are £150  a week each. Self catering is £900 a week, but you get access to the salon in the chateau, free soft drinks, free teas and coffees, free ice creams and drinks for the kids in the play marquee
• Votre cottage: Two bedrooms, one bathroom plus a second toilet. It has a large open plan reception area with four sets of double French doors. It is much more contempory looking with Ikea style furnishings. The kids room is small but a real adventure with a fort style bed that kids clambour into via a rope ladder. There is also a more traditional bed!

 Other things you might like:

• Treat yourself to a lie in – send the kids down from 8am and we will serve them breakfast and amuse them until you come down for breakfast.
• Drop the kids back at 4pm and we will amuse them and feed them before returning them to you around 6pm so you can pop them into bed. Older children can use the play marquee.
• There is a communal laundry room
• Help yourselves to lunch when you decide to have a day away from the beach or sight seeing. We don’t serve lunches, but there are fridges packed with cheeses, cold meats and salads plus breads – just help yourselves.

Our all-inclusive family holidays are aimed at children aged 3 – 12, but babies and older children are very welcome.

• We have family friendly suggestions for seeing Mont St Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry and the D Day beaches. We can also send you on a food tour, which includes a snail farm and a bee place.
• Deserted beaches are 20 minutes away and we can pack a picnic for you (charges apply)
• We can offer you a discount on crossings with Brittany Ferries to Caen or Cherbourg, which are both an hour from us.

How the week works:

Saturday: Arrive from 3pm. Welcome BBQ type meal around 5.30pm for all the families.

Sunday to Wednesday: Breakfast 8-10am (or a bit later if you tell us). Send the kids down and we will feed and look after them. 5pm – kids meals or drop them off at 4pm and we will feed and amuse them until 6pm. 8pm – two course suppers. Usually we do one table for the mums and dads but we can also do separate ones.

Thursday: Afraid we only offer breakfast today and no child care (we need a rest too!), but you are welcome to raid the fridges for drinks, lunch, children’s meals or simple suppers. Otherwise we can recommend family friendly restaurants.

Friday: Back to normal with breakfast and child care, but on Friday there is a lovely five course dinner for Mum and Dad.

Saturday: Time for tears as the kids say goodbye to their new friends.

OK, what’s the kids’ food like?

• Kids’ meals tend to be pretty simple and we have included a few less healthy options – we reckon they are on holiday and should have a few treats. However, please let us know if you want little Johnny and Tabitha to have healthier choices or vegetarian options.
• All meals are served with salad, grated carrot, thinly sliced cucumber, bread etc.

Typical dishes are:

Shepherd’s pie
Lasagne
Pizza
Sausage and mash
Macaroni cheese
Chicken nuggets and chips
Puddings will include ice cream (of course!) plus cakes and pastries that the kids may well have helped make themselves. Fruit will always be available.

…and what about our food?

 We will be serving suppers on five nights and five course dinner on the Friday. White, red and rose wine will be flowing freely along with beers and local cider. Suppers are two or three courses.

Typical dishes:

Beef bourguignon
Moules in cider
Fish pie
Indian curry buffet night with the kids on Wednesday
Coq au vin

The gourmet night will typically be:

Home made fois gras served with a smoked duck salad, truffle oil dressing and beetroot seedlings and onion marmalade
Trilogy of fish in a Normandy cream sauce
Trou Normand – apple sorbet with local farm Calvados poured through it
French cheese with chutneys
Duo of deserts

We have loads of facilities for parents with babies.

The benefits:

• You will be able to have dinners or suppers downstairs, knowing that you can easily hear and pop up to see your baby if needed.
• We have a full range of cots, high chairs, baby bowls, monitors, baby baths, changing mats, sterilizer etc.
• Each suite has a microwave and kettle. There is also a kitchen where you can make meals for baby or yourselves.
• Two bedroomed suites are 1,470 to 1,960 euro for a week for up to four guests on a b&b basis.
• Three and four night breaks are also available at pro rata rates (not between June 30 and Sept 15)
• Meals and drinks are on an a la carte basis with suppers at 18 euro a head and five course dinners at 45 euro a head.

Accommodation detail

Le Castel is furnished in period style throughout and offers an elegant yet relaxing atmosphere for an enjoyable chateau break.

The four family suites each include two interconnecting rooms.

They are all individually furnished with antique bedroom suites. The two suites on the first floor have tall French windows with working shutters.

The Roi and Dauphin suites have baths which enjoy fantastic views over the gardens, perfect for a long relaxing soak.

The focus of the ground floor of Le Castel is the white baby grand piano, which is complemented by imposing stone fireplaces and crystal chandeliers. Double French doors lead out onto a sunny terrace overlooking the large lawn and rolling farmland.

Guests are able to treat Le Castel as their own house during their stay. The salon is a great place to relax in at any time of the day, with large comfortable sofas and tall windows. However it is particularly inviting at night with the candles lit and fire blazing.

There is a  large selection of books available, or perhaps watch a DVD, listen to a CD, or chose a board game. There is also phone and internet access available for guests to use. There is free Wi Fi access.

There is a large and bright kitchen, which features an open fire as well as a wood-burning stove and electric/gas range.

Le Castel is set amongst four acres of gardens. The rear of the house looks out on to a well tended lawn and several copses of tall trees – the lawn is south facing so receives the sun throughout the day.

To the front of the house the gardens have a parkland design including a small orchard and some old specimen trees, planted when the house was first built, which provide lots of secluded areas to discover.

Evening meals are served by candlelight in the dining room around the large walnut table, or in summer perhaps out on the terrace or amongst the trees in the garden. The food served focuses as much as possible on local Normandy specialities and produce.

At Le Castel you can take one suite or all four for a family party, small conference or a wedding blessing.

Please note that the availability calendar on this site is not generally used as we have such a wide range of accommodation.

About the location

Le Castel is close to the pretty hill-top cathedral town of Coutances. All of the main tourist sights of Normandy are also easily reached including Mont St Michel, Bayeaux, and the D-Day beaches. The old Norman cities of Caen and Rouen can both be visited easily in a day and provide some great shopping as well as fascinating history to discover. Rennes is also an hour away. We are 20 minutes from beautiful, deserted beaches. Golf courses are also 20 minutes away.

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

How to get here

How to get there:

Le Castel is around an hour from the channel ports of Cherbourg and Caen. Or you can fly to Dinard airport (with Ryanair flights from London Stansted, Bristol or East Midlands), which is around 90 minutes away.  The Eurotunnel is an easy 4 hour drive away.

The local towns of Coutances and Saint Lo also have SNCF stations offering easy rail transfers from Cherbourg, Caen and Paris. Paris is 2.5 hours away by train.

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

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Facilities

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Additional price information

• All prices are per person per night sharing the Louis or Josephine room with ensuite shower rooms
• For the Napoléon/Marie-Antoinette rooms with ensuite bathrooms, there is a supplement of 20 to 25  Euros per night depending on season
• The family suite of two rooms is offered at the discounted rate of 210 euro a night for families with children under 16.
• Xmas and New Year - only available for full house bookings
• Ask about our 'four nights for three' midweek offer, available Tuesday – Thursday from 15 September until 30 March.
• Please ask about reduced rates for hiring the whole house - usually from 700 to 850 euro a night
• Evening meals (in a 'table d'hote'/'hosts' table'format) are 38 Euros per person, including four courses and coffee. There is also a kitchen supper menu for 18 euro for two courses. Children's meals 12 euro at 5pm in the kitchen

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