Welcome to
La Gonfrairie
La Gonfrairie - an idyllic hideaway deep in the Normandy countryside.
Available for holiday rental throughout the year.
If you are looking for a quiet retreat in the Normandy countryside for some well earned rest and recuperation,
La Gonfrairie is available to let all year round. Bookings for dates between 26th March 2005 and 29th October 2005 can be made via Just France. If you want to rent outside those dates contact us directly at
If you are renting via Just France, and you want to find out a little more
about La Gonfrairie, hopefully you will find what you need here.
Here are some pictures Here are some location maps Here is some local information Here are some 'reviews'
(WE ARE STILL ADDING TO THE WEBSITE, SO IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE, DO LET US KNOW)
LA GONFRAIRIE
La Gonfrairie is a small commune, situated just over a mile from Cuves (see Location page), on the D48 between Cuves and St.Pois. There are half a dozen or so houses, quite spread out and none are visible from the front of the cottage.
Our property consists of over one and a half acres with a cottage, a barn and a bakery. We purchased it in October 2003 after several years of visiting a good friend of ours who lives in the adjacent property.
The
Barn is immediately to the left as you drive through the entrance.
Used for storing winter
firewood, gardening tools, barbecue, garden furniture, etc.
The Cottage was originally a one room residence. Built of local granite, it has a beam in the main room that has the date 1846 carved in it. Our neighbour believes that it is marked on maps dating back to the 1600s, when it and the neighbouring farmhouse are the only buildings shown.
A single storey extension has been built at one end of the house, which now contains a kitchen and bathroom. The original downstairs is a single room, with wood-burning stove and enclosed stairs to what was the attic, where there are now three bedrooms.
Kitchen - all the usual facilities: cooker (bottled gas) with four rings on hob and a single oven; stainless steel sink and draining board, water heater, fridge with small freezer compartment, microwave, toaster, electric kettle. Plenty of crockery, cutlery, utensils, pots and pans, glasses etc.
Bathroom - W.C., sink, and shower.
Upstairs the smallest bedroom has a single cabin bed and wardrobe, with velux window overlooking the front of the house.
The second bedroom has a 4'6" double bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers. A velux window overlooks the rear of the property.
The main bedroom has a 5' double bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers. A small dormer contains opening casement windows overlooking the front of the property.
The Bakery was originally a stand-alone Breton oven for baking. May have served as the bakery for the commune in the extremely dim and distant past. A small single room house has been built on the front of it, which has a huge fireplace from the original bakery oven.
The bakery is a bit ramshackle at present - we plan to replace the corrugated iron tin roof with something more substantial. Power and water are already there. Some damp needs remedying but once fixed we will have a snug little studio type residence.
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Our next door neighbour, is a good friend of ours from England who moved here a few years ago. In any difficulty or emergency do go round and consult him if he is in. You may find him on our property from time to time as he has licence to borrow our lawnmower and will also use it to keep our grass down during the summer.
His companion, Tilly is a border collie who is very friendly, but a bit 'bouncy' at first. She is kept perfectly happy if you know the rules of the two games she plays. "Stick" consists of you throwing the stick for retrieval - or the yellow rubber ring if she hasn't temporarily mislaid it. On its return it is best not to try to take it until it has been dropped or you will end up playing the other game, "My stick", which it is extremely difficult to win.
He has been working to restore his five bedroom farmhouse and it will also be available for letting soon. Once it is, we will provide details here.
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There is a semi-feral cat around. Semi-feral because she is left entirely to her own devices, but is quite friendly and not so independent that mewing outside the back door for attention (i.e. food) is beneath her. In May ’04 she was looking suspiciously pregnant, and in August when we were there, so were two 6-8 week old kittens. (Last year there was at least one surviving kitten, which stuck around until early this year.)
Feed
or ignore the cat(s), we don't mind, but do not leave food unattended
in the house with the door open, unless you are prepared to sacrifice it.
No inviting any cats into the house, please, however cute and appealing they may
seem.
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The cottage was successfully let for several years by the previous owners up until 2001. It was not let during 2002 and 2003. We purchased it in October 2003. It is available for letting again - all year round. Email us for further details.
In May 2004 we had the roof completely replaced and the rather dilapidated front door was replaced by a porte-fenetre, which improves the insulation and lets in more light.
2004 was our first season letting, and judging from all the comments people wrote in our visitors' book, nobody was disappointed and everyone had a great time. If you rent, and if there is anything you think can be done to improve your - or subsequent visitors' - stay, then please let us know.