The Loire Valley Region:

The climate in Mayenne is very similar to the climate of the South of England. Obviously great for the production of Cider, Calvados and a great variety of other seasonal fruits.

Mayenne / Ambrieres les Vallees area:

Souce is situated about 15 minutes from the main market town of Mayenne and the same distance to the small town of Gorron, which is twinned with Hayling Island. Ambrieres Les Vallees is about 10 minutes from Souce and has a beautiful lake and country walk area. Boats are allowed on the lake. There is also an outdoor swimming pool in the park area. Mont St Michel (about a 46 miles drive away) is a beautiful Monastery Island town with it’s own shopping centre and museum.

There is also 2 miles away, the beautiful Flower Village of St. Fraimbault, with its floral bedecked streets, boating lake, tabac, food store, and excellent restaurant and bar. Bagnole de l’Orne, (17 miles away) an old spa town of great character is well worth a visit too.

At St Fraimbault is the restaurant / delicatessen and tearooms of the "Papillon", which is owned and run by Gregoire Charles and his bilingual English wife Rachel. Have a cup of Earl Grey or Ceylon or a coffee of high quality, or spend sometime in the bar with a beer or glass of wine, and visit the popular delicatessen, to discover foodstuffs from all over the world as well as regional products.

St Fraimbault is a flowered village of an international class and the winner of four Great National Prizes of Fleurissement.Classified as “4 flowers”, being one of the ten most flowered villages of France.

La Ferté-Macé (20 miles) has a lake with a sandy beach, supervised bathing, watersports and a waterside bar.

Bagnoles-de-l'Orne (10 kms) is a charming spa town with thermal baths, a lakeside casino and a good choice of inexpensive restaurants and a Glof course.

This is excellent country for outdoor pursuits like rambling, cycling, riding, golf and fishing. Le Mont St Michel, Bayeaux, the Normandy Landing Beaches and Deauville with its elegant board walks and marina are all within easy driving distance and make for an excellent day out.. The roads are all very quiet and driving through the countryside is a pleasure.

Normandy is blessed with rich coastal waters, sparkling lakes, meandering rivers, rushing streams and some of the best trout fishing in France. Permits are available from the mairie and Tabacs. The road to St Malo has a fine selection of seafood restraunts, specialities include Mussels and Oysters.

The local village of Ceauce is only a 5 minute drive from the cottage and has everything you should need such as a Bank, Bakery, Butchers, Restaurant, Pharmacy, Pub, Post Office, Church and even a local convenience store.

The medievel town of Domfront is only a 20 minute drive from the cottage and offers not only its historic Chateau with outstanding views from its hill top location but also a range of Cafes, Restaurants, Supermarkets and a variety of shops. "Domfront old town" is a must see.

The picturesque vilage of St Fraimbault nestles in the heart of the Normandy countryside. For a village so small it is surprisingly well-known, having a lake with pedalo's and a play area for the children. It also has two restraunts, the Papilon and The Relais.

Lassay les Chateaux

The town of Lassay les Chateaux is made up of a warren of little streets that will transport you back to the middle ages.

The Market in the town square on Wednesday morning will provide you with local fish and cheeses from far and wide. There is also an abundance of local grown vegetables and produce for sale, from carrots and potatoes to bread and jams and cheeses too. Don’t forget to taste the Calvados and Pear cider, but not too much!

The three castles that dominate Lassay les Chateaux are what give this beautiful town its name. The oldest castle is believed to date back to the 14th century. After you have finished shopping, why not take a sandwich in the nearby Rose Garden with more than 200 different varieties of rose for you to sniff.

Lassay is another of those beautiful villages full of flowers in the summer. Why not follow the footpaths through the countryside and make use of your camera and camcorder to take home some wonderful memories of this beautiful town.