Flipflops and Raincoats

Last Updated on: November 22, 2024

Les Gites Vert Pomme

We travelled with another family and rented both properties; there were 9 of us in total, but there is space for up to 14.  On arrival we were amazed by the decoration, space and facilities. They were just perfect! Hiring both is ideal for 2 families as each gite has enough crockery, utensils and space around the table for the whole group to eat and be together in one place.  Both kitchens have more than adequate accessories, with copious amounts of plates, dishes and cooking equipment.  We easily cooked dinners for 9 people during our stay.

Gite Les Pommes

The smaller of the 2 gites is called Les Pommes.  It is suitable for up to 6 people. On entering the property, the first thing that hits you is the stunning, large full-length arched window taking up most of the end wall.  This looks onto the orchard.  It was beautiful in winter, but I can only imagine how amazing it must be during the spring and summer.  The gite is beautifully decorated and so much attention has been given to the detail; you notice this immediately! There is a log burner in the centre of the property. This was great for warming up on a winters evening.

Downstairs there is the living area with a beautiful view, dining area, kitchen and toilet.  Upstairs there is a bathroom along with 2 connected bedrooms, one with a double bed and 2 twin beds and a second bedroom with 2 twin beds. Thinking of hiring just one of the properties, choose this one purely for the light and views from the beautiful south-facing window.

Gite Le Tilleul

The second of these Normandy gites, Le Tilleul, is slightly larger having 3 bedrooms, one of them being downstairs.  This is a double room with a shower room connected.  The dining area has a large table and a living area has seating with a wood burner.  This was a great space for the 9 of us to spend evenings chatting and playing games.

Upstairs there are 2 connecting bedrooms, one family room with a double and 2 singles as well as another twin room.  There is also a bathroom which includes a bath. It is a beautiful property, where much consideration has been given to decoration and facilities.  This can also be booked this on its own. It is a very close second to the other one. If you are travelling with someone who struggles with stairs, then this should be your first choice because of the downstairs bedroom.

Both properties are child friendly and contain plenty of toys and games to keep younger visitors happy.  A vast array of tourist leaflets and information are available. These include suggestions for walks; there seemed to be plenty of these and this something we would have loved to have done if the weather had been more favourable.

Outside Area

The outside area with it’s large and beautiful gardens the outside area is amazing.  Les Pommes has a deck area outside its main window and Le Tilleul has an area at the back of the property.  This is ideal as if you were renting one gite only, as you are less likely to be disturbed by other visitors. Both have a BBQ and seating available.  

We visited the Normandy gites during December, so did not get much opportunity to utilise them fully, as it rained for much of our stay.  The grounds (shared between both properties) are vast and plenty of equipment is available for outside use.  In an open shed to the back of the properties, there is a table tennis table and a small snooker table.  There is other outdoor equipment for use in the garden and even in the wet the kids made use of popup football goals.  You will also find a wood store here.  You get one very large container for free and then after that pay 5 Euros for any extra buckets, which you can refill yourselves.

Location of these Normandy Gites

These beautiful Normandy Gites are located in Beauval en Cau, with the nearby facilities being found in Auffay.  We loved a trip to the fabulous baker, Pierre Renault, visiting it every morning to purchase breakfast!  The town was just over a 5-minute drive away and has several small shops, as well as a Carrefour Contact.  The town has a railway station. If you haven’t sorted out your Crit’Air sticker (Rouen is a low-emission zone and stickers are sent to your home address), then the train will be your best option to visit the city.

How to get to these Normandy Gites

Being 30 minutes from Dieppe, an ideal way of getting to these gites, is on the 4 hour Newhaven to Dieppe ferry crossing with DFDS.  Alternatively, the location is around a 2 hour drive from Calais, where you can choose the Eurotunnel crossing or a ferry with DFDS or P&O.

Places to visit from the Gites

Dieppe

As previously mentioned Dieppe is not far away and makes a pleasant trip.  Although we didn’t visit the castle this time, along with its museum, it offers an interesting insight into the city.  It has a harbour with a selection of restaurants nearby. There is also a long pebble beach, which we spent time walking around as well as wandering around the town itself.  There is a large Carrefour hypermarket on the outskirts; it has a Flunch restaurant which is a great option to enjoy a fast, cheap and delicious French meal!

Saint-Valery-en-Caux

Just along the coast is the charming town of Saint-Valery-en-Caux.  It has a harbour, pebble beach and we enjoyed wandering for a couple of hours, opting to buy lunch from one of the bakeries, although there were plenty of restaurants to choose from.

Fecamp

Fecamp is around an hour from the properties and is another good place for a part or full-day trip.  It is surrounded by the tallest cliffs in Normandy.  It too has a long pebble beach with a promenade, which you can walk along to join the dike which goes out to the lighthouse. 

Walking towards the town there is the Benedictine Palace, which is very palatial in nature.  It now houses a distillery where the local herbal liqueur is brewed.  The recipe for this was left by a Venetian monk who served it at Fecamp Abbey in the 16^th century.   On the harbour the Pêcheries Museum, explores the history of fishing in Fecamp.  The town itself is a pleasant place to wander.

Etretat

Étretat has a picturesque coastline with some unusual rock formations.  It has an arch on both sides of the town, along with what the French call the Aiguille.  We visited on a very wet day, but it is possible to take the path up the cliffs; on the west side, you get views over the Aiguille and to the west the Jardins d’ Étretat with stunning views across the bay. Again there is a pleasant town to stroll around.

Honfleur

Just over an hour from the gites is beautiful Honfleur, one of France’s most visited towns.  Colourful houses, art galleries and restaurants are positioned around the quays.  On our visit there was also a small Christmas market.  The heart of the port is the Vieux basin, with its fabulous choice of restaurants.  Honfleur is a place to eat seafood and we very much enjoyed our Moule frites! The old town is a lovely place to walk around along with some interesting shops to discover.  The Church of Sainte Catherine is worth a visit as it is entirely built out of wood.  The town also has a number of museums, you can find out about here. https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/unmissable-sites/honfleur/things-to-do/

Point de Normandie

On the approach to Honfleur, linking it over the Seine to Le Havre, you drive over Point de Normandie; the longest cable-stayed road bridge in the world.  It is an impressive sight and there is a parking place for you to view the bridge, with a small museum explaining its history.  There are nature walks from this car park and you can also walk onto the pedestrian path on the bridge. On the Le Havre side not far from the end is a designer outlet shopping centre.

There are many places to explore both in and around these Normandy gites.  Paris is just over 2 hours away and Caen just under 2 hours, giving you further options.  With the gites being spacious with plenty of facilities they provide the perfect location whatever the weather. You can find further details on their website.

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