16th century chateau in Normandy, near the town of Bayeux, ten to fifteen minutes from the sea, from Omaha Beach Golf Course, and riding stables.

Set in twelve acres of gardens and fields, surrounded by pastoral settings, the Chateau offers a fully restored dwelling with modern amenities.

Four bedrooms with stone fireplaces, four modern full bathrooms, dining room, eat-in-kitchen, spacious living room with fireplace, day room, with large stone fireplace, and two separate apartments available.

Surroundings include working dairy farms, cider producing farms, daily fresh produce outdoor markets, beautiful historic stone dwellings and structures.

The property is set on 12 acres, surrounded by fields and pastures, often with grazing cows. It has its own ‘English’ garden with vegetable patch and a small moat with rowboat, in addition to a regulation « bocci » court.

There are, of course, several pleasant areas to eat outdoors during the day and on summer evenings, where one can take advantage of the incredible sky at sunset. (The sun sets late in summer, providing additional hours of magical light).

The main house has 4 bedrooms (3 with large, working fireplaces) and 4 newly renovated bathrooms.

The first floor is composed of an entrance foyer, the dining room, the ‘Summer Living Room’ (30 sq. meters) with fireplace, the ‘Winter Living Room’ (18 sq. meters) complete with multi-system video, Satellite TV (CNN, NBC, etc.), and a walk-in fireplace --this room leads to a Sauna and an outdoor hot and cold shower.

Off of the 'winter' livingroom is the eat-in kitchen (the old wooden table seats 8 to 10).

Off of the kitchen is the ‘mud room’ with a separate entrance. The 'mud room' has modern washer and dryer.

The second floor has the ‘dorm room’ with four beds and an additional four « pull-out » beds (good for lots of children and a nanny -- or it can be readied for adults). A crib is available as well. This bedroom has its own full bathroom.

To the right of the stairs is the master bedroom (30 sq. meters) with northern and southern exposure and a large fireplace. Adjacent is a large full bathroom with a big window looking out onto a meadow.

The third floor is the ‘chambre d'amis'. A very cozy guest room for a couple, with its own little alcove (where one can put a cot if one has an infant and wants them nearby) and a large step down full bathroom.

The fourth floor houses the ‘Tower Room’: a large (20 sq. meters) room with its own fireplace. From the window one looks over the property. This room has a cozy full bathroom.

If one were considering sharing the Chateau with friends one needn’t be concerned about fair distribution --each room has its own special charm.

Right near the main house, on the property, there are two separate guest houses.

The ‘Loft’ has a sleeping area (private) for a couple, a full kitchenette and dining area and a spacious sitting area with two day beds (it can sleep two or, willingly, six people) and a large bathroom with a tub in the middle (as well as a shower).

The ‘Guest House’ has a light filled, spacious living room with very high ceilings and a large fireplace. The bedroom is on a mezzanine with a large window overlooking the green fields. Newly renovated, it is exquisite.

The Chateau provides a gardener who brings in the produce from the vegetable garden and who can also run small errands. A cleaning woman arrives at 8:30 in the morning, sets out breakfast, prepares the rooms, does the laundry and daily light housekeeping. She departs at 12:30 --giving the guests privacy.

Additional requests such as ironing are available for a small extra fee. A cook is also available, upon request, for an additional fee --however we feel buying the food and cooking is also part of the adventure of being in Normandy and we suggest you dive in and be a ‘local’.

One can amply satisfy historical interests -- from William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy who became King of England to of course, the historic beaches of World War II, Omaha beach, St. Mere Eglise, Pointe du Hoc and the American Cemetery. These are all ten to fifteen minutes away.

Of course Omaha beach is also a magnificent wide expanse of beach (dramatically so at low tide) for bathing and sailing, and is never overly crowded, even during the summer.

Short day trips to Mont St. Michel and Rouen (where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake) are worthy for the occasional gray day (1.5 hours). In addition there are plenty of museums to visit. Upon request, prior to arrival, further reading can be suggested.

Normandy is the land of Camembert, Pont L’Eveque and other assorted cheese. It is dairy country and, if one can forget one’s cholesterol count for a few days, it is the best place to indulge in creme fraiche !

Being on the Manche also means daily access to fresh oysters and fish caught early the same morning and readily available at the picturesque towns of Port en Bessin or Arromanches. Fresh lamb and beef and poultry are available from the nearby farms or markets.

As you are in the region of Calvados, some of the finest Cider, Pommeau (apple liquor), aged Calvados and of course the wonderful Calvados itself are readily available.

Sporting activities include sailing, horseback riding (lessons from beginners to dressage and jumping --average riders can organize a sunset ride at low tide on Omaha Beach through the local riding stables) as well as golf (15 minutes away is the Omaha Beach Golf Course, 3 x 9 holes, overlooking the ocean).

Historical sightseeing includes D-Day beaches, the American Cemetery, St. Pierre l'Eglise, the Bayeux Tapestry, Mont St. Michel, the towns of Deauville and Honfleur, the Channel Islands (available by ferry), etc.

The Chateau is located 2.5 hours from Paris via car or regular train service, in the region of Calvados in Normandy (3.5 hours from Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris, and 45 minutes from Carpiquet Airport, Caen, which services London).

The closest ‘important’ town is Bayeux (to the left of Caen should you look it up on a map -- 18 kms away, a short 20mn drive from the Chateau). Bayeux is a romantic town full of history and with complete modern services.

There are smaller but closer towns and charming villages as well. In particular there is Isigny, with banks, a large supermarket, gas stations and restaurants.

The restaurants in the area range from the local bistros with excellent home cooking to Michelin Guide ‘one and two star’ restaurants. There is a wonderful choice of daily fresh produce « open-air » markets as well, which are also great fun to explore. However, should one prefer, there is a food shopping service run by a nice gentleman, M. L’Ecluse, who will take your order by phone, do the shopping and deliver it for a small fee.

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