Bas Brézel is a 200 year old longere, consisting of a four bedroom cottage (sleeps eight - on the right of photo), and a larger four bedroom farmhouse (sleeps 10 - the left 2 sections of the photo). It has recently been renovated to a very high standard.

Bas Brézel is a hamlet of 3 stone farmhouses. Ours is a second home for us to retire to, so we have made it very comfortable and special. The site is rural - down its own quiet lane through green hilly Breton countryside and ending in a gravel courtyard, where the children can play safely.

Facing the cottage (above), is a half-acre cider apple orchard. We have planted lots of new fruit trees. Children can enjoy themselves on the swings.

Downstairs is open plan. A wood burning stove provides warmth on cool evenings if needed. Comfortable sofas seat 8 adults easily as does the large farmhouse table in the dining area. The kitchen is modern and fully equipped - dishwasher, microwave etc. A new washing machine is in the shower room. We have a bathroom with large bath and combined shower upstairs. Whilst on the ground floor there is a shower room and second toilet. The bedrooms consist of 2 doubles, 1 twin and 1 with bunk beds. A cot is also provided if required at no extra cost.

Our stone garage stores the trailer and mountain bikes. You are welcome to use them (1 mans, 1 ladies, 1 boys 9-11 years, 1 girls 7-9 years, 1 unisex 6-7 years and 1 young childs).

There is always a lot to do and see here (that’s why we bought it) - sightseeing, walking, riding, golf, tennis, cycling along quiet lanes and old train tracks. The local cuisine is excellent and very reasonably priced. You can find a delicious 3 course menu with house wine for £10 per head - and they usually do a £5 menu for children including a soft drink!

So many interesting places are within very easy reach - the roads are good.

There is a zoo 30mins away with lovely gardens - very entertaining for the children and 2 aqua parks which the children adore - one is Cobac Parc in Brittany - 50 mins away and the other is at St Martin de Landelles which has huge water slides, more suitable for older children - 30 mins away. Hours of fun are to be had at these wonderful attractions - please explore on the hyperlinks below.

The location of the cottage is ideal for exploring both Brittany and Normandy as it is on the border of both. It is situated on the outskirts of the village of Le Ferré (Brittany) and is just 2 miles away from the bustling market town of St James (Normandy).

Bayeux, famous for its tapestry is approx 1 hour north from Bas Brézel. It makes a great day out - the architecture of the town is lovely - there are museums and a beautiful cathedral to see as well. Even young children can learn a lot about the famous period of 1066 as audio tapes are provided in the tapestry museum.

The towns of Granville and Saint Malo are both about an hour away - designer boutiques, lively social life, scores of restaurants and great aquariums. An added bonus is that these towns have beautiful, sandy beaches - a large party can amuse all members - kids on the beach having a whale of a time whilst others shop for great bargains in the clothes and jewelry line - and then all meet up later for an al fresco meal.

The famous and majestic Mont St Michael is only 20 km away. It is the number one tourist attraction in France - an interesting and historic site. Empty sandy beaches are to be found at Gênets (20 mins approx) and the view of the Mont faces you directly. From here we have done horse riding and crossed the bay on foot, which takes most of the day and is a wonderful, invigorating experience.

The most popular beach is at Carolles Plage, about 30-40 minutes away (below left). It provides lifeguards, shops, restaurants and is lovely for swimming. There is also a small tide so it is ideal for scrambling over the rock pools. Sandy beaches of Cancale in Brittany are 45 minutes away.

Not far away is Fougeres, a large lively town with a good Saturday market selling masses of local home-grown produce at low prices. eat fresh moules marniere here in the cobbled square and watch the world go by. Later take a tour of the town's magnificent castle. If you miss your curry whilst on holiday - there is a good Indian restaurant in this town.