You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Traditional Normandy Cottage
An attractive, tastefully converted Normandy barn, located in a half-acre field, in a tranquil, unspoiled area of Orne, near to the medieval towns of Argentan and Sees. Access to the cottage is via a quiet track, usually only used by local farmers and horse riders. It offers a peaceful country hideaway, and is ideally situated to explore the local countryside by car, cycle or on foot, to read, fish or just to relax!
During your stay at this cottage, you're just a quick walk from Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park. The cottage offers free WiFi and a kitchen.
The cottage offers a kitchen, a washing machine, and 2.5 bathrooms
Free WiFi
Steps from Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park and 6 minutes by car from Sassy Castle
This cottage offers its guests barbecue grills and a garden. The front desk is open around the clock.
This La Bellière cottage is smoke free.
Property manager
John STIVEN
Languages
English, French
Property amenities
Beach
Beach loungers
Internet
Available in the cottage: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
Car required
Parking on site
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Electric kettle
Hob
Microwave
Oven
Paper towels
Refrigerator
Toaster
Bedrooms
3 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
2.5 bathrooms
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Shower
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Living spaces
Fireplace
Living room
Entertainment
Books
DVD player
Games
Stereo
TV
Outdoor areas
Barbecue grill
Garden
Outdoor furniture
Patio
Laundry
Washing machine
Comfort
Heating
Pets
Pet friendly
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoke-free property
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Location highlights
In a rural location
Near a hospital
Things to do
Birdwatching nearby
Cycling nearby
Fishing nearby
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Horseback riding nearby
Hunting nearby
Wildlife walks nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
General
Garden
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Pets
Pets are welcome
Service animals are exempt from fees
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome.
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account which will enable you to manage your booking.
We should mention
Onsite cash transactions can't exceed GBP 1000, due to national regulations. For more details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.
Traditional Normandy Cottage Reviews
Reviews
9.4
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 44 out of 63 reviews
10 - Excellent
44
Rating 8 - Good. 16 out of 63 reviews
8 - Good
16
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 63 reviews
6 - Okay
2
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 63 reviews
4 - Poor
0
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 63 reviews
2 - Terrible
1
9.2/10
Cleanliness
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Nikki M.
8 Nov 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Nikki M.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2024
10/10 Excellent
Sarah J.
7 Jul 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Typically rural Normandy location
Lovely and very quiet location but within good reach of some interesting towns and Cities.
Farmhouse has some great walks close by.
Locals friendly.
We BBQ most evenings - kitchen well equipped.
Sarah J.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
10/10 Excellent
David H.
23 Jun 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely rural house
Lovely house in a quiet location but close to villages. Our dogs loved the garden and walks
David H.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
10/10 Excellent
Christopher K.
20 Jun 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing location, Cool House
We enjoyed our stay here! So much history with the house, and a very quiet location away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. After fighting through the crowds for the Normandy anniversary, it was nice to come back to our quiet corner of France. Would definitely stay again!
Christopher K.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024
2/10 Terrible
Diane M.
3 Jun 2024
Liked: Cleanliness
Disappointed
There were a number of issues which we discussed with the Manager who looked after the gite.
If you take your dogs you need to watch them as they could easily escape.
We left 5 days early and came home. The furnishings in the living room are very old and tired and well past their sell by date. No tv channels in English which was in this day and age is unusual, albeit it was in the advert, but I did not see that. Beds needed attention due to very bad quality, whereby the springs were so compressed you virtually laid on the bed frame. My lads bed fell apart in the night, plus it turned out some of the slats were broken. After sleepless nights, we could no longer endure the discomfort, so we came home early, so hopefully these will be replaced. However location was beautiful, but quite a distance from supermarkets. The kitchen was well equipped. But we will not return to France as over the years we have endured deteriorating accommodations which is not really acceptable as the travel from uk to France is now expensive. However in fairness the owner did contact me with a contribution but it was not satisfactory as our holiday was already ruined.
Diane M.
Stayed 10 nights in May 2024
8/10 Good
Verified traveller
27 Oct 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Normandy Gite
We had a lovely week at St Iven. The rural location meant the peace and quiet was wonderful and was much needed!
The gite is spacious and well equipped and within easy reach of some very attractive towns, some stunning scenery and all the humbling history that is associated with the Normandy D-Day Landings.
Verified traveller
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023
10/10 Excellent
Damian J.
9 Oct 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
A lovely spot
A wonderful location and a lovely house. Near enough to local towns/shops/restaurants (~ 15 min drive).
Damian J.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023
10/10 Excellent
Linda D., North Yorkshire
8 Sept 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Restful and calm
This is the second time we have stopped here. The hosts have made a few improvements to add to the general ambience since the last time, but we just love it anyway.
It’s peaceful, has all you need and the huge garden is our happy place for the dogs.
We will be booking again for next year and can’t wait to come back.
Linda D.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023
10/10 Excellent
Paul Z.
27 Aug 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Very relaxing cottage
Our stay was very relaxing in this charming old cottage. It was clean and had all the amenities you could want. Quiet rural location and because the walls are so thick it was nice and cool inside when it was 30 degrees outside.
Paul Z.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
10/10 Excellent
Sarah H.
9 Aug 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Country getaway
Very peaceful stay. Rain couldn't be helped. Well equipped kitchen and everything we required at the property. Wonderful wildlife both at the property and in the surrounding area. Shops are a short drive but plenty of choice. Owners are really helpful and good at communication. The whole family enjoyed their stay.
Sarah H.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
8/10 Good
Mark B.
20 Jun 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Great countryside location
A very peaceful and beautiful setting. The house is very well equipped with everything you need.
The negative point for me was the curtains in the main bedroom did not keep the early morning light out.
Mark B.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2023
10/10 Excellent
Linda D.
10 Jun 2023
Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing traditional French property
This house was lovely. Three bedrooms upstairs and a family bathroom. The largest bedroom has an en-suite shower and sink. The ground floor is open plan and very functional. The best was the amazing huge garden and terrace. We had many a breakfast and evening meal on the patio furniture under the parasol. Listening to the peace and quiet, sound of the birds and nature. Whilst not totally dog proof, it’s almost. Kept our 2 dogs in anyway.
There is every piece of equipment you could possibly need in the house. Very well equipped. And very comfortable. Could do with a lock on the ground floor toilet. But other than that the property was fab. The hosts were lovely and accommodating and couldn’t be nicer.
All in all we are so glad we have rebooked to come back in early September and enjoy the same lovely forest walks with the dogs that we did last week.
Linda D.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
10/10 Excellent
Mark B.
22 Dec 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Calm and relaxing with a true French ambience.
It was very easy, we did it from Australia and had no problems at all. All communications were fast and efficient.
Mark B.
Stayed 10 nights in Dec 2022
10/10 Excellent
John D.
29 Aug 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely short break
A very quiet cottage in a small hamlet with the nearest shops about 15 minutes away.
It is a little tired in places, the bathroom could do with a freshen up, but overall it had everything that we needed and we had a relaxing time during our stay.
We visited the D Day landing beaches which were just over an hours drive so ideally located for places of interest.
It is not however on the tourist circuit so if you are looking for a true French experience this is the place for you. The locals were all friendly and welcoming
John D.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2022
8/10 Good
heather n.
17 Aug 2022
Liked: Cleanliness
Little piece of heaven
What a beautiful part of France. The house was so quaint and garden a massive bonus for our dog being as the weather was so hot so limited to what we could do. The house had everything we needed. Beautiful area to explore.
heather n.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
24 Aug 2020
Liked: Cleanliness
what a find. beautiful cottage. .Owners have provided all your essentials. Really thoughtful.
We had a 5 night stay in this beautiful cottage in the middle of August 2020.
We found the cottage location peaceful and private with lots of outdoor space . We would definitely return if we were passing through France and needed somewhere to stay
Verified traveller
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2020
10/10 Excellent
lisa h.
30 Dec 2019
Liked: Cleanliness
Great winter get away
We loved it here as a little ore Christmas get away!
lisa h.
10/10 Excellent
Alyson C., Southwell, Nottingham, UK
28 Jun 2019
Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful!
Everything was perfect and we have never been to such a well equipped holiday home. The area was so tranquil and we took advantage of the location to visit the Chateau de Sassy, The castle st Falaise - brilliantly depicted , the landing beaches, Bagnoles sur l'Orne (somewhat disappointing), and of course we had the opportunity to watch the Lionesses in action at Le Havre in their match against Argentina. Thank you John and Helen and also the delightful M and MmeCuvelier for all your help!
Alyson C.
8/10 Good
niall m.
8 Jun 2019
Normandy 2019
Very nice countryside location, with only birds, crickets and cows to break the silence
niall m.
10/10 Excellent
Marcus B., Frankfurt
26 Oct 2018
Loved it !
Wish we could live there !
Marcus B.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018
10/10 Excellent
Lindsay D.
30 Sept 2018
Amazing stay, higly recommended
It was such a breath of fresh air to stay in this cottage! It was the 5 of us, in two cars, thorougly took advantage of the area, from going for a wonder around the country lanes and feeding the ducks to taking the car for a spin to the nearby villages and towns, exploring the nearby culture and adjusting to the french way of living very easily.
Lindsay D.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018
10/10 Excellent
Jonathan F.
23 Sept 2018
A comfortable well-equipped gite with a large garden in a tranquil rural location
We enjoyed our stay and thought this area of Normandy was interesting. Transport is easy because the roads are good and there is little traffic. I would recommend the parc animalier "les ecoutes" near Sees especially for small children. You can stroke and feed a number of the animals. The Argentan market on a Tuesday is OK but quite small. There is also a bric-a-brac market on a Sunday which is quite interesting. William the Conqueror's castle at Falaise is worth a visit but the displays are a bit interactive you take a tablet round with you. Les Baignolles and Ferte Mace are nice small towns to stroll round.
With regard to the gite it is very well-equipped with a washing machine and dishwasher, 2 showers and 2 toilets. Sheets and towels are provided. The garden is great and safe for small children. The only things I would point out are:-
- it was generally quite clean but there were some cobwebs and it was a bit dusty
- the stairgate is useful but it is coming loose from its fixings and almost came off the wall a couple of times
- we could not get the DVD player to work. The open button did not open the machine so you could not insert a DVD. I am sure this can be easily fixed.
Overall I would recommend the gite.
Jonathan F.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2018
8/10 Good
Charles G.
6 Sept 2018
Relax in the countryside
Had a very peaceful and relaxing time at this well-equipped cottage deep in the Normandy countryside. Large terrace and garden mostly laid to grass.
Charles G.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018
8/10 Good
Bill C.
17 Aug 2018
Quiet rustic cottage in the middle of nowhere !
We all enjoyed our stay, and found it so quiet and relaxing. Together with the large garden which we used every day for Badminton, Boules etc. Within half an hour were places such as Falaise, Argentan and Sees. Further afield Bayeaux and Caen. A very enjoyable start to our French holiday.
Bill C.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2018
8/10 Good
W B.
8 Aug 2018
Lovely peaceful traditional cottage
This is a really lovely traditional Normandy cottage set in a peaceful field in the countryside. The local town is about 6km away but has very good butcher and bakers and greengrocer on Sunday morning. As previous reviews have commented, the cottage is spidery and cobwebby and could use a deep clean but this did not impede our stay. The cootage itself has been sympathetically restored and is easy to navigate. It is very well equipped and has everything you need. The kitchen area is well laid out and everything was easy to find, access and use. It was great to have sharp knives! Sports equipment is provided and (unlike other places which boast 'games room') nothing was broken or unusable. Our children loved the badminton/ tennis/ cricket stuff provided. We would have loved to use the log fire but it was too hot! As it was so hot, it would have been nice to have a beach nearby but we had deliberately chosen an inland cottage. Beaches are accessible but about an hour,s drive away. Plenty of hot water, great cycling around the forest, an hour or so drive to the D Day historical areas and to Honfleur, quiet roads, friendly locals and peace and quiet - it was an ideal relaxing break for all of us. The town of Argentan was a revelation and we very much enjoyed exploring it as well as the tour of Sassy. Balognes de l'Ornes is also within easy reach - in fact we could have spent a lot longer here exploring the local area. The owners have the property next door and were welcoming and friendly without imposing on our holiday. We were able to have an extra day and it was good to have the flexibility of stay rather than a fixed Saturday to Saturday let.