About the history of L'Orangerie:
Built in 1703, L'Orangerie is an important part of the history of the Suisse Normande. It was originally the over wintering plant house for the Chateau, before being converted to its current use (200 years ago). It is built on the site of a 7th century priory, some of which can still be seen from the bottom of the garden, in the grounds of the newer Chateau (privately owned not open to the public). You can see carvings in the stonework used from the original priory to create L'Orangerie in one of the upstairs window sills.
At the begining of the last century it has been a ground floor nunnery (they commissioned the Dutch style roof).
The current owners added the double flight staircase (the ceilings downstairs are 5 metres high), and access to the upper floor plus all the upstairs flooring, bedrooms and bathrooms.
Why choose L'Orangerie for your holiday:
We go out of our way to make your holiday memorable - for all the right reasons. We must be getting it right, as in just a few short years, we have built up a number of guests who have made repeat bookings, and recommended us to friends.
We have tried to create an environment where we have selected unusual pieces of furniture to interest our guests - our ornately carved dragon cabinets and the 1890 four metre long oak settle refurbished from Liverpool Lime Street Station for example.
We live in an adjacent 3 bedroom caretakers' cottage, so if you need anything we are available, otherwise we will leave you in complete peace to enjoy the property and its gardens in full.
There is plenty to do in all seasons, and in all weathers. The forest all around us has a different charm, whatever the time of year, or the weather. We have equipped L'Orangerie to anticipate all seasons, in all their glory - you cannot help falling in love with the Suisse Normande and will hopefully return
Local attractions:
Of major significance to this area are the close ties with William the Conquerer, plus the Normandy landings in WW2. We have a great deal of information available about both these subjects at the L'Orangery.
There are a number of tourist routes to follow - the DD Landings routes; the cheese routes; the granite routes. All of these pick up themes pertinent to the history and traditions in this area.
Nearby Pont d'Ouilly is a village fleurie, and hosts the national kayak polo championships. The river is great for canoeing or swimming. Summer riverside tea dances are a joy to behold (or join in with the locals).
Closeby is the Roches d'Oetre - a geological site that has been developed to include a tourist centre and starting point for many walking routes (we are close to the GR 36); mountain biking; horse riding.
We have a mixture of great restaurants and bistros. Local markets are definitely worth a visit. After 20 years in the area, we still find something new.
Other Activities:
Canoeing; Velo-Rail; rock-climbing; Spa treatments
