Manche holiday cottage: Le Mesnil Gilbert

We (my wife and I and our 5 year old daughter, Sophie) have just returned from a very enjoyable stay in Le Gite.

We were delighted with the Gite - everything was as described - except that photos don't really do the place justice. The Gite was well furnished and equipped - we were glad of the dishwasher and washing machine (and Sky TV). Beds were comfortable and the modern bathroom (with bath and shower over) was very clean (as indeed was the gite as a whole).

Our hosts - Peter and Jenny - were very hospitable and full of useful information. They were very attentive but not at all intrusive.

The swimmimg pool was a big hit - Sophie was keen to use it at every available opportunity. It was well maintained and cleaned daily.

We enjoyed visits to Mont St Michel (easily reachable) as well as a decent beach at Carolles. The Zoo at Champrepus has plenty to amuse all ages (as well as the animals - look out for the lemurs especially - there is a play area for children with bouncy castles, a ball pool etc).

We particularly liked "Ange Michel" a kind of fun park designed for younger children which is open for the summer season (it's not quite Legoland or Thorpe Park but the admission prices are a good deal cheaper - approx 30 euro for the 3 of us which we felt was very good value). We would recommend going when the "aquatic" facilities are available (June - August).

To top off our stay we enjoyed an excellent lunch at Auberge du Moulin - a 10 minute drive from the gite - an excellent recommendation from our hosts.

All in all, a lovely break in a fabulous gite with great hosts - would happily recommend it!

Le Gite is one of three cottages set in a beautifully peaceful part of France. The accommodation was spotless on arrival and it was equipped to a very high standard. The pool was cleaned daily and we enjoyed the luxury of being able use it when it was hot. Peter and Jenny were marvellous hosts-extremely friendly and helpful but not at all intrusive. I would definitely reccommend this property.

We have just returned from Le Gite at La Hallotiere where we had a fantastic 2 week holiday. The accomodation is exceptional - very clean on arrival, equipped with everything you could possibly think of and more - a real home from home. The dishwasher, washing machine, Sky tv and internet access were a real bonus. The three gites on the site are all individual and equally impressive with their own private gardens. The views of the beautiful Normandy countryside are outstanding and the surroundings are so peaceful that a passing car or tractor is unusual! Peter and Jenny are excellent hosts. They are available for information about the local area and a chat without ever being obtrusive. They are constantly working around the grounds, gardening, cutting grass etc and Jenny's flower arrangements in all the rooms were a welcome surprise. We really enjoyed playing croquet, a sport we had never tried before. The heated pool was a real treat, exceptionally clean and with well kept gardens surrounding it and the area was really secure for anyone with young children.
There is plenty to see and do within an hour's drive. We ran out of time to do everything we had planned as there is so much choice and La Hallotiere is so lovely we didn't want to leave it! Our favourite excursions were to Le Mont St Michel (stunning but go early!), Bayeux, Avranches, Granville and Carolles Plage. The local town, Brecey, has a good supermarket and the towns of Villedieu les Poeles and St Hilaire have good markets and are well worth a visit.
We would recommend La Hallotiere 100% and would have given it 6 stars if it was possible! We will definitely visit again in future.