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PRICES 2013
Booking starts Saturday in:
Jan/Feb £275
Mar-May £345
June-Sep £425
Oct-Dec £275
Life £100,000
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You're almost there - in an Area of Outstanding Beauty!

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  • We had a wonderful time in France and loved the cottage. We quickly made friends with Bernard and Marie-Therese , enjoying cider and Calvados with them and they with us.
  • We much appreciated the space of the cottage, two bathrooms, decent cutlery and crockery, a decent cooker, etc, etc. and the situation was "trés douce, trés tranquille".
  • Your Gite is really very nice the beds are comfortable the two bathrooms great, very nice crockery and cutlery, and nicely furnished. It is so peaceful and the ducks were great. Eating out there was so good and so cheap, we couldnt believe how cheap.
  • We really appreciated the standard of furniture and white goods and felt the gite was very comfortable and homely. We also liked the crockery and especially the cutlery (Arthur Price no less!).
  • Everything was as good as you'd advertised. It is a most delightful setting. plenty of hot water and excellent shower. Great position, great location.
  • We got vegetables from the farm together with "Calva" and eggs to bring home and we spoke in French the whole time !! Discussions on Iraq and local politics were interesting to say the least !! Still you can be fluent in any language after a few glasses of the local brew !!
  • Had reservations, being a townie but it grew on us. In my minds eye I have moved in permanently! Love the peacefulness and the countryside. Been to the American cemetery, had lump in my throat. Had lovely time, gone to quick!
"Frogs by Rosbif" is my blog, mere musings not he French and their happy little ways.
Wizard Wonky is a great children's entertainer. Imagine a not-very-clever Wizard, hopeless at magic, brilliant at Balloon Animals and games. That's me - a real Wizard in gown and hat. Wherever there are children - and you wish there weren't - I'll keep them entertained!
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Our holiday cottage, or gite is near the village of Maisonscelles la Jourdan, close to Vire.
Vire is in Calvados in Normandy, France. Calvados is famous for its cider and ... calvados (and other drinks), and the surrounding area is equally famous for Camembert (and Pont l'Eveque, Livarot and other cheeses),
William the Conqueror, the Bayeaux Tapestry, the World War 2 beaches (and other things).
Mont St Michel is not far and Caen is 45 minutes away for a superb range of new and old shops. Golden sands at Granville and cascades at Mortain.
Where are we? We're here!

No, we haven't thought of a better name for our holiday cottage yet! We bought the gite at the turn of the century (2001 - we're not THAT old!) and were very very lucky. We call it Credit Cards Cottage. It has sat for centuries snuggly within a hectare of grass, looking over it's own little valley. In World War 2 it was home to 19 refugees from Vire for a while as the Americans bombed the city flat. Well actually, they didn't bomb it flat, the local farmers actually flattened it (see "Frogs from Rosbif"!). And yes, it is for sale. We have a motorhome now and prefer travelling.

Our part of Calvados, Normandy is near the Suisse Normand in Basse Normandy. Much of France is boringly flat - but we have it all! To the west of us is fairly flat across to the Channel Islands facing coast, Granvilles sandy beach and Mont St Michel's famous bay. To the south of us are cascades at Mortain, to the north the Vire Gorges, and to the east hills and lakes, rivers and ...

All around is history from William the Conqueror's castle, the Bayeux Tapestry, Henry II's home town of Tinchebray to the sad but victorious famous beaches of the Normandy landings in WW2 and the battles at Mortain.

Our self-catering holiday gite or cottage couldn't be more perfect for us. You'll like it too whether for a week, two or more - in or out of season for golf, shopping - or doing nothing!

For winter, the back and sides of the house are sheltered by hedges, the front of the house has all it's huge windows are shuttered - and the log fire is blazing. Electric heaters in every room.

For summer the rooms face south (except the twin bedroom which gets the morning sun), large windows opening to the sun and fresh air. Outside is grass, a sort of stream (a bit like cats and the French really - it'll be what it wants to be when it wants to be), and our own tiny valley past the fence down to the stream near the bottom - and the view. Whatever the weather - the wine, the bread, the cheese, the company of friends is all you need. If self catering isn't for you there are many cafes and restaurants - even takeaways.

Explore!
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PRICES 2013
Booking starts Saturday in:
Jan/Feb £275
Mar-May £345
June-Sep £425
Oct-Dec £275
Life £100,000