La Fontaine Rouillee near Plessala is a truly tranquil location in a rural setting overlooking the valley of the River Lie and nearby Loudeac Forest. It really is a chill-out zone where the stresses of everyday life can easily be put aside to enjoy the slower pace of Breton life.

The grounds surrounding the cottage and the longere are ideal for barbecues, relaxing with a book and a drink, sketching the scenery, watching birds or the stars! Take a stroll down to the nearby river to cool off beside the calm waters of an ancient deer crossing or follow it downstream a little to the weir which attracts many trout fishermen. For the more energetic, follow the marked cycle or rambling trails or join a pony trek through the nearby forest; alternatively hire canoes at the neighbouring village of La Prenessaye and explore further down river; break for lunch at one of the local creperies, Plessala’s is reputed to be one of the best in Cotes d’Armor.

Within a short drive there are bustling market towns, many good quality restaurants, a wide variety of historic sites, 2 large inland lakes with water sports, fishing and boating, the beautifully scenic north coast beaches and international standard golf courses to provide plenty of options for everyone.

Both the 3 bedroomed longère and the 2 bedroomed cottage have been carefully renovated to create comfortable homes from home that retain many original Breton features but are designed for modern living. They have relaxing living rooms with sofas, tv and woodburner, whilst the kitchens have been equipped for year-round use. The longère is laid out as a spacious ground floor apartment with living accommodation, double bedroom and shower room; the upper floor has 2 further bedrooms with en suite shower rooms opposite each other off a galleried landing; this design makes it suitable either for couples renting just the ground floor (discount available) or larger families or groups of friends taking both floors. The level access and wide doors mean the ground floor is suitable for guests with mobility problems. The cottage accommodation is on one floor with its layout and enclosed sunny front garden making it particularly suitable for families or couples seeking a private hideaway.

La Fontaine Rouillee nestles on a 2 acre plot where there is plenty of designated private outdoor space available for each property, complete with garden furniture, built-in barbecue and magnificent views.

The natural peace and tranquillity around Plessala is complimented by the abundance of bird life residing here; those who wish to sketch will be enthralled by the suberb landscape whilst the rolling countryside is particularly suited to walkers and cyclists; Suggested rambles ranging from 5 to 16km are available for Plessala's marie's office they pass some of the historic Celtic crosses that are also a feature of the commune.

The area is equally appealing to anyone who enjoys meandering around small medieval towns - don't miss nearby Moncontour, which is just minutes away and is amazing; the Fete des Ramparts shared bi-annually with Dinan is a must. For those who enjoy browsing the many local markets there is plenty of fresh produce to discover - goats cheeses, honey, shellfish, pork and just picked vegetables are piled high beside art and craft or brocante stalls.

The English owners live nearby, maintain the gites personally and are on-hand to answer any queries to help guests make the most of their stay in this beautiful and friendly area of Brittany; they also offer optional advice and assistance to any guests hoping to purchase their own Breton property.

Facilities

Property Type:	Gites Cottages Houses
Nearest port:	St Malo 80km
Nearest market:	Loudeac 10km
Nearest restaurant:	Plessala 2km
Kitchen:	Very well equipped kitchens designed for year-round use. 4 ring gas hob, electric oven and grill, microwave, fridge-freezer, kettle, toaster, washing machine, iron and board. Full compliment of crockery, cutlery, glasses, cookware and table linen. The dining tables comfortably seat 6 in the longère and 4 in the cottage. There is also plenty of outdoor dining space and furniture.
Living area:	Comfy sofas, coffee table, well stocked bookcase, a selection of board games, cds and dvds, a tv and dvd player can be found in each living room which have very efficient woodburners providing a focal point. The longère living room is dual aspect with french doors opening onto the bbq terrace. The cottage living room has a large shuttered window overlooking its south facing garden.
Bedrooms:	The longère has one ground floor double bedroom with french doors to the rear terrace, another double and a spacious twin upstairs off the galleried landing (both en suite). The cottage has a double and a twin bedroom both with working shutters and lovely views; an optional cot-bed will fit in either room if required. All the bedrooms have wardrobes, chests, mirrors, chairs, panel radiators, fans and choice of duvet weights appropriate to the season. Bed linen is included in our prices
Bathrooms:	The longère has 3 shower rooms, one is adjacent to the ground floor bedroom, the others are en suites to the 2 upstairs bedrooms. The cottage has one extremely spacious shower room between the 2 bedrooms. All have mirrors, towel rail, heaters and a chair or stool.
Entertainment on-site:	Tv receiving UK free-to-air programmes and dvd player in each living room, with a selection of films provided. Traditional board games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit etc, plus playing cards and a bookcase full of paperbacks can be found in both gites.
Garden and outside:	A large hardwood garden table with chairs and parasol is provided for each property along with built-in barbecues; there are also wooden garden benches, extra seating and small tables outside each property. Spare crockery, bbq tools and charcoal are provided, along with cool boxes for picnics. The cottage has an enclosed mature garden with fruit trees and flowering shrubs, whilst the longère has a large terrace which opens onto a paddock edged by oak and apple trees. Both have wide ranging views over open countryside.
Parking and garaging:	There is parking for up to 4 guest cars on-site, with space available immediately beside each gite for unloading. On-site secure storage is available for guests' cycles, golf clubs, fishing rods etc.
Suitability:	The longère has a very wide front door, plus ground floor double bedroom with french doors and an adjacent shower room, making it suitable for guests with restricted mobility; the layout of 3 bedrooms each with its own shower room makes this property particularly suitable for groups of friends or extended families. The galleried landing means this gite is not suitable for young children. The cottage front door is approached via a short flight of shallow steps, however the accommodation is all on one level and it has an enclosed garden making it suitable for families with small children or couples wanting a private hideaway. Sorry but we do not accept pets.
General:	These gites are maintained to a very high standard and are appropriately equipped for year round use. Heaters, fans and bed linen are provided appropriate to the season. Long lets and short breaks are available between October and May. The properties are strictly no smoking indoors, please respect this choice. There are no restrictions on starting days, subject only to existing bookings.

Owners Recommendations

Eating Out

'La Bisquine, Loudeac'
"Small but perfectly formed bistro opposite the church in the middle of Loudeac. Excellent value lunches and an extensive dinner menu using fresh seasonal produce that never fails to please."

'La Mulette, Moncontour'
"The restaurant for mussels! A vast selection of moules options fill the menu, along with a good wine list, tasty meat of day options for non shellfish lovers and tables full of locals, so you know the cooking is good! "

'Le Chauldron Magique, Moncontour'
"A delightful restaurant with very helpful owners - one serves, the other cooks - who are pleased to explain the dishes contents and origins. Diners can choose to don medieval costume and cannot fail to enjoy both the atmosphere and the excellent food. A very good choice for family celebrations."

'Saint Antoine, Plemet'
"Award-winning gourmet restaurant, where the 4 course dinner will take all evening. Prepare to be amazed by both the taste and exquisite presentation of the food offered."

Local Area and Activities

'Kayak and Cycle hire'
"Visit the 'base sport nature' just down the road at La Prenessaye for an excellent value, envigorating day out. Hire kayaks from 7.50 euros for unaccompanied half-days or join a guided trip down the river - suitable for all ages and no previous experience is necessary. Alternatively hire an all terrain bike to explore the area."

'La Roche au Cerf'
"An ancient stone river crossing over the Lie, still said to be used by deer. A magically peaceful place to cool off with a picnic, or follow the marked riverside walk. "

Markets and Shopping

'Lamballe Market'
"A must for thursday mornings, Lamballe has a large traditional Breton market where the locals buy and sell every week; craft stalls offering hand made celtic jewellery compete with galette stands and masses of freshly picked vegetables for your attention. "

'Mur de Bretagne Friday Evening Market'
"Enjoy friday evenings at Mur de Bretagne near Lac Guerledan. A vibrant market, with plenty of food stalls, is held from late afternoon onwards on summer fridays. "

Rental Rates

La Vieille Longère - Sleeps: 1/6, Bedrooms: 3

03 Jan 2008- 28 Mar 2008 £150.00
29 Mar 2008- 23 May 2008 £250.00
24 May 2008- 04 Jul 2008 £350.00

Low Season £250 per week
Mid Season £350 per week
High Season £475 per week
Prices include utilities & bed linen.
No restrictions on start days.
Short breaks & long lets available October to May.
20% discount for couples using ground floor only (1 double bedroom & shower room).

La Petite Maison - Sleeps: 1/4, Bedrooms: 2

29 Mar 2008- 23 May 2008 £225.00
24 May 2008- 04 Jul 2008 £300.00

Low Season £200 per week
Mid Season £300 per week
High Season £425 per week
Prices include utilities & bed linen.
No restrictions on start days.
Short breaks & long lets available October to May.

Special Offers

Second Week Half Price in Autumn & Spring

All 2 week bookings for stays between October and May will receive 50% discount on the price of the second week.

Contact Details

To book this property use the contact details below quoting Holiday France Direct ref: BN002469.

Contact:	Penny McClure
Postal Address:	La Fontaine Rouillee Plessala 22330 France
Telephone:	(00 33) 2 96 67 28 07
Mobile:	07708 596802
Email:	Email the Owner »
Shortlist:	Click here to add this property to your shortlist
Listing last updated:	03 Sep 2008