Three bedroom stone built 18th century Manoir at the edge of a little village. Set in 6 acres, including extensive garden and orchard. Character property with open fires and high beamed ceilings. Peaceful retreat, but only 20 minutes from the bustling medieval city of Le Mans, famous for the 24 hour motor race. One hour north of the Loire rivers' vineyards and chateaux. Forest and lakes nearby, such as the local Forest of Charnie and the magnificent Alpes Mancelles - ideal for walking, cycling, fishing, sailing, swimming. Perfect base to visit the area, including the towns of Le Mans, with its magnificent cathedral, medieval city and fantastic shops, Alencon, Laval with its hilltop fortress, the lake at Sille Le Guillaume with its beach and sailing facilities, the medieval village of Saint Suzanne, picturesque St Cenerie, Fresnay Sur Sarthe, or Solesmes Abbey, with its Gregorian chants and hymns.
18th Century Manoir near to Le Mans, Sarthe
- Chateau / Country House
- Sleeps: 9
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 2
- Half Baths: 1
- Min Stay: 7 nights
Manoir in the Pays de la Loire - village edge, views across the countryside
Bedrooms
Owner
Rachel Nickless
- Speaks:
- english, french
- Calendar last updated:
- Dec 2, 2018
About Rachel Nickless
As a child, my parents used to take my brothers and I to France every summer. It was during these impressionable years that I fell in love with the country, the history, language, culture, food and later - the wine! I always knew that one day I would live in France. I bought Le Petit Bois in 2007, having fallen for its 'wow' factor, the first time I saw it. I relocated to Paris with work and I lived at Le Petit Bois and worked out of Paris, just 55 minutes from Le Mans on the TGV. It was a great life, and just as I had envisaged living in France would be. I moved back to the UK for work in 2010, so my home then became an occasional retreat that I decided to let out to fellow Francophiles for holidays. I hope you enjoy spending your precious time here as much as I do.
Rachel Nickless purchased this Chateau / Country House in 2007
Why Rachel Nickless chose Saint-Symphorien
The first time I pulled into the courtyard of Le petit Bois I fell in love with the property. It had the 'wow' factor and was eactly what I was looking for in a home. The rooms are big, and the grounds private and plentiful! I moved in, in November 2007,and Le Petit Bois was my home for 2 years whilst I was working in Paris.
What makes this Chateau / Country House unique
I enjoy spending time in the big garden, knowing that I have peace and space from the outside world, but also knowing that the village centre is 200 metres from the back gate! Although the property is in a village, the beautiful medieval city of Le Mans is just 14 miles away, so staying at Le Petit Bois gives me the best of both worlds - rural privacy, and city living. In the winter I love to light the fire and enjoy the beautiful bright sunny winter days, walking in the near by forest.
Amenities
- Internet
- Pets Welcome
- Fireplace
- TV
- Satellite or Cable
- Children Welcome
- Parking
- Heater
Bathrooms
- 2 Bathrooms, 1 Half Bath
- Bathroom 1toilet, combination tub/shower, shower
- Bathroom 4toilet
- Shower room 1shower
- Shower room 2toilet, shower
- En-suite bathroom to bedroom 1 with bath, shower, double basin and wc. En-suite bathroom to bedroom 2 with shower, basin and wc. Family Bathroom with corner power shower and basin. Separate wc.
Location Type
- Rural
- Village
Meals
- Guests provide their own meals
General
- Internet
- HeatingOil fired boiler with radiators throuhgout
- Washing Machine
- Fireplace
- Parking
- Garage
- Linens Provided
- Towels Provided
- Wireless Internet
- Wood Stove
- Iron & Board
- Hair Dryer
- Living Room1 huge sofa and 2 armchairs
Kitchen
- Dishwasher
- Refrigerator
- Stove5 gas rings
- OvenLarge range cooker
- MicrowaveMicrowave, grill, oven combi
- Coffee MakerDulce gusto capsule machine, and a caffetiere
- Toaster
- Dishes & Utensils
- Kitchen
Dining
- Dining Area
- Dining
- comfy seating for 8 people
Entertainment
- Foosball
- Television
- Stereo
- DVD Player
- Books
- Satellite / CableUK freeview channels
- Games
- Music Library
- Pool Table
- Video Library
- Video Games
Outside
- Lawn / GardenExtensive private grounds of 6 acres
- Outdoor Grill
- Deck / PatioFront terrace and back patio
- TennisThere is a tennis court in the village
Suitability
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- limited accessibilityThere are steps to the front of the house. The rear has a slope to the patio and is step free
Notes
- Outside: Beautiful grounds, including a large back garden with an orchard, 5 secure, dry, stone barns providing ample space for parking, covered eating area with huge BBQ, a 2.5 acre field adjacent to the house and a large courtyard at the front, perfect for playing boules. Utility Room: Outside with butchers block sink, washing machine. Cleaning / Towels / Linen Linen provided. Property is cleaned and serviced at the beginning of every rental.
House Rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date.
4 Reviews
Lovely property
A lovely house to stay in near to Le Mans. The games barn is great fun for children of all ages! Lovely spacious garden. Two bedrooms upstairs are both a very good size and en suite. The room downstairs is smaller but adequate (although would be better with wardrobe and dressing table instead of extra bed) and also has own shower room and toilet. I can definitely recommend.
An authentic and pretty French house with much character and charm
An authentic and pretty French house with much character and charm enveloped in lovely grounds on the edge of a quiet rural village. The home owners were extremely accommodating and helpful before our arrival, making our holiday easy to plan and a very pleasant stay. This accommodation is in a great location for peace and quiet and lots of home comforts, not too far from the main city of Le Mans offering great architecture, karting and cuisine - all of which we sampled! Saint Suzanne is not too far, a beautiful medieval castle ruin within an idyllic village containing cafes and a range of gift and antique shops. The beach/lake at Sille Le Guillaume was also worth a visit with lots of activities for all ages set in a large forest. Our ages were from 14-70 there is certainly something for everyone here and comes with recommendation.
Hi Debs
I'm so pleased that you all enjoyed a good time - doggies included! And you did the karting! It's great fun isn't it! We're planning on doing it again soon.
Thank you for your kind words about Le Petit Bois. It certainly is a wonderful place to relax and unwind.
Best wishes
Rachel
Stunning property, peaceful relaxing stay.
The property and gardens by far exceeded our expectations, spacious and elegantly furnished and set in amazing countryside. we had a great time,it was so nice we hardly left the property. relaxing and peaceful holiday ideal to unwind.
Thank you xxx
Thank you for your comments. It's always great to hear that our guests are happy, and love the house and gardens as much as we do. You are welcome back anytime!
We can't wait to go back...
We live a very hectic life here in the UK and fell in love with the French lifestyle some time ago when visiting Avingon. Le Petit Bois is the perfect place to slip straight into the French way of living. Its rural setting is beautiful, there are so many great walks on the door step and the house and grounds itself are incredible.
I defy anyone to go to Le Petit Bois and not relax... We went in the winter and loved having a roaring log fire going after a long walk in the woods. I would encourage everyone to see this part of rural France in the spring and autumn, as there is something very special about this part of the world at these times of year.
We shall go back, in fact, we can't wait!
Map
20 minutes from the bustling medieval city of Le Mans, famous for the 24 hour motor race. One hour north of the Loire rivers' vineyards and chateaux. Forest and lakes nearby, such as the local Forest of Charnie and the magnificent Alpes Mancelles - ideal for walking, cycling, fishing, sailing, swimming. Check out this video about the area: https://vimeo.com/53665585
Travel:
The Normandy channel ports are the closest. Caen is just 165km (approx 2 hours drive). The nearest airport is Tours, at 120km. The A11 - the major motorway intersection for North, South, East and West France is just 14km away. A car is recommended.
Distances:
Le Mans 26km. Conlie 8km. Sille Le Guillaume 15km. Alencon 50km. Laval 55km. Tours 120km. Saumur 120km. Caen 165km. Paris 230km. Boulogne sur mer 395km.
Further Details:
The village has a bar, boulangerie / patesserie, a convenience store and a little Sunday market selling fresh fruit & veg, meat, fish, cheese, flowers. The nearby towns of Conlie and Loue have restaurants, bars, banks, post offices, pharmacies, supermarkets, petrol stations, a train station and shops. There are also restaurants and cafes in the neighbouring villages.
Availability
Additional information about rental rates
Booking Notes: Discounts on long term bookings. Please ask for details. Changeover Day: Saturday, unless alternative day agreed with owner. Departing guests to leave by 11am. Arriving guests to arrive no earlier than 3pm. (Again, unless agreed in advance with owner). Notes on prices: Pets are welcome, at a £25 supplement. Owner happy to assist with vet appointments for pet passport requirements at excellent local vets. Winter fuel supplement of £100 will apply 1/10-1/4 for oil and logs. If heating is required outside of these dates please contact the owner.