Sleeping up to a maximum of 8 in four bedrooms, three of which have en suite bathrooms, (one suite is on the ground floor), La Reverie, only a few minutes from wonderful sandy beaches, is a perfect base for your holiday in Normandy.
This former ruin has been transformed into a light filled, comfortable home, full of character and extremely well equipped and appointed.
Awarded a 5* rating by the French Tourist board, La Reverie features polished cement floors in the main living areas, and a large granite topped fully equipped Poggenpohl kitchen with an induction hob, main and prep sinks, an eye level dishwasher, an integrated coffee machine and a boiling hot water tap.
The dining area marries a c19th french farmhouse table with modern designer chairs, while comfortable leather sofas surround the woodburning stove.
Fibre optic internet, WiFi, Freesat TV and a home cinema set up are provided, and there is exclusive use of the private heated swimming pool and hot tub, accessed from the living area through bifold doors, and surrounded by the southwest facing terrace, which is ideal for BBQs late into the summer evenings.
I'm James, the owner, and I spent nearly five years over a painstaking renovation, which I conceived and carried out virtually single-handed. (Hence the five years!)
The final result is decorated with a retro vintage feel, and features art and brocante objects that I picked up along the way as an Antiques dealer.
Additional attractions at La Reverie are the playroom* Wii console, toys and games, there is also a selection of bikes you can borrow - some helmets too. Flippers, masks and floatation aids accompany the pool, which is protected by a hard electric roller shutter for the safety of our younger guests.
There are also collections of vinyl records, CDs and DVDs for you to enjoy, and books for all ages.
La Reverie is within reach of a huge choice of sandy beaches (under ten minutes away), and many must see sites within an easy day trip...(Mont Saint-Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry, the Landing beaches, and the Christian Dior museum in Granville, or the Cité de la Mer at Cherbourg..
Don't forget eating out!... from Michelin starred (I can help with reservations), to Moules frites with your feet in the sand, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Buy some oysters direct from the growers around 5€ a dozen... alternatively visit the renowned traiteur Lombardie in Coutainville (10 minutes away), and bring back "home" one of their freshly prepared meals.
Foodies will love visiting "La Maison du Biscuit" and the local markets.
There is so much to see and do, a week really isn't long enough!

Here are a few more details to whet your appetite:

GOUVILLE SUR MER
BEACH & VILLAGE:
Gouville sur Mer beach is just over a five minute drive from the house.
it has lots of sand(!) and a very relaxed vibe.
There is Les Dunes, a café / restaurant and bar on beach front, as well as a pop up Tapas and Burger bar, the BOA, and a take away pizza shack
Gouville beach is huge, clean, sandy and uncrowded. In summer, activities include sand yachting, kite surfing and horse riding. There are often free daily keep fit classes on the beach. Along this coast there are literally miles and miles of empty sandy beaches to explore; There's bound to be one perfect for you!
The thriving village of Gouville sur Mer has a twice weekly market in summer and a small supermarket.We have a good range of local commerçants, with two boulangeries to choose from for your fresh baguettes and croissants. (If you want to know which one is best.... its thz one with the queue!)
There are also a butcher ( recommended for your sunday roast - ask me about ordering),two banks, two hairdressers, (and beauty treatments) , a pharmacy and doctors surgery, a bar tabac, a post office, an exhibition centre and a tourist office. There are 2 restaurants in the village and many more within 10 minutes drive including 'Le Mascaret', (Michelin Starred) and 'La Cale' (much loved by our guests!) , a seafood beach bar/restaurant, right on the beach, and voted one of the top ten beach bars in Europe.

Everyone who comes to this part of the world knows of the hugely significant history of the area. You could easily spend all holiday just visiting sites and museums related to the second World War, but then there's the Bayeux tapestry, and Mont Saint Michel, the Cite de la Mer at Cherbourg, Dinard, Dinan, St Malo.... The only problem is deciding how to fit it all in!

FAMILY ACTIVITIES:
Within 15 mins - horse riding, (including on the beach) , golf, tennis, sailing, sand yachting, kite surfing, bike hire ( there are a number at the house, more can be hired cheaply from the local garage) , kayaking, farm visits, summer musical events, horse trotting-racing, yoga on the beach, petanque, golf, skim boarding(lessons), visits to the oyster/mussel beds in a horse drawn carriage (limited spaces and timing), and loads more.

20-30minutes or so - karting, (on a real track.. Great fun!) 2 forest adventure parks (walkways in trees, zip lines ), bowling, paintball, laser game etc.
There is also a dinosaur themed indoor playground nearby, aimed at younger children and good if the weather isnt!

Further inland is the Parc Régional des Marais du Cotentin, a fascinating regional park with a rich bird life, as well as houses made of clay and straw, to explore on foot or by boat. There's also a miniature railway, you can ride on, and countless D-day museums and Historic visits to be made.

Further afield - When you go to Mont Saint Michel, think about stopping at Alligator Bay for the children .. Not just alligators, but also Giant tortoises and more.
La Cité de la Mer at Cherbourg, is a great day out with large Aquarium, a nuclear submarine to visit and a collection of bathyscapes.
In the other direction Granville is a lovely vibrant port, good for for pottering, shopping or eating. It also has a small salt water aquarium, and a deliciously kitsch shell museum.
Festyland attraction park at Carpiquet and the zoo at Champrepus, are also excellent days out, especially for young families.

NORMANDY HIGHLIGHTS: We are well placed for cultural outings with sights all around us.

Chateau de Pirou (15 mins), Chateau de Gratot (20 mins), Abbaye Cérisy-la-Fôret, (50 mins east), The town of Bayeux and its Tapestry (1hr north-east), spectacular Mont St Michel ( 1hr 15 south) .

The top 10 D-Day Beaches : Utah Beach & Sainte-Mère-Eglise (50 mins north) , La Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, American Cemetry, Batteries de Longues and Cribecq. Arromanches, Gold Beach, Juno Beach, Sword Beach, Pegasus Bridge.
Museum info, more leaflets and booklets are available in the House.

If you still have some time left, don't miss a day in Brittany. south of us and well worth a day's exploration, e.g. Dinan and the picturesque walled town of Saint Malo.
See you soon!
James