FOR FAMILIES WHO LOVE THE IDEA OF A GITE HOLIDAY BUT PREFER THE LUXURY OF A PLACE TO THEMSELVES. SLEEPING 14 WITH PRIVATE POOL - BABY & TODDLER FRIENDLY

In a peaceful farming hamlet between Avranches and St Hilaire du Harcouet, Le Fresne offers peace and tranquillity yet is only a short drive to a bustling town or the coast. We are only 2 miles from the beautiful protected Selune Valley where a dam has created the lake of Vezins, offering boating, fishing a childrens play area and many scenic walks.

DUCEY 6 km away is our nearest town. It is host to the historical Montgommery Chateau, which is often open to the public for exhibitions and tours. During the summer months the grounds are surrounded by magnificent floral displays. A supermarket is to be found here, as is a bank, two dispensing Chemists, a pizzeria, a creperie, two bars, an excellent restaurant specialising (not exclusively) in seafood, butchers, tabacs and of course boulangeries!

AVRANCHES Just a short drive away Avranches has some wonderful streets for shopping, garden admirers and historians alike. From The Jardin des Plantes is a fantastic view across the bay of le Mont St Michel. www.ville-avranches.fr/

ST HILAIRE DU HARCOUET to be found 9km away. Whilst a lot larger than Ducey it has certainly not lost its charm. With numerous bars and restaurants, the pavement culture is much in evidence. The local Wednesday market here is the biggest weekly agricultural market in Normandy.

MONT ST. MICHEL Just 20 minutes (22Km) away by car, the island monastery is today the second most visited tourist attraction in France (after the Eiffel Tower) - and is a truly spectacular site located just off the coast of Brittany. It is delightful at any time, but particularly enchanting at night. Whilst it is quite a climb to the top the views over the bay are spectacular!

THE BAY OF MONT ST MICHEL has many beaches and sights typical of the Normandy region. A little further west brings you to the edge of Brittany and the beautiful seaside town of CANCALE celebrated for its oyster farms. The coast road continues past some glorious beaches to the magnificent walled city of ST MALO with its abundant shops and restaurants.

There's still so much more to do: benefit from the sea air on the nearby stretches of sandy beach between Genets and Granville. Visit France's premier spa town of Bagnoles De L'Orne or the medieval town of Fougeres. An hour’s drive will take you to Bayeux, with its spectacular cathedral and tapestry, Caen, the cultural centre of Basse-Normandie and Rennes, the capital of Brittany Take a boat trip down the river Rance visiting the medieval town of Dinan. Further a field you can reach the Chateaux of the Loire in 2 1/2 hours or even Paris in 3 or a boat trip can take you to the islands of Jersey or Guernsey.