The 75th Anniversary of D-Day
The D-Day Landings on the Normandy beaches in 1944 were one of the most remarkable Allied wartime operations. Despite heavy losses on both sides on the day, and for months afterward, as the German army defended their occupied territory, it was a turning point for the war and the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. The 75th anniversary of D-Day will be celebrated in 2019. Heads of state from the whole world will be present to celebrate the allied landings and pay their respects to the last surviving veterans. The official...
read moreThe French Love for Chocolate
Unis par l’Amour du Chocolat. (Poulette en chocolat by Le Roy Renée) Chocolate today is the favourite food of France! According to a recent survey of the adult population, 97.8% of the population eat chocolate; 76.4% of them indulge at least once a week and 30.7% of these admit to eating it on a daily basis.This survey also asked the question: What foods it would be impossible for you to live without? i.e. ‘absolument indispensable’- and chocolate was right up there in fourth place- behind bread, fruit, and pasta, but before meat, coffee (!)...
read moreLieu-dit ‘Le Cerceuil’ – A Town called ‘Coffin’
Not the most attractive place name, Le Cerceuil ( Coffin), a village on the edge of the majestic Ecouvres forest was perhaps named after the prehistoric single-chamber tomb or dolmen ‘La Pierre Tournoire’, located nearby.Western France has very many of these giant stones which date back 4000-1000 years and are presumed to have fulfilled some ceremonial or burial function for the earliest Europeans who left no written language. You can see two of these ‘mégalithes’ on a waymarked walk around this northern edge...
read moreExactement Angleterre!
The southern part of the Pays d’Auge region of Normandy, in the Orne department, has an uncanny resemblance to the English countryside. Edgar Degas (1834-1917) the famous French impressionist painter, noted this similarity in his diaries when he often used to visit a friend: Paul Valpinçon, at his chateau and country estate in the tiny village of Menil-Hubert en Exmes. In one of these diaries from the 1870’s, Degas wrote: «Exactement l’Angleterre, des Herbages petits et grands, tous clos de haies. Des sentiers humides, des mares./ du...
read moreLa Vallée de la Baize
The river Baize arises in our neighbouring village of Habloville, runs right through the Haras du Gazon and then flows northeast for 25kms to reach the river Orne near Rapilly. We decided to meet up with ‘our’ river there and follow the way-marked ‘La Vallée de la Baize’ walk. The details can be downloaded as a pdf here : http://bit.ly/2xsaGO9 Right from the starting point of this walk, we were impressed by the peace and beauty of this lovely Normandy ‘ bocage’ countryside: wooded hills, shaded paths and...
read moreChurch Services in Normandy
Church Services in Normandy in English are few and far between I’m afraid. The whole list is at: https://www.angloinfo.com/normandy/directory/normandy-churches-religion-spirituality-23 The only ones reasonably close to the Haras du Gazon would be Sunday afternoon: Condé sur Noireau 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month (40 minute drive) http://conde-church.webs.com/apps/location/ Caen (45 minute drive) 5.30pm ( September – June) http://www.stgeorgesparis.com/one-christian-family/anglican-chaplaincy-of-caen/ There is one Protestant...
read moreComing down from Calais – the WW1 Battlefields
ARRAS & VIMY RIDGE – the WWI BATTLEFIELDS 109km/68 miles 1 hr 8min drive from Calais to Vimy Ridge then a further 93kms/58 mile 57 min drive to Villers Bretonneux 312km/194 miles/ 3hr drive from Villers-Bretonneux to the Haras du Gazon Vimy Ridge in northern France is Canada’s largest overseas national memorial. Whereas the French, right after the war, attempted to erase all signs of battle and return the Somme region to agriculture and normalcy, the Canadians decided that the most evocative way to remember their fallen was to preserve...
read moreArtisan d’Art : Dominic Stora
Artisan d’art: Dominic Stora , the last French maker of kaleidescopes, is in the picturesque Normandy village of Beaumont -en- Auge This is his story of how it all came about: “Après la Pluie” is the name of the shop selling antiques and books that my wife and I opened in 1976 in a small village in Normandy. Some of our clients, who loved vintage toys, regularly asked for kaleidoscopes, and we were curious to see what we could find to satisfy them. We quickly realised that the few antique kaleidoscopes available were as...
read moreWinter in Normandy
Normandy has a maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters. Rain is a part of the climate all year round—with winter seeing more rain than summer. The ongoing rain isn’t enough to spoil a vacation most of the time and it does have a benefit— the nature is incredibly lush and green. Winter does see the occasional snow and frost as well, but the climate is generally fairly mild even in the winter months. Christmas /New Year and the February half term are both popular times to visit the Haras du Gazon – the gites are cosy and many...
read moreThe French Picnic – Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe
The French LOVE to picnic and will dine outdoors at any opportunity. A leisurely meal, shared with friends and family, is aimed at combining the enjoyment and appreciation of good food, beautiful weather and glorious natural surroundings – all which play a part in defining their country and culture. Le pique-nique is not the same as a snack or packed lunch (le casse-croûte), which is just eating to fuel the body. It is a proper meal with several courses and wine, preferably served in a glass! Attention is also given to presentation with...
read moreShopping for Antiques in Normandy
ANTIQUE SHOPPING in NORMANDY. Markets, Shops, Tours. Markets in Calvados: Check out the www.brocabac.fr & www.antiquites-catalogue.com sites. (We are on the border of the Calvados & Orne Departments, so worth checking both): For example this an example of a search for specific dates of a visit http://brocabrac.fr/index.php?dept=14&limite=260. You could also search http://www.antiquites-catalogue.com/pratique/calendrier-salons-antiquaires/?region=Basse-Normandie. On Every First Sunday of the Month – there are Antique markets...
read moreReview Roundup – A Time for Reflection
As we look back over the past year and forward to the New Year we would like to thank all our guests who have taken the time to post reviews about their stay at the Haras du Gazon. ‘Lovely gite, peaceful location, but plenty to do’ Stayed in late August with 4 adults and 2 young children, which worked really well in the gite. There was plenty for the kids to do – swimming, feeding the horses, games room etc, but also tranquility and a relaxing place for the adults. The gite was really well equipped, with everything we could...
read moreOur location
Near historic Falaise in central, rural Normandy, less than an hour from the English Channel coastWhere we are
Gite Almé
An inspired seamless blend of farmhouse style and spacious modern livingGite Baloubet
Comfortable open-plan space with spectacular mezzanine floor and balcony Gite Cor de la Brière
A picture postcard French orangerie style entrance invites you in Gite Double Espoir
Original oak beams and glorious garden and rural viewsGarden and grounds
Formal parterre and water lily garden, landscaped lake, 20m swimming pool, tennis courts and moreGarden and grounds
Lots to see and do
From medieval castles, Bayeux and D-Day beaches to donkey trekking, quad bikes, kayaking and fishingLocal area
A selection of reviews we've received from guests
