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| Your Invitation | ||
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There comes a time when you need to rediscover the true value of time. Village Retreat situated in the heart of the Alpes Mancelles region of France, just south of Normandy allows you to do just that. Lose yourself in pour private paradise, find the time for peace and quite, to breath fresh air, and to enjoy a village out of the past with its traditions and culture. Whether you are keen on getting out and about, a simple walking, fishing, visiting towns, markets, or historic buildings there is something for everyone. Beautiful landscapes and a mild climate in all make of Alpes Mancelles a truly pleasant place to relax and enjoy a holiday. But if you miss crowded streets with people rushing every where, traffic jams, litter along every pavement, fast food shops, pollution, then be warned this is not the place for you. |
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| Background & Objectives | ||
| Village Retreat was designed and is committed to providing a homely atmosphere, spacious accommodation and a high quality holiday far all visitors at an affordable price. | ||
| Passport & Insurance | ||
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Travel within Europe means that all persons must have a current full 10 year passport. There are no exceptions. All applications are made by post and we provide help in the completion of the necessary form. Always apply in good time, but normally applications are processed within 2 weeks. We do recommend that each visitor obtains personal insurance to cover travel problems, medical and personal effects. We have researched the insurance market and can with confidence recommend the appropriate insurance required and which will offer best value for money. Be safe and be covered. Visitors should also complete a E111 form which is available from the Post Office. | |
| Duration & Start Dates | ||
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From early spring to Autumn we are able to offer holiday duration of 5 to 21 days. The longer your stay the better value your holiday becomes in terms of transport costs. We are able to offer discounts on travel on all holidays over 10 days and accommodation discounts over 14 days. It is not possible to obtain discounts on holidays of less than 7 days unless these are out of season. Generally our fixed duration holidays commence on a Sunday, alternative days can be arranged subject to availability. We value every visitor to Village Retreat and it is always our wish to accommodate any special requirements in respect of preferred dates. We accept every booking on a first come first served basis, so if there is any special reason why particular dates are important to your requirements then an early booking is essential. |
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| Location & Travel | ||
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St Paul Le Gaultier is situated in the heart of the Alpes Mancelles region of France which is just south of Normandy, and borders the Sarthe and Orne areas. The journey time from the port of Dieppe is about4 hours, or from Boulogne or Calais 5 to 6 hours. There are many stops on route and it is a pleasant journey through the country side. In general the channel crossings are made during the day so that we arrive in good time for a light evening meal. Night crossings can be made if preferred, and often the cost is cheaper. |
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| Door to Door Service | ||
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We welcome visitors who have their own transport and wish to enjoy the freedom that this provides. We do have a unique door to door service which allows for group transport from 3 to 9 persons. |  |
| Costs for this service are shared between all those in the party, and without a doubt this is the most economical method of transport. Some visitors might prefer to travel by train direct from London and be collected at an appropriate station in France, arrangements for this service can be provided, but from our experience this method of transport has not been cost effective. Whether your journey is by the traditional ferry or the new high speed seacat service, you have the opportunity for refreshments, and duty free purchases on board. | ||
| Accommodation | ||
| The house at St Paul is of modest family size and has a rear garden area of ten acres, a front kitchen garden and an enclosed forecourt. There are two downstairs toilet and shower room, and an upstairs bathroom. All the rooms have double and single beds and washing facilities and are large enough to be used as family rooms if required. The lounge/dining room is spacious and homely with a rear kitchen for any visitor to use as they wish, although all meals are of course provided. | ||
| Occupancy | ||
| We do not make any extra charge for singles. Any group of 4 or more persons can have sole occupancy at no extra charge. It is our wish that all those who wish to enjoy a Village Retreat holiday can do so in the company of their friends and relatives. However for those who may wish to share in a holiday with unknown visitors we do make sure that whenever possible there is an opportunity to meet and become known to others before your holiday commences. Basically we do all that is possible to make sure that your holiday is a happy one, and that you are left with many fond memories. | ||
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Meals & Special Diets |
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Sample menus are provided for those who wish to have an opportunity of choice, special diets are provided when pre arranged. All food is home cooked Terms are for full board expect in the main summer period when lunch or packed lunch is by arrangement only. |  |
| Village & Grounds | ||
| Previous visitors have found that the ground of Village Retreat and the beautiful village lake is all that is required to enjoy the pleasant country side. But for those who wish to explore further the historic town of Alencon, the ancient City of le Mans, the adventurous St Leonard's and the holiday resort of Coco Plage are all recommended. Further information and brochures can be supplied upon request for all nearby places of interest. | ||
| Excursions & Places of Interest | ||
| There are many open markets to visit. The French markets make idle half day excursions and apart from the purpose of buying local goods they are as much social events. Visitors who use the door to door service will have the opportunity to use the vehicle during their entire holiday visit. The cost of extra excursion is charged on a mileage basis for the courtesy vehicle. The itinerary is flexible according to taste and the duration of your holiday. | ||
| Recommendation & Value Pledge | ||
| Many visitor have returned to us on a number of occasions because it is often impossible to visit all the places of interest in one holiday. Some have returned simply because they enjoy the peace and relaxation of The Retreat. It has also been established that other establishments within our region and who offer a similar holiday service, charge prices far in excess of ours. We are willing to provided this information to you so that you can compare the extremely good value offered by our holiday service. | ||
| Parking | ||
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For those visitors who wish to use their own transport there is ample secure parking within the grounds of the house. | |
| Terms & Supplements & Currency | ||
| It is our intention to make sure that as many of the problem of holiday arrangements are reduced to a minimum for all our visitors. For those who wish to have the total independence of currency exchange, we would advise the secure use of travelers cheques which can be obtained through your bank. If visitors wish not to have this added problem any personal purchases can be obtained by us on your behalf and we will submit an account to you at the end of your stay for one total payment. We can if you wish include any purchases you make on your ferry crossings, and on route. In order to secure the date of your choice a 10% deposit is required. The balance must be paid in full 2 weeks before departure. Our terms/conditions and holiday pledge to you are supplied with all bookings. | ||
| Become a Village Retreat Association Member | ||
| Exclusive use of the St Paul Accommodation is available to all members of The Village Retreat Association. Memberships forms will be supplied upon request to: Individuals, Families, and Group Bookings. The benefits are future priority bookings for use of The Retreat. Many seasonal discounts together with newsletters of future events in the area. | ||
