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Les Ecureuils (The Squirrels) is a traditional Breton stone cottage situated in a small quiet hamlet between Ploermel and Josselin, about ten minutes by car from each town. The stone walls are thick and, in the local tradition, the windows are small giving the interior of the cottage a cool mellow atmosphere in the summer. The pretty windows and deep window sills are a feature of the cottage. Interior The well-equipped kitchen area has a double sink, fridge, gas hob (bottled gas), combination oven/microwave and washing machine. The bathroom has a tiled shower and small hand basin and there is a separate WC. The water is heated by an immersion heater (cost of hot water included in the rent). An attractive open tread staircase with polished steps leads to the large upstairs landing with its well stocked bookcase. The first bedroom has a double bed (4'6"), wardrobe, dressing table and chest of drawers. The second bedroom has twin beds with wardrobe and chest of drawers. There is also a storeroom. All the beds have pillows and duvets and there are spare pillows and blankets for the futon and for two folding beds which are stored on the landing. | Top of Page | Exterior The cottage is set a long way back from the lane which winds through the village (there is another garden between us and the lane) and apart from an occasional tractor there is very little local traffic. We also own the adjacent cottage (not yet renovated) on the end of the longère. This has a large field around it where you can play football and other games. There is a gap in the back garden hedge which leads into the field. Tucked in the back corner of the garden is a shed where you will find three mountain bikes which you are welcome to use. Parking is in front of the cottage. | Top of Page | Mice! Children | Top of Page | The village and surrounding area The adjacent village of Hellean, which is a ten minute walk from the cottage, has a village shop where you can buy the morning bread and croissants, a charming church and two bars! The area around the cottage is perfect for walking and cycling. A cross-country mountain bike route comes near the village; there are woods nearby for exploring, and lots of quiet country lanes. The river Ninian winds through Hellean – if you explore you can find a mill and the spring which is named after the local saint. This is gentle countryside with quiet corners to discover and wonderful bird song to listen to. For the bird watchers among you we have seen a hen harrier flying low over the hedges in nearby fields and have heard (but not seen) a nightjar in the field behind the cottage. A ten minute drive to the west brings you to Josselin - a charming medieval town with narrow streets of timbered houses and a spectacular castle rising up from the banks of the Nantes-Brest Canal. There are bars and restaurants, small shops and a doll museum. The best view in town is from the dining room of the Hotel de Chateau looking across the canal to the castle - the food is good too! The wide towpath along the canal bank offers miles of walking and cycling through beautiful countryside. On the outskirts of Josselin there is also an excellent supermarket. A ten minute drive in the opposite direction brings you to Ploermel - a pretty town with an ancient church, monastery (don't miss the astronomical clock), shops, supermarkets and a large weekly street market. Nearby is the Lac au Duc - a very large lake with a beach and swimming, sailing, pedal boats, water skiing, boules, volleyball, picnic areas, fishing and a golf course. If you want to go further afield, about 20km to the north east is the Forest of Paimpont, an area full of Celtic history and legend - the forest of Arthurian tales. You can follow the steps of the Knights of the Round Table in the Val sans Retour and within the forest you will find ancient standing stones and tombs. Certainly a place of spells and fairies! And there is still the rest of Brittany to explore! There are many picturesque villages, ancient churches, museums, a zoo, the standing stones at Carnac, and many other places of interest within an hour's drive. The medieval town of Vannes is about 45 minutes in the car and the Golfe de Morbihan with its boats and beaches is just beyond. The coast can be crowded in the summer and it's good to return to the peace and quiet of the cottage after a day at the beach. | Top of Page | By ferry: driving time from St Malo is about one and a quarter hours; from Caen or Cherbourg about three and a half hours Cheap flights to Dinan, Rennes and Cherbourg: you'd need to hire a car - we're about an hour’s drive from Dinan and Rennes. If you find Josselin and Ploermel on the map, Hellean is about half way between them, north of the N24 road. Le Grand Penlan is just south of Hellean. Click Here to see a map. Below are some links to websites that give details of the surrounding area: | Top of Page | | Interior | Exterior | Mice | Children | Village | Directions | Map | Links | |
Downstairs is open plan - a large beamed living room with a huge granite fireplace and wood-burning stove (which heats radiators in the living room and bedrooms). The room has a tiled floor and is furnished with dining table and chairs, easy chairs, double futon (which folds out to give a king-sized bed), china cupboard and bureau. There is no TV or video!
A traditional half glazed door leads from the living room onto the large covered patio where there is patio furniture and a barbecue. The patio attracts the morning sun and is a special place for an early summer breakfast - listen to the bird song and, if you are lucky, catch a glimpse of our red squirrel (a very shy visitor to the garden). Steps go up to the large woodland garden which is shaded by a huge oak tree and surrounded by hedges. The garden is perfect on a hot summer's day if, like us, you prefer the shade - just the place to read a book or listen to the sounds of the countryside. If you prefer the afternoon sunshine, there is a picnic table in the front of the cottage where you can catch the full sun.
The cottage is deep in the countryside and inevitably some of the local wildlife finds its way inside. We do find mice from time to time, so if you are terrified of them, this is not the holiday destination for you!
Le Grand Penlan is a hamlet of about 35 houses located on high ground - walk a few yards in any direction from the cottage and you will see views across the fields and woods of the surrounding area. It is an area of big skies - large sweeps of blue sky with clouds scudding across a patchwork of fields. Most of the houses in the village are traditional stone cottages with their adjacent barns. Some have been restored to make beautiful homes, others are holiday homes; many are still occupied by local villagers - there are two working dairy farms in the village and several small-holdings. There is an ancient Celtic cross on the outskirts of the village and we are within a conservation area around the cross.