Issue No. 14

Pictures: Above, hobbit house;
middle tree house; right
Monmoussea Caves lumiere
show
And now for something
completely different...
If you hanker after a hobbit house, or
dream of a tree house stay, yearn to live in
a yurt or go wild in a gypsy caravan then
head to La Domaine de la Roche Belin. It's
in glorious countryside that wouldn't be out
of place in a film about bucolic locations.
Have freshly prepared, organic, seasonal
meals brought to your accommodation, or
eat in the beautifully converted barn where
there are also barbecue facilities. The chef
is an ex caterer to the French President
and the food is amazing.
Sheep, ducks, chickens, horses and
donkeys roam the grounds, it really is
idyllic - perfect for families and couples.
There's a lake filled with fish, from the
double storey tree house you can see huge
trout swim below you, and look out over
the countryside. In the hobbit house, if you
leave the skylight open - you're likely to see
a sheep looking down at you as he chomps
away on the grass roof! The yurts are
roomy, colourful and romantic. The gypsy
caravan is beautifully furnished and rather
luxurious.
The night I stayed, a full moon hung in the
sky, deeply yellow like a giant mimollette
cheese, it looked closer than I have ever
seen. I sat on the steps of my caravan,
listening to frogs croaking, a gentle baaaa
now and again, birds singing sweetly in the
night air and just a few crickets up for a late
night party. Otherwise the night was silent,
the stars shine so brightly I could see the
outline of the trees and the pretty duck
house though the ducks had long gone to
sleep. The night air was filled with the scent
of blossom and fresh grass, clear and clean.
When I turned in for the night, a little
reluctant to end the magical moment with
nature, I slept like a baby.