Holidays for horse lovers

Normandy Horse Show 3-12 August 2018

Visitors from Europe and America come to enjoy the Normandie Horse Show which takes place over ten days in August, giving you plenty of chances to catch your favourite event.

5,000 competitors from 15 countries will compete and show, with special evening festivities and trade stands for visitors to explore on the 35 hectare site. Take a look at last year’s trailer for a flavour (but ignore 2017 dates!)

In its 30^th anniversary year the show celebrates everything about the horse: breeding, sport and spectacle, interlinked as they are in Normandy’s economy. New for 2018 is a show area with demonstrations of different riding disciplines, interesting for all the family. See the NHS Facebook page for more information.

Visit the St Lo stud farm

The Normandy Horse Show takes place at the famous haras (stud farm) of Saint-Lô, just 45 minutes’ drive from our holiday farmhouse. Built in 1806 on the orders of Napoleon to support his campaigns, this leading national stud farm is now dedicated to breeding Selle Francais, Percheron and the Norman Cob, but has 40 breeders of over 7 different pedigrees. Many of France’s finest racehorses start their journey here.

Family Day out

If you’ve a horse lover in the family you can visit “Les Jeudis du Haras,” equestrian shows performed during each summer in the main courtyard of the National Stud. These Haras Thursdays will take place on Thursdays 2, 9, 16 and 23 August 2018 at 3pm in the Cour d’Honneur, and last about 1h 30. The haras is also open to view at other times.

Horse Riding trips

There are equestrian centres throughout Normandy, so if you fancy a hack or a longer riding experience take your pick. Many have English-speaking instructors and helpers so you are sure to enjoy your ride. Check out Normandie-Tourisme’s guide to horseriding in Normandy.

There is also lots of information on riding schools, short and long-distance trails at Manche-Tourisme.

Horsey Holiday

So come on over, book dates to suit you at our Normandy farmhouse and you can enjoy a wonderful equestrian break visiting horse shows, riding with the family or even just enjoying the company of Limonade and his donkey friend Chauffe-eau, often kept in the field behind La Dencrerie.

Walking Normandy’s Coastal Path

Do you fancy following in the footsteps of French Customs Officers policing the Normandy coastline from 1791 to deter smugglers?

‘Sentier des douaniers’ footpath

The ‘sentier des douaniers‘ skirts virtually the whole coastline of the Manche peninsular, all of it accessible within just a short drive from La Dencrerie. This makes it perfect for day hikes to explore the beautiful coastline and see a little of the Normandy countryside too.

Known more prosaically as GR 223, the footpath is part of a Grande Randonee starting at Honfleur. It is easy to navigate, with clear red and white paint marks (often on tree trunks) to help guide you:

Markings show you are on the path.

Markings showing turn to Right

Wrong Way!

See more information at Walking in France.

The best website for maps and guidance on the GR 223 is Manche Tourism, which helpfully breaks down the route into clear sections with instructions for each.

After your walk

We recommend a soak in the bath, a delicious local Normandy meal of mussels and chips ‘moules frites’ and a long, relaxing rest in front of a cosy woodburning stove.

It’s waiting for you here at La Dencrerie!

Can I take my dog on holiday to Normandy?

If you want to take your dog on holiday then Normandy, France is the perfect destination. It’s easy to reach, with plenty of open countryside and wide beaches to explore with your pet.

Travelling with your dog by ferry is straightforward under the PETS scheme, and France is known as a dog-friendly country, often welcoming them into shops and restaurants.

We welcome your dogs to our Normandy farmhouse, so long as they are well-behaved!

Walking dogs on the beach

Dogs are banned on many French beaches to preserve the quality of the water. Luckily in Normandy dogs are allowed on many beaches out of season, and during the summer provided they are on a lead.

To check whether the beach you want to visit allows dogs, Normandy Tourism has collected a list of dog-friendly beaches. Many are within easy reach of La Dencrerie and are great for all the family.

So for example Portbail (pretty market town and harbour) and Pirou (with its delightful castle) both allow dogs all year, provided they are on a lead and outside swimming areas.

Walking dogs on the Common

La Dencrerie is at the end of a lane adjoining La Lande, or the common. You can walk here with your dog so long as you don’t disturb any grazing animals. There is a track down the right hand side (bordering our fields) which will take you down to a pleasant walk (turn left) alongside the River Douve.

La Dencrerie is dog-friendly

The house has a back garden and a front courtyard, giving plenty of outdoor space for your dog. Since these areas are also enjoyed by all of us, including children, please be so kind as to clean up after your dog.

Lots of our friends and guests have brought their dogs to share their holiday at our Normandy farmhouse. Dogs are welcome downstairs (not upstairs please) and the floors are easy to clean if they come in dirty! We keep two blue blankets in a footrest in the salon, which you are welcome to use for your dogs (please wash before you leave).

So yes, do bring your dog on holiday to Normandy

… and enjoy French freedom for both people and pooches!

Autumn in Normandy

Now’s the time to really enjoy the relaxed pace of life in Normandy. School holidays are over, the ferries and roads are less crowded, and there is still plenty to see and do.

Normandy is renowned for its cider, and at this time of year piles of apples sit waiting in the orchards to be collected for crushing. It is a beautiful sight, and makes us all the keener to eat as many fresh apples as possible.

The local markets continue to serve up fresh produce from the local fields, and at this time of year you can sometimes find the travelling stills used by producers of Calvados to distil the traditional apple brandy from fermented apple juice. Just beware of the local brews, they can have a seriously punchy alcohol content!

If you’re lucky the weather will still be dishing up crisp, clear mornings to tempt you outside for walks. Near our Normandy farmhouse there are trails down to the River Douve, or along the old train tracks which extend to the coast.

Normandy beaches seem blissfully empty even at peak holiday season, but come the Autumn they are so rarely busy that you feel you own the whole landscape. Perfect for walking the dogs and even galloping horses, and your children will just adore the freedom to run and paddle and play without you fearing they will get lost in the crowds.

And the best part of cold-weather holidays? If the sun doesn’t shine, or you are out long enough to get chilly, what better than to come home to a cosy fire? La Dencrerie’s kitchen stove is sheer indulgence: I just love stocking up with wood and keeping the fire burning as we cook, play board games around the table and then eat.

We are not short of heat in the farmhouse, having another woodburning stove in the salon, where we can sit toastily watching TV and relaxing for the evening. Plus, collecting and chopping all that wood has its own way of warming the muscles, whilst providing helpful employment for our children (don’t worry, they are all adults and capable of taking care of themselves).

We are off soon to catch our Autumn fresh air at our Normandy farmhouse. Do come sometime soon!

Ferries

We find that Brittany Ferries offer a good service from both Portsmouth and Poole to Cherbourg, from where you can be at the house in little over half an hour. In summer there is a quick ferry service which has always been a pleasure.

Please take advantage of our membership in their Travel Club if you decide to use Brittany Ferries: you will get a reduction on your fare and we will earn points! Email us for details

The house is also an easy drive from Caen (new dual carriageway roads and no tolls, under 90 minutes) and you can of course also make use of the quick and easy Channel Tunnel.

Current Weather

Work out whether to pack swimsuits or woollies.

Local weather from French meteo here

French Holidays

Check whether shops will be open and big celebrations taking place by looking at French Holidays before you leave.

Discover France includes both regular and moveable feast days.

Speed Limits

Not only is it hard to remember speed limits in kilometers, but the French system has different limits for wet and dry conditions.

If it is less than two years since you passed your test, the lower wet weather limits apply at all times.

Dry Weather Speed Limits
• Built-Up Areas: 50 = 31 mph
• Outside Built-Up Areas: 90 = 55mph
• Dual Carriageways and Non-Toll Motorways: 110 = 68mph
• Toll Motorways: 130 = 80 mph
Wet Weather Speed Limits and new drivers
• Built-Up Areas: 50 = 31 mph
• Outside Built-Up Areas: 80 = 49 mph
• Dual Carriageways and Non-Toll Motorways: 100 = 62 mph
• Toll Motorways: 110 = 68 mph

See more on driving in France, including fines, here

Driving in France

Of course you know that the French drive on the right, but are you familiar with other rules? For example:

You should always have your driving license with you, together with vehicle registration and insurance documents.
New laws require you also to carry high-visibility vests and a warning triangle
You are also banned from carrying speed-camera detection equipment, which means you should disable this function from any satnav devices.

For more information, visit websites such as Drive-Alive before you go.