''Despite the slightly rubbish weather we have had a fantastic first family holiday abroad. Our 2yr old daughter has loved playing out in the garden & sandpit & collecting snails. The activities (t-shirt painting, pottery and teddy bears picnic) were great. We loved the bbq and the chance to chat with other guests. We can't wait to return and hopefully next time we'll be able to try the pool !!''
We've had another wonderful holiday at La Grange du Moulin (Horloge gite) We've never before been back to the same place on holiday but we couldn't find anything else that we thought would cater so well to our needs. Wendy and Chris know the recipe for making a relaxing holiday for parents with young children with a great mix of adult based and child based activities. I think our 2.5 yr old son will be asking for Teddy bears picnics for weeks ! It really shows that Wendy and Chris genuinely care about people enjoying their stay. I'm sure we'll be back again !
We had a lovely relaxing stay here with our 15mth old boy. Even before we arrived Wendy was always very helpful with answering our many questions via email. The gite was equipped with everything we could have asked for and more, including bath toys for our little one. The garden kept our son busy for hours and although it was a bit too cold to use the pools they looked tempting and we'll definitely be trying them out when we come back (if we're luckier with the weather !) We really enjoyed the group bbq and the Teddy bears picnic was a lovely touch - our son especially liked his piece of cake ! Despite the weather we had a really good time and would love to come back.
This is a perfect place for families with young children - safe and secure with lots to do for the kids. A very relaxing holiday and the area is beautiful. Chris and Wendy were more than helpful with any questions or requests and it is great to have English speakers who know the area so well. If you like to run there are lots of good quiet roads and tracks to run around (Wendy very helpfully provided a map with routes marked out 3k,6k,10k etc) All in all a great place for a holiday with kids !
A great place for a first foreign holiday with kids. Chris and Wendy go to a lot of effort to make everyone feel welcome. The sea food bbq was a highlight and a great way to meet everyone. The kids activities (t-shirt painting and teddy bears picnic) were great too. Our kids loved the garden especially the trampoline. Kids loved the swimming pools, lots of lovely thoughtful touches like a sunshade over sand pit and toddler pool. Site small enough to get to know everyone but big enough for the kids to make friends and have fun.
We have had a wonderful 2 wks at La Grange du Moulin, so much so we have booked for next year ! Wendy and Chris are welcoming, professional and efficient but above all, friendly . Our two girls have had the freedom to play and explore in complete safety and have thrived making new friends and enjoying some independence. We have had time to relax and make the most of the family time as well as 'grown up time' We as parents have made some lovely friends and can't wait to come back next year. This is definitely the place for people who enjoy the company of other families and the opportunity to be part of a group. Thank you Wendy and Chris, sorry to say we'll be keeping La Grange du Moulin a secret as we will want to make sure availability is plentiful for us in the future !
We couldn't have asked for better weather while at La Grange du Moulin. The pool was a great relief from the 37c heat ! We were impressed by the safety measures around the pool (child safety gate and audible alarm in the water) giving us peace of mind. The boys were immediately relaxed in the garden, playing with other guests children on the trampoline and pirate ship. The t-shirt painting was a lovely extra, but it was the scuba diving that our eldest really loved ! Our gite had everything we needed for self catering and the communal pantry provided any extra herbs, condiments etc we needed. The use of the laundry room also made life easier. Beautiful gardens and views all around; sunflowers, vines, wheat fields, melon crops... and the added benefit of daily tractor and combined harvester thrilled our youngest boy ! We found the family vine walk really interesting with Chris giving us a great
commentary on the history of the area as well as the vines. Wendy was a great help regarding local excursions and having our hosts on site meant queries were quickly addressed. Our childrens main holiday priority was someone to play with and a pool -
both were here at la Grange du Moulin ! As a consequence us grown ups also had a great holiday !
We had a great stay in Papillon. Our children all enjoyed their week. This was a perfect location for children with lots to keep them busy. The garden is excellent
and so safe, the pirate ship was a big hit too ! Both pools are great and we enjoyed all the activities, especially the t-shirt painting, pottery painting and teddy
bears picnic. Wendy and Chris put so much effort into everything and we all loved the bbq where we sampled some home made elderflower cordial. We would
recommend this holiday, when the kids are happy the parents are happy ! Looking forward to returning.
This was our first visit and proper holiday abroad with our two very lively boys. Wendy and Chris made us feel fabulously welcome and relaxed, a beautiful safe and secure site just the right balance of activities (bbq, pottery, wine tasting) and Wendy and chris even helped organise my husbands 40th. The boys loved the pool, play park and sandpit. Around the many activities the region has to offer we definitely recommend the zoo, the boat park, la rochelle aquarium, then a nice glass in the evening with the other couples. Fabulous time, we will be back again.
Another fabulous, relaxing stay at La Grange du Moulin. The moment we came through the gates our children feel at home. The Blakemans are great hosts and we are able to kick back, relax and make the most of our stay every year; perfect ! thank you.
We had another great 2wk stay in Papillon this time. The gite was great and became a mecca for the kids to meet up in or pass through ! Our two boys made lots of new friends and met up with friends from previous visits. We liked the central location of the gite overlooking the bbqs and the gardens. Wendy and Chris have been wonderfully accommodating. The seafood bbq was legendary and very very sociable. Both boys loved Wendys balloon modelling skills at the teddy bears picnics but the highlight for them was the scuba diving experience (6yr old) and the t-shirt and pencil case painting (3yr old). We have really relaxed this year spending more time at the gites letting the kids play and swim for hours. If our kids are happy with their friends then we are happy ! Thank you Wendy and Chris for helping to make another great holiday. See you again next year (our 6th year !)
We have had another fantastic holiday at La Grange du Moulin. The children have had a great time running around the garden with all the friends they have made.
The taste du terroir and family barbecue night were a highlight as always and a few trips out as well. We are looking forward to coming back next summer already !
For the 2nd year in a row we had a fantastic holiday at La Grange du Moulin. Our children love the pool and playground. The scuba
diving lessons in the pool were a success as well. For us as parents it is very nice to see all the kids play together and enjoy a glass of
wine on our terrace. we also enjoyed very much the seafood barbecues and the pleasant contact with the other guests. The places to visit in the neighborhood are very diverse and good for as well children as adults, Cognac, zoo, Beach. After a day trip it is nice to
come to a rest in the comfortable gite. our 3 wks with lovely weather throughout were superb.
Why do we keep coming back ? Wendy and Chris - excellent hosts, on hand if needed, knowledgeable and clearly very good at providing fun family holidays; Great communal atmosphere - bbq night enables you to continue the adult conversations started in the garden; secure enclosed garden; Great selection of well used play equipment and toys, keeps kids of all ages happy; Relaxed atmosphere - as the gites are finished in a rustic style it does not matter too much if after playing in the sandpit the kids run in and bring the sand too !; Location - easily accessible from the ferry ports, lots of activities within 1 hr, bike rides, pool and lovely walks
right here !
A paradise for young children allowing the adults to relax, Comfortable lodges, competitively priced. wendy and chris could not of been more helpful or patient with all our requests, always a smile. We enjoyed all the childrens activities, t-shirt painting, pottery painting and teddy bears picnic. Thank you.
What a fantastic week ! We havn't been this relaxed since having the boys and they have had a magical time making new friends and generally rampaging around the place. Given that 2 yrs ago, our eldest was too scared to go into the pool on holiday, the fact that he tried (and loved) scuba diving in the pool here is just brilliant. Wendy, Chris, Thomas and Benjamin - you have been wonderful hosts and have made us feel so welcome - whether that's through your fantastic hospitality and local knowledge or your boys helping our two make lego spaceships and star wars x fighter templates for the t-shirt painting ! Already looking forward to coming back in 2014. See you then !
Really enjoyed staying here. It is great that the children can all go out and play in the garden, trampoline, sandpit, pirate ship with all the other kids staying here
and we don't need to worry where they are. We definitely plan to come back again. Wendy and Chris look after you really well and the activities are great.
We have had a fantastic 2 wks at La Grange du Moulin. Chris and Wendy have been the perfect hosts. This is our 5th time and this
holiday has been a lovely mix of doing the things we know we enjoy and finding new and wonderful places to go in this great region. The gites are incomparable and the concept is unique, that being a family friendly holiday where the parents can actually relax and not have to be hypervigilant about their children ! You can choose to be sociable or take time out to chill watching the sunset out back with a glass of rosé. Chris and Wendy are as ever, helpful, friendly and approachable and fix any minor issues we had straight awa. We are reluctant to try anywhere else as we are worried it just won't be the same !
The fact that it's our fourth consecutive year staying at La grange du Moulin says it all. A lovely relaxing stay in a nice part of France,
our four boys enjoy playing with the other children on site and spending time in the pool, leaving the adults to enjoy the other delights of the region !
We knew we had made the right decision in returning to this oasis of calm as soon as we arrived. We received a warm welcome from our excellent hosts, Chris and Wendy, I say hosts but they make you feel like you are returning friends. The gites, although described as basic are well equipped, oh and when our dishwasher broke down in the morning, on our return from a fantastic day out, Chris had already installed a brand new one - which is above and beyond normal service. Our daughter has had a brilliant time making and playing with friends and we always feel our daughter is very safe here with other families looking out for each others children, though the environment is so child friendly we've never had any concerns in the last 3 yrs we have been here. I would recommend these child friendly family gites to anyone who wants a relaxing, friendly and fantastic holiday experience. My lasting memory of this year is of our daughter playing with friends in the field behind the gite - the sun shining and kids doing what kids should be doing - running, playing and having fun outside.
Independant reviews
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Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Mumsnet Spent our 4th Summer holiday at La Grange du Moulin.
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Mumsnet
Why do we keep coming back ?
Wendy and Chris - excellent hosts, on hand if needed, knowledgeable and clearly very good at providing fun family holidays; Great communal atmosphere - bbq night enables you to continue the adult conversations started in the garden; secure enclosed garden; Great selection of well used play equipment and toys, keeps kids of all ages happy; Relaxed atmosphere - as the gites are finished in a rustic style it does not matter too much if after playing in the sandpit the kids run in and bring the sand too !; Location - easily accessible from the ferry ports, lots of activities within 1 hr, bike rides, pool and lovely walks right here ! -
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Netmums We have just returned from our 5th year in a row at La Grange du Moulin. Our boys aged 3 & 6 loved it yet again. They made loads of friends at the gites and were off playing leaving my husband and I to relax in the sunshine. The boys were in the secure toddler and big pool every day with their friends, whilst we sat around the pool chatting (and supervising!). My eldest especially loved the Scuba diving experience in the pool and is very keen to do it again next year please! My youngest loved the T'shirt and pottery painting again, so we have lots of souvenirs at home. We loved the communal BBQs hosted by Chris and Wendy - especially the Seafood ones! The BBQs are a great time to meet all the other gite occupiers over multiple glasses of wonderful french wine! There is loads to do in the area and plenty of tourist information and personal recommendations in the gite to get you started. Roll on next year. Thanks Chris & Wendy for your amazing hospitality again this year x
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Netmums -
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Recommended family holidays What a fantastic week ! We havn't been this relaxed since having the boys and they have had a magical time making new friends and generally rampaging around the place. Given that 2 yrs ago, our eldest was too scared to go into the pool on holiday, the fact that he tried (and loved) scuba diving in the pool here is just brilliant. Wendy, Chris, Thomas and Benjamin have been wonderful hosts and have made us feel so welcome - whether that's through your fantastic hospitality and local knowledge or your boys helping our two make lego spaceships and star wars x fighter templates for the t-shirt painting ! Already looking forward to going back in 2014
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Recommended family holidays -
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Away with the kids Another fabulous, relaxing stay at La Grange du Moulin. The moment we came through the gates our children feel at home. The Blakemans are great hosts and we are able to kick back, relax and make the most of our stay every year; perfect !
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Away with the kids -
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Take the family This was our first visit and proper holiday abroad with our two very lively boys. Wendy and Chris made us feel fabulously welcome and relaxed, a beautiful safe and secure site just the right balance of activities (bbq, pottery, wine tasting) and Wendy and chris even helped organise my husbands 40th. The boys loved the pool, play park and sandpit. Around the many activities the region has to offer we definitely recommend the zoo, the boat park, la rochelle aquarium, then a nice glass in the evening with the other couples. Fabulous time, we will be back again.
Reviews of La Grange du Moulin on Take the family