AI-generated image for this demo
B&B and holiday cottage in the Sarthe, on the river Huisne
A stone longère, a garden, and time to do nothing at all.
Three B&B rooms and a cottage for six in a restored stone farmhouse, 35 minutes from Le Mans. Breakfast from the garden, dinner with your hosts, and footpaths starting at the gate.
- Rooms from €78 a night, breakfast included
- One room and the cottage's ground floor are wheelchair accessible
- Your hosts speak English
Your hosts
Solène and Yannick
We left Nantes in 2016 for a farmhouse whose roof let the rain in. Four years of work with local craftspeople (the cottage's staircase and kitchen are by Compas & Copeau), a vegetable garden that took over the orchard, and the wish to share it all.
Solène was a chef for fifteen years: dinner is her domain. Yannick knows every sunken lane within twenty kilometres and will draw today's walk for you on the back of a postcard.
What we love to show you
- The Saturday morning farmers' market, and the cheesemonger who lets you taste before you buy.
- Rillettes from the farm next door, to take home in a returnable jar.
- Canoeing on the Huisne, from the mill to the ford: two hours without meeting a soul.
- The starry sky: street lights go off at 11 pm, take a blanket out to the terrace.
— Solène and Yannick
Dinner with your hosts
In the evening, we eat together
Monday to Saturday, book the day before. One big table, a single seasonal menu, vegetables from the garden and produce from neighbouring farms. You can also dine on your own, on the terrace.
Vegetarian, gluten-free or allergy-friendly: tell us when you book, Solène will adapt the menu.
€32 per adult, €14 for under-12s · aperitif, wine and coffee included
Local produce
- Fruit and vegetables: our garden and orchard
- Poultry and rillettes: the farm next door
- Cheese: the hamlet goat farm
- Bread: the village baker, sourdough
- Cider and apple juice: a valley producer
Walking notebook
Footpaths starting at the gate
Five loops from the farmhouse, from a short stroll before breakfast to a full day in the forest. Yannick will draw you more.
Fictional walks and tracks, for this demo: do not use them for hiking.
The Brévaux loop
- Distance
- 4.2 km
- Time
- 1 h 10 min
- Total climb
- 35 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
The short morning loop, before breakfast: the wash-house, the heritage orchard and back along the walnut lane.
Yellow waymarks (fictional); all-terrain buggy possible in dry weather.
Along the way : Brévaux wash-house → Heritage orchard → Walnut lane
Rush Pond
- Distance
- 6.3 km
- Time
- 1 h 45 min
- Total climb
- 40 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
A flat walk to the wooden bird hide: herons, coots and, with patience, the kingfisher.
Blue waymarks (fictional). Your hosts lend binoculars.
Along the way : Wet meadow → Bird hide → Pond embankment
The Huisne meanders
- Distance
- 8.5 km
- Time
- 2 h 15 min
- Total climb
- 60 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
Along the river, from footbridge to meadow, with a picnic stop under the willows.
Green waymarks (fictional). Can be muddy after rain.
Along the way : Mill footbridge → Willow meadow → Cattle ford
The hedgerow trail
- Distance
- 11.8 km
- Time
- 3 h 15 min
- Total climb
- 145 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Sunken lanes and hedgerows through the bocage, then a view over the whole valley before heading down.
Red waymarks (fictional). One fairly steep climb halfway.
Along the way : Pinelière sunken lane → Les Hauts viewpoint → Three-ways cross
Grand Coudray forest
- Distance
- 14.6 km
- Time
- 4 h
- Total climb
- 210 m
- Difficulty
- Hard
The big day loop: oak and chestnut woods, a hidden pond, and back along the ridge.
White-and-red waymarks (fictional). Bring water and good shoes.
Along the way : Chestnut edge → Coudray pond → Broom ridge
Practical info
Good to know before you come
Check-in and check-out
- Rooms: check-in 5 pm to 8 pm, check-out by 11 am.
- Cottage: check-in from 4 pm, check-out by 10 am.
- Arriving later? Let us know and we'll leave the keys out.
By train
- High-speed train to Le Mans (about 1 hour from Paris), then a regional train to Brévaux-sur-Huisne halt (fictional), 1.5 km away.
- We can pick you up from the halt on request.
By car
- 35 minutes from Le Mans, 2 h 15 from Paris.
- Free parking in the courtyard, EV charging on request.
Amenities
- Wi-Fi throughout, small library, board games.
- Bikes, binoculars and walking maps to borrow.
- Washing machine in the cottage.
Pets
- Dogs welcome in the cottage (€8 a night).
- No pets in the B&B rooms, except guide and assistance dogs, always welcome.
Accessibility
- Le Fournil and the cottage's ground floor are wheelchair accessible: step-free access, level-access shower, grab bars.
- Les Pommiers and Le Grenier are upstairs (14 steps, no lift).
- A specific question? Call us and we'll describe everything.
