Gite de La Pierre Levée, Normandy

Here is a selection of some of the things you can do at La Pierre Levée or nearby.

Barbecue

We provide barbecue equipment as part of the standard equipment. You
just need to provide the food and charcoal. (Or we can normally supply
wood/charcoal at a competitive rate.)

Personally, we like a nice open-air paella!

Why not try barbecued "andouilles", the local chitterlings?

Rambling

You are free to ramble on the estate (over 6km of woodland trails), or the nearby public forests. It is not uncommon to see wild deer and other animals including rare birds such as owls, buzzards, kingfishers and herons. We will provide you with a Ramblers' Pack (Map, directions, childrens' "I-spy" activities...) on request and can loan you wildlife guides and binoculars. (Woods out of bounds on a few days during the winter hunting season.)

Try your hand at gathering hedgerow fruits - blackberries and wild blueberries
grow in abundance, not to mention the huge variety of wild mushrooms...

Wild Mushroom Hunting

Alright, so we will mention them. The local forests are famous for the variety of fungus species that grow (literally hundreds of species), making them a paradise for mycologists and gourmets alike. Several species of the boletus family (Ceps), as well as Chanterelles /Girolles, Honey and Hedgehog Fungus are particularly common - we manage to pick at least a dozen common, culinary varieties within walking distance, sometimes even on the lawn, including "misunderstood" edible mushrooms such as the Amethyst Deceiver and Spindle Shanks. The gîte at La Pierre Levée makes a perfect base for mushroom-picking holidays, long weekends, short breaks, just one hour south of Caen, in Lower Normandy, France.

The high season runs from September to November, depending on weather, but some species can be found at most times of year. It's only low or mid season in the gîte in the autumn, so take advantage! You can take your finds to a local chemist for identification, (though they tend to err on the side of extreme caution!). The gîte's kitchen features an identification chart for the best gastronomic species, and we have a range of guide books. In October, La Ferté and Bagnoles play host to the important wild mushroom festival "Journées Mycologiques du Pays Fertois". Throughout the year, local restaurants such as the highly renowned Manoir du Lys use wild mushrooms on their menus.

	A range of possible mycological activities including cooking lessons and guided tours in our woods or the Forêt des Andaines (part of France's largest regional park) are possible by prior arrangement with the hosts (supplementary tariffs).
	When you book one of our half-day or longer "Fungus Foray" and "Fungus Feast" activities you will be entitled to a complimentary (and indeed complementary!) copy of our Photo CD, "Wild Mushroom Safari", with over a 1000 digital images of the several hundred local species. (One copy per group reservation)

All the edible species above were found on a typical autumn morning within
walking distance of the gîte...

Picnics

We provide outdoor furniture so you can enjoy barbecues or picnics in the gardens.
The kitchen is well equipped if you want to cook something more ambitious...

Try making a Tarte Normande with some of our apples (in season)

Cycling

"Cyclo-tourisme" is permitted on many paths through the local forests. Feel free
to bring your own mountain bikes!

In 2002 the world-famous Tour de France came to La Pierre Levée!

Feeling Musical?

Our cows have asked us to mention the fact that there's nothing they like better
than a nice campfire sing-a-long. Mooo-ed music, that is!

Watersports

Facilities for a variety of watersports are available on the lake at La Ferté Macé,
and a number of other local sites. There is a public swimming pool at Bagnoles de l'Orne. There is a wide choice of venues for coarse and sea anglers.

Golf

There is a 9-hole golf course at nearby Bagnoles, as well as numerous other courses
in the region.

Horse-Riding

We can recommend reputable local riding centres.

Angling

Normandy is a fisherman's paradise, with a huge choice of venues on its lakes
and rivers. Several local lakes offer day permits, and you are likely to catch
pike, perch, trout, carp, tench and other species. Anglers will appreciate the
decor in the gite - including doors framed with antique fishing canes

Other Games and Sports

We provide equipment for French bowls (known locally as boules or pétanque), as
well as badminton and junior croquet. Indoor games are also available.

Local History

As well as a choice of local museums at Bagnoles and La Ferté Macé, there are
several prehistoric monuments, including the mysterious Allée Couverte at
La Sauvagère. Was it used for burial or fertility rites, or even as a shelter from
wild animals? No one knows for sure.

Country Skills Courses

The local organization Le Savoir Faire et Découverte offers a variety of courses, between one and three days, with local artisans, craftsmen and farmers, where you can learn a variety of traditional skills - from water divining, to building a brick bread oven, to laying hedges, making cheese or cider... The gite makes an ideal base to stay in if you wish to participate. Please note that all of the courses are in French, so you would need to have at least an intermediate level of understanding.

For further details, see www.lesavoirfaire.com

Other Ideas

	A round of pétanque (French bowls) with a glass of cider
	A walk through our woods and a picnic lunch beside the lake
	Relax with a book in a hammock under a tree
	Owl and bat watching - summer evenings, from the gite
	Take flying lessons at the nearby aerodrome.

For details of other activities in the local region, see the Daytrips page.