The areaLa Grange is set within the Pays de Bray. The Pays has 'a noticeable feeling of remoteness, (with) a sparsely inhabited patchwork of flower-filled meadows, verdant valleys and limestone bluffs' (Clare Hargreaves, Normandy).
The house is just 200 metres from the 'Avenue Verte'. This is a 40 km cycle track that was once the railway line between Dieppe and Forges-les-Eaux. The long term plan is to extend the Avenue Verte to connect London with Paris. Neufchâtel (the home of Normandy's oldest cheese) is 10km to the south. The port of Dieppe with its lively Saturday market and restaurants is 15km to the north; and further afield lie the cathedral cities of Rouen and Amiens, and the spa town of Forges-les-Eaux. Within easy reach are Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny, the charming city port of Honfleur, Saint Saens, and Ry - the model for Yonville-L'Abbaye in Madame Bovary. And then, of course, there's Paris...! |
The surrounding countryside is best explored on foot, by cycle or on horseback. The Foret d'Eawy, a vast tract of beech trees with trails for walking and riding, lies less than 10 miles to the west; and extending from Dieppe to Fecamp and beyond is the Cote d'Albatre with its pretty seaside villages and spectacular chalk cliffs. Closer to hand you'll find an abundance of gardens, chateaux and castles. Our favourites are: the Bois des Moutiers, a house designed in the Arts and Crafts style by Edwin Lutyens with gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll; the Norman castle at Arques-la-Bateille; the sixteenth century Renaissance-style chateau in Mesnieres-en-Bray; and the house and grounds of the Chateau de Miromesnil. You could, of course, just stay in Maintru, dining al fresco in the secluded garden or simply enjoying the peace and privacy afforded by a location that feels remote, but remains close to home. |