Domaine de la Gaucherie

In the village of Langon, near Vierzon, Cher-et Loire, France, Domaine de la Gaucherie is a comfortable and friendly farmstay with B&B rooms in a nicely renovated traditional French farmhouse.

THE ACCOMMODATION:

They have a range of comfortable rooms and suites for up to four people, all them are modern and clean but with a rustic farmhouse ambience. They all have a private bathroom with bath tub and one comes with its own spa bath. There is WiFi throughout and a TV in the shared lounge.

The outdoors are wonderful, especially for kids, there are plenty of animals to meet and they also have a fish pond as well as an outdoor heated swimming pool. Indoors there is a nice shared lounge with TV and WiFi and plenty of toys for the children.

A very good and generous continental breakfast is provided every morning with an array of pastries, crepes, breads, muesli, fruits and yoghurts. For an extra charge you can also have equally good two and three course evening meals in the dining room cooked with some of the finest local ingredients.

THE FARM:

It is a lively working farm with sheep, donkeys, ponies, chickens and geese, all of them are friendly and well used to visitors and children will particularly love the interaction with the animals.

THE LOCATION:

This part of France, the Loire Valley, is rich in history and culture, especially in terms of food and wine. The farmstay is in Loire et Cher, in the centre of a triangle between Tours, Bourges and Orléans, and is surrounded by much lovely countryside. You’ll find a a huge amount of vineyards here, with plenty of wine tours to choose from, and many interesting and enjoyable small towns and villages to be visited.

It is near the iconic forests of the Sologne, which occupy the area just before the Loire River turns west on its journey to the Atlantic. The Sologne has been famous for centuries as a hunting ground for the former kings of France and though it is probably less wild and mysterious than in bygone years it is still a place of soltitude and beauty with its thick wildlife filled woodlands and shallow, small lakes called étangs. Much of the land can be quite marshy and wet but there are many trails and pathways running through it. Still though, bring some good shoes!

About 45 minute’s to the north west of the farmstay is the historic old town of Blois, a very popular stop off for most travellers to the region. It has a magnificent château right in the centre, a beautifully preserved old town and quite a few historic monuments. All this has given it the classification of a ‘Ville d’Art et Histoire’ in France which gives it protected status. It gets many tourists and is very much a must-see in the region.

There really are countless other towns and villages that are worth a visit in the surrounding area, some touristy like Blois, Saint-Aignan for example, with its Renaissance castle towering over the village, or Saint-Emillion, but also some slightly less touristy.

The town of Valençay for example is about a half hour’s drive to the south west of the farmstay and there you can find the Château de Valençay, a beautiful sight with an interesting history that spans over four centuries. Due to it being somewhat remote from the other more popular châteaux of the Loire it receives less visitors but is certainly still as beautiful, and all the more atmospheric for its, for now, lack of tourists.

As always, be sure to ask the farm stay owners for more recommendations; about places to visit as well as good wine and food tours.

WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY:

“Aurelia is amazing. She really cares about her guests and makes them feel at home. She went out of her way to help us and give us advice. And the breakfast is to die for! Eggs fresh from the chickens outside, flaky croissants and crepes she makes right there in her kitchen!..”

“ We all enjoyed the animals – which were all really friendly. There’s lots to keep little people busy here, my son (almost 4 years old) LOVED it. The villages and chateaux nearby are all beautiful. We had a fabulous stay and would happily return...”

Click here to read more of what other guests say.