New gîte in Normandy

My husband and I spent eight days in a wonderful new gîte near Sainte-Mère-Église in Normandy, France, June 1-9, 2014, during the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

The location is great. Sainte-Mère-Église, the first town liberated on D-Day, is famous for the paratrooper who was caught by his parachute on the steeple of the church in the town square. 

There is more than enough in the town and the immediate vicinity to keep you busy for a week. Take our word for it! If that isn’t reason enough to take up residence there, Sainte-Mère-Église is located halfway between Caen and Le Mont St-Michel — perfect for visiting all of Normandy.

The gîte we stayed in was new, but the building it’s in is old. The 18th-century Château de Brix (33 rue de Baudienville, 50480 Ste. Mère Église, France; phone +33 2 33 94 00 36 or [cell] 06 27 96 71 44, chateaudebrix.com [in French]) is being restored by the owner, Philippe Busserolles (email de.brix@free.fr).

The 3-story gîte consists of a living room, a dining room/sunroom, a small kitchen and a powder room on the ground floor. The second floor has a master bedroom with a French queen-sized bed (at 5 feet, 3 inches, it’s about 3 inches wider than our queen beds) plus a large bathroom with a walk-in Italian shower and towel warmer. The third floor has a skylighted twin-bed room with its own bathroom and shower. The ground floor and the second floor have beamed ceilings.

The kitchen is equipped with an almost-full-size refrigerator, an oven with a flat stovetop, a microwave, a dishwasher and a clothes washer. Dryers are not customary in France, but there’s a drying rack.

The dining room/sunroom is glassed in and opens onto a deck and a lovely backyard — perfect for unwinding after a day of sightseeing.

There are deck chairs, a table and a barbecue. They even furnish bikes, if you’re inclined to ride almost 2 miles into Sainte-Mère-Église or approximately 6 miles to Utah Beach.

There is also free WiFi access, and they usually get some English TV channels. 

Weekly rates run from €350 (near $438) in the low season to €500 ($626) in July and August. Weekend and midweek rentals are also available. Sheets and towels can be rented for €40 ($50), and end-of-stay cleaning is an option at €40.

You’ll find a warm reception and a generous welcome basket. M. Busserolles has added small things to make a big difference. For example, homemade apricot jam, a coffee/tea maker in each bedroom and adaptor plugs (at least one on each floor). He speaks English and is happy to help with any travel information or local back road directions you may need.

We have never been more comfortable or more satisfied than we were at Le gîte du Château de Brix.

PAULA PRINDLE

Orient, OH