Gite Grand-Pas, France — Top with kids

We often rent holiday homes during our travels and are quite used to it. However, we have never stayed anywhere with as many facilities as we now discover during our stay at Gite Grand-Pas in France. Because what about a private swimming pool, sauna, fitness room, enormous fishing and boating pond, bicycles, sports equipment, trampoline, horse meadow, etc. And all this on a site of 50 hectares.

Sympathetic owner Max welcomes us to this paradise in Vernou-en-Soulonge in the Loire region. He himself lives with his family in Paris, about a 2-hour drive to the north. As he says himself, he likes to share this country house with others. The Gite is normally rented out to a party, which means that you are the only one who has all the facilities available. The main residence offers living space for approximately 12 people. It is decorated in the hunting style with half-timbering and country tiles which is typical in this area. Not surprisingly, this has been a well-known hunting area for centuries. It is therefore that various hunting trophies can be admired in the Gite. It has a spacious living room, majestic fireplace, very large dining table, a kitchen that would not look out of place in a small restaurant and for those who need even more space to indulge in culinary delights, there is a second, small kitchen adjusted. So, more than enough kitchen equipment, including a dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, etc. is available.

On the second floor Max shows us the two comfortable sleeping rooms with each an en suite bathroom. And in a smaller living room at the ground floor another sleeping couch can be used for two more persons. So, in this building six persons can be accommodated. In another beautiful building next door three more separate bedrooms can be rented, each having its own bathroom as well.

We meander through the days. The swimming pool is used a lot and we are having a really pleasant time there. One day one the wind blew some chairs in, by the way, which explains one of the picture below. We try our luck fishing from a rowboat in our "own" lake, we play dart, walk the immense terrain to find the wild pigs and so on. You can use the ping pong table, the bicycles, the fitness room, the bows and arrows and darts as you like. Every morning our daughters get fresh eggs from the chickens and we have breakfast outside. The environment is incredibly quiet and we all have a completely relaxed holiday.

As this is a self-catering accommodation, we stock up on our groceries in the nearby picturesque village of Vernou-en-Sologne. Why would we drive to one of the mega hypermarkets, when you can find everything we need here: baker, butcher, grocer, tobacco, newspaper stand, etc.

Grand-Pas is in the heart of the Loire region of France, surrounded by woods and a pond and at the start of the hiking trails. The Loire Valley spans 280 kilometers (170 mi) and comprises about 800 square kilometers (310 sq. mi). It is referred to as the Cradle of the French and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards (such as cherries), artichoke and asparagus fields, which line the banks of the river. Notable for its historic towns, architecture and wines, the valley has been inhabited since the Middle Paleolithic period. In 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley to its list of World Heritage Sites. The Loire is the longest river in France and is surrounded by green forests and fields. You can enjoy walking and cycling and the Loire region is known for its many castles and picturesque towns.

Chambord is one of the most famous castles you can visit and nearby. It was intended as a temporary home for hunting parties and parties for King Francis I of France, but it soon grew into one of the largest and most beautiful castles in the Loire. The castle has never been suitable for permanent residence. In the sixteenth century, it was far from civilization, so that the parties staying at the castle had to provide for their own necessities. Moreover, the large rooms with their open windows and high ceilings were hardly warm in the winter months. Francis I, who traveled extensively through his empire, spent only 7 weeks at the castle himself. On one of those days in 1539 he received Emperor Charles V at Chambord, who stayed there while in transit from Brussels to Madrid. The castle is beautiful on the outside. The interior is a bit sparsely decorated but the famous staircase, probably designed by Leonardo da Vinci, is remarkably interesting and ingenious in design. It is a lovely place to stroll around, especially beautiful on the outside and gardens. In the afternoon it can get terribly busy, so come early. Also take a visit to the horse stables and vegetable garden.

Another activity we highly recommend is a visit to the ZooParc de Beauval. In this amazing zoo animals live in an environment that is as natural as possible, e.g. in groups as you see them in the wild. In addition, unique animals such as pandas, koalas, Siberian (white) tigers and much more. Beautifully laid out with more than ample and affordable dining options, with something for everyone. If you prefer to ride an animal, you might like to go for some horseriding. A pleasant ride can be done at the Amre Association Montivault Walking Equestre; if you are somewhat experienced you’d be better book a private ride by the way.

We ourselves also had a wonderful adventure filled day at the Leo Parc Aventures. At one-hour drive near the city of Orléans it is still quite manageable to go to if you have a car at your disposal. Something we certainly recommend, as the Gite Grand-Pas is a bit off the beaten track. The main draw of the Leo Parc are the tree climbing treks. The routes are listed in order of difficulty and, depending on our age, we may or may not be able to access some. The staff is very pleasant. They supervise the most sensitive points of the difficult courses and react very quickly in case of stress or anxiety in trees. There are enough routes for everyone to find something for them: from children to adults and beginners to regulars. To be sure to make the most of the price of the ticket, it is better to spend 2 or 3 hours there, because there is sometimes a line at departures and on the platforms. To avoid spending more time waiting than climbing and monkeying in the trees, try going during the week.

Do not forget to discover the adjusted aquapark, which consists of an inflatable structure on the water and a private beach where you can come and sunbathe quietly while the children are having fun in the water. And there is also Paintball on offer where you can compete as a team, supervised by pleasant operators.

WOW

# Typical Gite with character. The place is peaceful, calm, and warm. A total change of scenery. Everything is available and easily accessible.

# The Gite has lots of facilities at the location. A unique place for the whole family where everyone will find something to do to their liking.

# Truly kind owners who give you enough peace and privacy but are also always available to help you with anything you need and up for a chat.