Big Cycle Event comes to Cognac

February 4, 2019
Blog
In Aug 2019 Cognac will host the Ferederation Francaise de Cyclotourisme's 81st annual week-long get together. Over 20,000 cyclists are expected, with daily themed circular itineraries for road and mountain bikes planned to help riders discover sites and scenery throughout Charente and Charente- Maritime. The federation encourages the social side of cycling and its affiliates include Cycling UK. https://www.cognacsf2019.com/ If you fancy staying with us at this time we are only 26km from the centre of Cognac. Also h ere at Les Vieilles Ombres we are looking forward to helping our guests explore their surrounding safely by bike by supplying 5 route maps to explore our area further in each gite folder advising the best routes for all ages and abilities. We are around to help you plan an outing and enjoy the sunshine and beautiful picturesque scenery.
Renovation work has begun at our French gite - Les Vieilles Ombres

Renovation work has begun

January 14, 2019
Blog
Just a quick update on whats been happening at Les Vieilles d’Ombres already in 2019 .... Renovation work has begun! We’ve added a door in the back of the Cognac gite to allow direct access to the secure play barn area and pool.
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Celebrating New Year’s Eve in France - Fireworks

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in France

December 30, 2018
Blog
In France, New Year’s Eve is called ‘la Saint-Sylvestre’ or ‘la fête de la Saint- Sylvestre’, named after the saint of the day – a pope who lived from 314 to 335 AD. The French have celebrated New Year on different dates throughout their history.
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Hotel Chais Monnet

Dining at Hotel Chais Monnet

December 16, 2018
Blog
Our region of France has so many great restaurants and places to eat, that it’s sometimes difficult to choose where to go, however a particular gem has recently opened in Cognac, called Hotel Chais Monnet, that would compliment any special occasion.
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biscuits de Noël

Making our own Biscuits de Noël

December 14, 2018
Blog
At Christmas time in French households, most families have a tin of home baked biscuits de Noël ready for offering their guests and visitors. So, as gite owners, we thought this would be a perfect gesture for our guests! So we decided to set about making our own contribution to this tradition.
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Living-the-French-Country-Lifestyle-Solar-Lights

Living the French Country Lifestyle

December 12, 2018
Blog
It’s occurred to us recently how our new French country lifestyle has brought a gradual change to our consuming habits and the way we live. We now grow plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables. We buy as much fresh produce as we can, locally. Even our wine bottles are recycled and refilled at the local vineyard up the road.
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Buche de Noel - YoueTide Log

Making a Buche de Noel (Yuletide Log)

December 9, 2018
Blog
We recently created a post about Sweet Foods at Christmas and described how the French have, like many of us, a sweet tooth over Christmas. One of the most widely consumed desserts, not only in France but across Europe, is the yule tide log. Or as the French call it, Buche de Noel. So we thought we would do something different and show you how you can make this delicious flour-less chocolate cake, rolled with chocolate whipped cream.
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Buche-de-Noel

Sweet Foods at Christmas

December 3, 2018
Blog
We do love our sweet foods at Christmas. I challenge any family to resist snaffling the giant sized tin of chocolates, bought for the Christmas season, long before it comes out for general consumption! And the French are no different. They have some lovely traditions involving sweets, for example, the making and displaying of papillotes, which are chocolates or candied fruits, wrapped in golden, sparking paper with fringed ends and a little good will note written and concealed inside. They are usually used to decorate the Christmas table and I suppose they are the French equivalent of Christmas crackers.
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