Author Archives: Old Shades

Plan d’Eau la grande la prairie is a perfect family day out for visitors to les vieilles ombres, particularly during the summer months. http://www.angouleme-tourisme.co.uk/1291-plan-d-eau-de-la-grande-prairie Arrive at the very large car park (suitable for all vehicles including trailers ) and walk directly onto the lakeside, where the boating house is. (Dogs to be kept on the lead). The boating and sailing school is open in the summer months.

Although the Caribbean and other exotic places are associated more with diving experiences, there is much to be seen closer to home. The father of modern scuba diving, Bordeaux born, Jacques-Yves Cousteau developed the first independent regulator, the ‘Aqualung’, in the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. For this reason, France is considered the birthplace of scuba diving.

If you’re looking for a bit of spring bank culture in South West France, consider La Charente Maritime and the Cognac region. There’s always plenty of opportunity to absorb the rich history of the regions wine, food and cognac brandy at the many ancient chateaus, vineyards, markets and official tours around distilleries and ancient cellars.

For couples looking for the ultimate romantic break, in perfectly picturesque surroundings, look no further than our one bedroom couples gite at les Vieilles Ombres. If you’d like to experience the romance of Charente, this beautiful south west region of flowing French countryside captures the hearts of poets, artists, cyclists, walkers and especially lovers.

Introducing the Clark family, the new owners of an established 19th century collection of rustic French Gites, tucked prettily away in one of the regions oldest villages. Welcome to Les Vieilles Ombres, the Old Shades, now part of the Clark Family estate.

Anyone booking to have their 2018 holiday with us can benefit from our 20% discount with Brittany ferries. Please fill in the contact form for more details.  

Whilst the sun is still shining we have been busy outside at Les Vieilles Ombres. 2 new play areas have been built in the main part of the garden. One for the smaller children and one for the bigger ones.

Today was a beautiful sunny day so took the opportunity to walk to our local town of Matha. Matha is just a 15 minutes walk from Les Vieilles Ombres and is a lovely town with boulangeries, patisseries, cafes, restaurants and shops. We even had time to stop for a picnic in the park. Matha is one of the many wonderful places nearby to visit. For more information visit our website - Whats Nearby / Things to do and See