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La Cour
A wonderfully restored Chateau in the picturesque Suisse Normande region of Normandy.
La Cour dates back to the 13th century and is the largest and oldest property hereabouts. For many years it was an outpost of the Duc d'Harcourt and was probably used by one of the Duc's senior staff, a steward or such like.
Accommodation
 
Over a 5 year period, the property has been painstakingly restored, retaining many of the original features, but without compromising on comfort.
 
The house has been tastefully furnished with an eclectic selection of old and new.
- The bedrooms are very spacious and luxurious and offer everything to make your stay more comfortable.
- Tea and coffee facilities are provided including good quality teas and coffee plus real fresh milk.
- There is a sitting room for the use of guests who wish to read or enjoy a relaxing pre dinner drink.
"...even the hairdryer and the tea are superior"
A warm and relaxing atmosphere.
The owners enjoy meeting people and entertaining them and helping them get the most from their stay.
Guests comments:
"We have stayed in many nice hotels and B & B's over the years, but never have felt so spoiled"
"I'll always remember these 2 days as the highlight of our vacation"
"Michael Winner should visit La Cour, he wouldn't find any faults"
Because the guest numbers are limited the owners can offer a really friendly and helpful service which is much appreciated by all their guests.
Savour La Cuisine Francaise
Good food and wine are an integral part of life in France and one of the main reasons the owners chose to live here!
Lesley is an accomplished cook who uses home grown produce and excellent ingredients from local farms and markets to create superb candlelit dinners. These are served on English china, with fine silver and glassware and damask napkins. The quality of the food and its presentation are what you would expect to find in a very good quality restaurant.
Typical Dinner Menu
- Gratin of fresh fish on a bed of spinah
- Gigot of lamb served with a pommeau and foie gras jus, dauphinoise potatoes and a selection of seasonal vegetables from the garden
- A selection of French cheeses
- Raspberry pavlova with crème fraiche and a coulis of raspberries
- Coffee and chocolates
Alternatively, informal suppers are available as a lighter option, and are ideal after a long journey. The food and its preparation is just as good, only the style, ambience and number of courses are different. Vegetarians are very welcome.
Typical Supper Menu
- A salad of broad beans, pine nuts and bacon with a pesto dressing
- Chicken tarragon served with a timbale of rice and seasonal vegetables from the garden
- Apple and calvados pancakes with crème fraiche
- Coffee and chocolates
"What a super home, but what a gastronomic treat"
A Kitchen Garden - French Style
David is an experienced and enthusiastic gardener who grows over 50 types of vegetables in his potager. During the summer, you are most likely to find him in the walled kitchen garden that not only supplies wonderfully fresh vegetables but also salads, herbs and fruits. Raspberries freshly picked from the garden for breakfast are just one of many seasonal treats. Or in autumn - perhaps wild mushrooms from the local woods.
Recent additions to the kitchen garden have included obelisks, raised beds, standard roses and lots of decorative vegetables, very much in the style of traditional French potagers.
"I'll never forget the wonderful tiny carrots from the garden"
The garden is also an excellent place to sit, relax and watch some of the birds that have also made La Cour their home. Observe the kestrels that nest in a hole to the left of the front door. Follow the comings and goings of 5 pairs of house martins, 2 pairs of swifts and a pair of swallows, busily raising their young. Sit patiently in the garden as dusk approaches, and perhaps see the barn owls that nest in an ancient pigeonnier set high in the east wall of the house.
Things to see and do
The Suisse Normande is an attractive area of hills, rivers and wooded valleys. It offers a wide range of outdoor activities for the energetic, including walking, cycling and canoeing. There are also a number of excellent golf courses available locally, as well as many interesting chateaux and gardens to visit.
It is also an ideal base for exploring the Normandy coast and its diverse attractions. Visit the D-Day landing beaches - Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. See the Bayeux tapestry - the story of a very different Norman invasion. Enjoy the more sophisticated pleasures that Deauville and Honfleur can offer. Or just soak up the atmosphere of one of the many local markets that take place daily.
For those who wish to explore further afield, the excellent French autoroutes make this eminently possible. Monet's garden, the medieval city of Rouen and Mont St. Michel can all be visited in a day. The horse racing at Deauville during August is a revelation. The quality of racing is high, the on course facilities are first class, and the entry fee to everywhere on the course is less than €8.
Gourmet Weekends in Calvados
During the low season we offer special 2 night Gourmet Weekends in Calvados. A chance to explore the Normandy coast and visit the hypermarkets to stock up on wines, beers and spirits
Longer winter evenings are the ideal opportunity for you to relax in front of a log fire and enjoy some of the superb cuisine that France has to offer. Each evening we offer a 5 course candlelit dinner including canapés, aperitif, wine and coffee. One evening the emphasis will be on seasonal foods, the best the local farms and markets have to offer. The other evening, the emphasis will be on the specialities of the Calvados region and its traditional dishes.
In the morning you can enjoy a gourmet Continental breakfast – fresh pastries, home made jams, fresh juices etc. On Sunday morning there is the opportunity to visit the market in Caen (over 300 stalls and the largest in Normandy) and the chance to take home some French goodies
The weekend can either be Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday to suit your requirements.
The inclusive price of the Gourmet weekend in Calvados is €240 (or approximately £160) per person.
Additional nights can be added to your break at our normal rates.
Christmas in Calvados
We offer a very special 'Christmas in Calvados' package. One that combines the best of French and English traditions - excellent food and wine, log fires and convivial company. For those with the inclination, the Suisse Normande offers a wide range of walks to suit everybody's energy levels. Or as a less strenuous option, visit Deauville, which each year delights the eye with a wonderful spectacle of elegant Christmas lights.
Our 3 night 'Christmas in Calvados' package offers the following:-
3 night's accommodation including luxurious en suite facilities
Gourmet Continental Breakfast each day - fresh pastries, home made jams, freshly squeezed juice, etc.
A 5 course dinner on Christmas Eve including aperitifs, canapés and wine
Christmas Day and a change of venue. Lunch at Auberge St Christophe - a Michelin listed restaurant. We have used this restaurant ourselves at Christmas for several years and it offers excellent quality and terrific value by UK standards. The 5 course lunch is approximately €45 (plus wine) A buffet supper will be served on the evening of Christmas Day
The focus of the 5 course Boxing Day dinner will be the region of Calvados and its many delicious specialties. Again, aperitifs, canapés and wines are included
The price of our 3 night 'Christmas in Calvados' package is €395 per person. (This does not include your Christmas Day lunch at Auberge St Christophe which is charged at cost)
Travel
Cross Channel Ferries
Portsmouth – Ouistreham by Brittany Ferries or P & O Fast Ferry (from April 2nd) 45 minutes drive to La Cour
Portsmouth - Le Havre by P & O, 1 hour 45 minutes drive to La Cour
Portsmouth – Cherbourg by P & O or Brittany Ferries 1 hour 45 minutes drive to La Cour, (In summer there is also a fast catamaran option)
Newhaven - Dieppe by Sealink, 2 hours 30 minutes drive to La Cour, (In summer there is also a fast catamaran option)
Euro Tunnel
Folkestone - Calais, 3 and a half hours drive to La Cour
Flights
Stansted – Dinard by Ryanair – 1 hour 45 minutes drive to La Cour
The property is also less than 2 hours from Paris by train
From Caen or from the south, travel on the D562. At Pont de la Mousse, 5 kms south of Thury Harcourt, take the D133 for Culey le Patry over the River Orne. Turn left onto the D166 then take the third right onto the D211. La Cour is on the right, on the approach to the village, just after a minor road to the right.
Prices and booking information
Bed and Breakfast
Per Person €60/65
Single Supplement €15
Dinner (4 courses, including
wine, mineral water and coffee) €40
Supper (3 courses, including
wine, mineral water and coffee) €30
All prices are per person, per night
Please note: Children must be over 12 years
To book please contact David and Lesley Craven
Chateau La Cour, 14220 Culey le Patry, France
Tel / Fax (France): 02 31 79 19 37 (International + 33 231 79 19 37)
(Replace the + with your international access code.)
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