Style: La Maison - a traditional Normandy mill owner's house with some fine old french wall cupboards and furniture.

Le Moulin - the old mill building, the exterior much in its original state, the interior completely refitted to create a large boat house and above a beautiful riverside holiday flat, its balcony reaching out over the river.

Setting: One of PRIVACY and EXCLUSIVITY. It is possible, even likely, that once you reach Le Moulin Estate you will not wish to leave. The estate is stunning, the garden a joy and even if it does rain you can enjoy a barbecue in the garden under cover in one of the two barbecue buildings, one situated beside La Maison, the other on the second of the two islands.

Not only are there lovely private walks along the river bank, a real joy in the early morning sunshine, but two rowing boats just beg to take you and your friends on a gentle meander up stream towards Tessy sur Vire. There is nothing more relaxing than to sit in the garden with a glass of wine, or move quietly along the river in one of the boats watching the kingfisher, ducks, moorhens, herons, honey buzzards and grey wagtails flitting over the river, whilst water vole and musk rat slice silently through the water. Red squirrels chase one another up the trees while rabbits, and even the occasional badger and pole cat, can been seen if you keep really quiet.

Reading through the visitors' book it is clear that we are not the only ones to be transformed by the magical quality of Le Moulin Estate in Normandy. If it rains, mists rise from the water, when the sun shines the trees are reflected in the rippling river. Le Moulin is described as "an artists' paradise"; the light is superb and the scene changes with the passing of the day and the nuances of the weather.

Children wax lyrical about their adventures - rowing and swimming being their favourite occupations on the river with family games around the dining table in the evening - old fashioned perhaps, but all the more of a treat for that. Christmas is a joy here, summer a wonder.

Round and About in Normandy: For those who do venture out of the valley, there is so much to see, a fulsome list of fantastic places to visit, restaurants to eat in and things to do - all outlined in the welcome notes.

• La Maison - The Mill House
• GROUND FLOOR
• The beamed living room takes up half the ground floor and would once have been two rooms. A large glazed door opens on to the garden with views over the river, the wooded gardens and the covered barbecue with its array of mill stones staked outside. The sitting room has a magnificent fire place with large log burning stove (logs are provided). There are sofas and arm chairs, coffee tables and lamps. The dining area has a large wall mirror which reflects the light beautifully and at night gives the impression of two log stoves, not one. The extending dining table will seat at least ten people and there is a further table ideal as both a sideboard and serving table. French doors open onto the garden with views over the millstream, weir and river. Wall cupboards store an excellent supply of board games, jigsaws and books as well as lots of information on the region of Normandy Manche.
• The kitchen has loads of cupboard space, a dishwasher, fridge with freezer compartment and electric ceramic hob and oven. There is a microwave, cafetiere, toaster, kettle etc and a breakfast table with benches. French doors lead from the kitchen to the garden with views over the old mill, its mill wheel still in place, the sluices and the river.
• A door from the kitchen leads to a corridor with plenty of storage for coats and shoes etc and a large wall map showing the entire Normandy region with Le Moulin almost at its centre. Another door takes you through to a utility room with washing machine, tumble dryer, sink and overhead dryer.
• FIRST FLOOR
• Master suite - Windows on three sides overlooking the millstream and the river make this large room light and airy. The super king double bed with canopy, is really comfortable. There are bedside cupboards and sidelights, as well as a small table and two easy chairs, a large built in wardrobe and door leading to the en-suit shower room.
• En-suite shower room with under floor heating, large wet room shower with two showers, washbasin and w.c. and large heated towel rail
• The master bedroom leads into a dressing room with dressing table and stall, corner cupboard. Ideal room for the baby, close by but separate.
• Bedroom 2 - another large bedroom with super king double bed with canopy, bedside tables and lamps, a wardrobe, dressing table and chair. More wonderful views over the river
• Bedroom 3 - Another sizeable room, it has two full sized single beds, and a third single sleigh bed, bedside table and lamp and large wardrobe. Both windows overlook the mill stream
• There are two further bathrooms, thus allowing each bedroom to have its own bathroom. Both have shower, washbasin, w.c. and heated towel rail.

• Le Moulin - The Mill
• Cross the bridge to the first island and then a further bridge to the second island. A straight wooden staircase takes you to a wooden balcony
• The sitting room, with its vaulted ceiling, makes the very most of the fantastic views, the entire river facing wall is glazed. There is a large and comfortable sitting area with sofas and coffee table.
• The dining area has a table and six chairs, large sideboard with board games, cards and jigsaw puzzles.
• The kitchen area is separated by a wooden unit with cupboards, electric oven and hob, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and an ample supply of cutlery, china, pots and pans
• A hallway leads to the bedrooms
• Super king bed with bedside cabinet and lamp, built in hanging cupboard and dressing table and stall. The window looks down river.
• The twin bedroom has two full sized single beds, a built in hanging cupboard with shelves and dressing table with stall. Views up river towards Tesse
• There is a good sized shower room with shower, wash basin, w.c. and heated towel rail and underfloor heating.

• Le Moulin Estate
• The house is reached by following the long drive which runs parallel to the river bank.
• Outside La Maison is a garden table and seating. There is a covered barbecue area with table and seating overlooking the river beyond the sitting room. A further barbecue building is situated on the second island, once again this is covered and has table and chairs. There is another open seating area on the first island (reached via a bridge)
• Two rowing boats are available for holidaymaker use. There is a weir on the river just below Le Moulin
• Please note the river is not fenced and Le Moulin is reached by two bridges over the mill stream, the building itself is situated on an island
• There is a wooden area to one end of the garden and lovely river side walks from the house

• Services
• La Maison is centrally heated, Le Moulin by electric heating.
• Bed linen and thick fluffy towels, shower gels, hair wash and even cotton buds are provided as well as a nice welcome pack
• Please bring swimming towels
• There is plenty of parking in the drive
• Logs for the wood burning stove are provided

• Where to go and what to see
• I had always promised myself a visit to Bayeux, and the tapestry did not disappoint. As for the town itself; in recent years the ancient buildings have been beautifully restored and presiding over all is the magnificent cathedral.

  For a seaside trip I would certainly recommend Carteret. It took just over an hour to get there but we avoided all motorways, a pleasant scenic route with very little traffic and lots to see. Carteret and the Point de Carteret remind me somewhat of both Padstow in Cornwall and Blakeney on the north Norfolk coast. Houses and hotels are perched on the headland overlooking the sandy beaches, rumoured to be the best in France, and, like Blakeney, an inlet reaches into the town itself, the local fishermen landing their catches on the harbour wall beyond which is a yacht haven.

  We were advised to eat in the restaurant in the Marine hotel, Michelin starred and we were told, excellent value - but it was closed so we went to L'Hermitage near the harbour entrance and sat in the sun (March) watching the catch being landed. The mussel soup and the fresh sole where out of this world.

  One of the wonders of the Western world and now a World Heritage site is Mont St Michel, which sadly pales our own St Michael's Mount in Cornwall into insignificance. Climb the steps and visit the Abbey even if you are not looking for a miracle, it will certainly get the heart muscles going and the views are superb, but be warned it does attract a lot of tourists and the food prices are somewhat over the top. Best seen when the tide is sluicing in, you cannot fail to be impressed by its magnificence. Drive along the Baie Route on your way back to Le Moulin Estate, from where there are excellent views back over Mont St Michel.

• How to get to Le Moulin Estate from the UK south coast
• By Brittany Ferries
• A real treat is to go via St Malo from Portsmouth on the overnight Brittany Ferry (Commodore Class) .
• By Channel Tunnel