Beau Soleil is only a 2-hour drive from Paris. Within walking distance, a World Heritage tourist attraction gives the family-owned homestead-for-hire an undisputable edge. And that’s the Château of Mesnières-en-Bray, a jewel of aristocratic Renaissance architecture, formerly the home of French King Louis XV.
A return to family farm lifestyle. Throughout his second career in global franchising, Robert nurtured this goal. As a former UK apple, grain and cattle farmer, he recalls that his younger self had resented being tied to his land 24/7 by his crops and livestock. So, in his middle age, he’d turned into a jet-setting businessman to major world capitals developing the franchise model. All was good except that Robert now found himself pining to be re-immersed in nature again! His ideal of rustic life is now our passion to introduce to city dwellers and future generations, to enjoy and cherish.
After 20 years of journeying, including to Malaysia where Robert and I had met and become a couple, we found ourselves in Normandy, France, visiting what’s now our Beau Soleil farm-stay. It’s a sprawling 7 acres of green pastures and primeval beech forest with 15th Century timber-framed luxe cottage lodgings available for family holidays, small group retreats and tourist visits. In English, Beau Soleil translates into our “Place of Beautiful Sunshine” with its position on high ground, and panoramic views of ancient forest, fabled heritage castle, enchanting timber lodgings and unspoilt countryside all around.
While France is a travel sweet spot, my British husband also saw advantage in the accessible travel between the channel ports of England and France, to attract both his home crowd and international vacationers. Now that deep-in-nature destinations are hot in our Covid-enduring world, we cater to holiday-makers keen to reconnect with their rural heritage and the origin of their food supply, through sharing our inter-racial personal insight and accommodation offering a comforts of home-away-from-home. Learning that the fishing port of Dieppe – where ferry services to and from Newhaven in Sussex, England land daily – was only a 20-minute drive away sealed the deal on our purchase of Robert’s dream farm.
The “Avenue Vert” (Green Road) is half a mile from the Farm, and is the old railway line, which has been tarmacked to create a 67 kilometre recreational thoroughfare for those wishing to bicycle in a safe way, or even to walk through this glorious part of France.
In 2021, Mesnières-en-Bray – a quintessentially charming French village – snagged French Tourism’s coveted 4 flowers of Fleur D’or (Gloden Flower) Award, elevating our Normandy hamlet into the must visit destination. From it’s rolling green landscape to dotted with antiquated cottages, barns, churches, castles and manors, to a stunning coastline of chalk and limestone cliffs overlooking hostoric WW II D-Day beaches and picture-perfect seaside resorts, our chosen French duchy of Normandy is a winner. Few other places can enchantingly picturesque tourist highlights and the best news is, most attraction s are not more than a half-hour drive away from Beau Soleil.
By the way, has this Malaysian foodie mentioned that Normandy is also well-known for having some of the best Michelin-starred dining spots in France? The flavours of the region range from coastal to country. Think fresh seashell, crab and fish as well as the hearty seafood broth, Marmite Dieppoise, originating from Dieppe. Its abundance of farmland from which its prize-winning cows often stray to block country roads, give rise to the region’s 4 uniquely soft, buttery cheeses in Pont-l-Eveque, Livarot, Neufchâtel and Cemembert cheeses, often enjoyed before dessert and paired with the delicious apple cider and apple brandy or Calvados, that it famously produces.
The capital of Normandy from medieval times is the heritage town of Rouen, dubbed the city with a hundred bells chiming in the air, because of the countless churches. Storied eateries there include French/ vegetarian/ vegan restaurant Le 6e Sens in an authentic 18th Century cellar with vaulted ceiling and the old-world French creperie La Cornaelle on Robec St. I can go on … but I have a better idea. Why not book a holiday with us and from Beau Soleil, it’ll only take a 25-minutes drive to see all these sights, and taste all those delicacies, as mentioned, for yourself.
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Currently, we are offering 3 self contained bedrooms (sleep 7 in total) for holiday rental. We offer additional 2 units of single fold-up bed with extra charge. Booking in advance is required. Availability