Comment

Gardens at Guillaume Pellerin

Palm trees from central China, eucalypti and bamboos aren't the kind of plants that come to mind when you think of Normandy, but there I am, walking around the great array of subtropical evergreen trees and bushes at the botanical gardens at Vauville Castle on the Contentin Peninsula, near the holiday resort of Barneville-Carteret.

The gardens, which overlook the sea, are owned by Guillaume Pellerin, who has made it his life's work to create a tropical haven which was set up by his father in the 1950s with just four acres - now Guillaume has four hectares (10 acres).

"The mild temperate weather is good for the plants," says Gulliaume, who lives in Vauville Castle, and whose ancestral family go back 150 years and once owned the Roget et Gallet perfumery before they sold it.

Now the scent in Vauville comes from the exotic plants and trees - aloes, amaryllis, echium, pinana, senecio and dimorphoteca.

Gulliaume, an eccentric character with flowing grey hair, is proud and passionate about the 500 different species of plants he grows. The garden has been classified as jardin remarquable' and listed on France's historic monuments register. It is open to the public (May to June: Tuesdays to Sundays, 2pm to 6pm; July to August: daily 2pm to 6pm. September: Tuesday to Sunday from 2pm to 6pm).

The Contentin Peninsula is a perfect place for the garden lover, nature enthusiast and families to take a short break. It is just 35 minutes drive from the port of Cherbourg. Barneville-Cartet is a seaside restort in the French department of La Manche. The town is an amalgam of three villages, which are Barneville-Plage, between the long beach and the harbour; Barnevelle-Bourg, and its fortified Romanesque church and market; and Carteret, with its fishing port and marnina.

After spending some time admiring plants that shouldn't grow in a place that has similar weather to the south of England, albeit a couple of degrees warmer as it never really snows in winter, I go in search of the natural fauna and flowers of the area.

At Cap de Carteret, I walk along the rugged cliff which is covered with marram grass, gorse and red fern, and has large sand dunes stretching down from the top of the cliff to the sea shore.

Hotel des Ormes

You can walk for miles hugging the shore line, but if you just want to relax there is a long sandy golden beach stretching as far as the eye can see. Although the sea looks out onto the Atlantic it is warmed by the effects of the Channel Islands and the Gulf stream - so it is warm and perfect for children.

At the point of Cap de Carteret, I stop at a vantage point and spot a group of islands in the not to far distance, one of which is Jersey - only 14km away. The Channel Islands are only a short hop away and the locals seem to delight in the fact that a part of England is so close. It also makes a great destination for the yachts, that harbour in Carteret, to sail to for lunch.

For me, I prefer to wander back to the market town of Barneville for my dejeuner, I stop off at an unassuming bar/restaurant, Le Noroit, which has a few tables set out on the pavement, and I order a plate of oysters.

They arrive on a large platter, and are so fresh they taste as if they have just been scooped up out of the sea just a moment ago. These are washed down by a very nice white wine.

Saturday is market day in Barneville and the stall holders throng through the streets with their stalls selling fruit and vegetables, meats and fish. It is busy and full of bustle with French men and women buying their daily shop.

If you want to take a little bit of French food home with you, then a visit to Maison du Biscuit in Sortosville-en-Beaumont is a must - all the biscuits are freshly baked and made with natural ingredients.

I am staying at Hotel des Ormes, a boutique three star hotel, which is owned by Flava and Jose De Mello, a couple from Brazil who fell passionately in love with the Cotentin Peninsula and decided to make it their home, buying the hotel four years ago.

The hotel has been beautifully decorated in a contemporary style with exquisite textiles, ornament and lighting bringing a calm and harmonious elegance to the place. Flava worked with an interior designer to create this perfect setting.

She says: "My mother was an artist, so I was brought up with art around me. I begin with colour and then I add the furniture. I am stressed so I need calm colours."

She has indeed achieved her aim, the place is a perfect to relax in and recharge your batteries.

And if you like her style, she has two interior design shops in the town where you can make a few purchases and take her style home with you.

Jose is a man who loves his food and his restaurant, Le Rivage, is one of the finest in Barneville-Carteret. He has employed a local chef from Granville, Anthony Riche, who has spent years working in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

His food is a gastronomical experience. All the produce is fresh and cooked to perfection. A wonderful way to end a day after being in the great outdoors. Then after dinner, all I had to do is walk up a few steps to find my room and go to bed. Perfect.

Lindi Bilgorri traveled with Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. She stayed at Hotel des Ormes: telephone 00 33 (0)2 33 04 90 76. A Botanic Garden tour and a one night stay at Hotel des Ormes cost 320 euros.

Print

Email this

Comment

Add your comment

Name:
Email: *
Location:
**
	e.g. 123-123
Comment: Please note: All HTML tags will be ignored. Format Text:
By posting a comment, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of use. Comments are not moderated but we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention and we may delete inappropriate postings. Please treat other people with respect. You must not post anything that is abusive, indecent, unlawful or defamatory. Remember, you are personally liable for what you post on this site. If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us here.
* Your email address will not be displayed ** To avoid register now or login