Welcome to the Bird House
Gîte and art residences
Our guest accommodation is a newly restored annex to our main house -a 'maison de maître' built in 1830 and situated in the Loire Valley national park.
For art residences, scroll towards end.
As a family we have spent the last year, with the help of essential artisans and stonemasons, designing and restoring a ruined annex to a comfortable and artistic guest house. Where possible we have used reclaimed materials and all furniture and fittings have come from our local recycling emporiums. If you read my main blog - link on the right - you will see this is a favourite occupation...
Tarifs: 560 euros a week. Two day minimum stay (160) Same price all year, including utilities. All linens provided.
Breakfast as a supplement of 10 euros per person - home made bread and jams, our chickens' eggs.
Tea and Mark's marvellous cakes available in the garden on request.
Evening meals can also be provided if requested in advance, and we have an amazing Michelin-star chef up the road who can sometimes welcome extra persons to his pop-up restaurant.
Practical house stuff: walk-in shower, double queen size bed (140 wide) and a day bed (on which to compose poetry or muse generally on life) . . . induction cooker in the kitchen, fridge, cutlery, crockery and utensils, washing machine available for use in the main house; lots of drying space in the garden. Loads of parking space; BBQ, garden furniture in different spots all over the gardens. Bikes available to borrow.
Sorry, we cannot welcome children due to the river and ponds. Dogs, possibly, depending on the hound.
For booking and or further information:
loirevalleybirdhouse@gmail.com
...Our stay was absolutely perfect. The house is just magnificent, just like the garden, the cleanliness is impeccable and Kate, Marc and Ezra are rare people: sensitive, cultured, committed, adorable, intelligent and interesting. We will definitely be back!
Fabrizio - Air B and B
Accommodation: Downstairs. Kitchen, dining area, bathroom, and salon.
Our gardens, and the region
The house is situated in rampaging - in a good way! - gardens with a stream, ponds, hundreds of roses, mature trees and many, many bird species. It is a perfect place for writers, artists, nature appreciators and anyone needing a country break to unwind and relax.
Back courtyard for the gîte
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We wish to welcome our guests into a friendly and peaceful environment, to share a bit of our life here and to inspire ideas of nature-based gardening. If you wish to be sociable we'd love to chat over a glass of wine in the evening.
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and new chicken house built by our son and myself
The region
You may have researched the Loire Valley area but following is a little glimpse into this fascinating area. We are based between two Loire villages - walking/biking distance, less than fifteen minutes from the historic town of Saumur and around forty minutes from Tours and Angers.
It is possible to do a day visit to Paris from our house, and we would be happy to drop you and collect you from our local train station.
Our favourite cafe - Café de La Loire at Chouzé - the local village
We are surrounded by literally hundreds of wine 'caves' - AOC Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur-champigny, if you enjoy wine tasting, and its a great area for walking, cycling, canoeing on the Loire and even a balloon trip. There are excellent restaurants in nearby Montsoreau, other villages and many choices in Saumur.
Arts residencies
After running a highly successful bed and breakfast at the house over the last three years, and based on client feedback, we felt it would be an interesting idea to offer residences to musicians, artists and writers. We think that the Bird House and the surrounding gardens are very conducive to creative work; time out for reflection and developing new ideas away from daily distractions. As artists ourselves we can be available to discuss your projects and offer feedback, or we can leave you in peace !
Kate (b.1960) is a published writer of speculative/dystopian fiction, children's books, and also visual artist and illustrator. She was trained in film and photography at Farnham College of Arts and then spent many years working as a photographic stylist in London for major clients such as Harrods, before a disillusionment set in with the cynical world of advertising and consumerism. With her long experience she can share thoughts on many aspects of creative writing and how to get published.
Mark (b.1956) trained in music and ethnomusicology at the University of California San Diego and at London City University where he completed a doctorate. He has worked in higher education in the UK and in France as a teacher of composition and lecturer in world music. He is active as a composer, pianist and gamelan player. He can offer coaching in keyboard skills, jazz piano, harmony and music software.
For researchers we have an extensive library of books on fine art, music, anthropology, philosophy and contemporary literature.
For musicians there are keyboard instruments, a piano in the main house, as well as world percussion - Balinese gamelan, gongs, congas, frame drums, amps, microphones with stands and other recording equipment.
For writers there are the obvious tools - desk/daybed and solitude in your lodgings, but also many different sitting areas in the garden if you wish to write outside, or by the fire in the main house during colder months.
Residencies can be from one week to a month long and there is a selection process. Please email us with an outline of your project, a CV, and a list of your requirements.
Gallery
Kate and Mark recording for their Youtube channel: The teatime sessions.
