La Ferme de la Baie - Local Attractions - photos and information about the surrounding area

[click photos to enlarge]

Roz-sur-Couesnon

Location map

"La Ferme de la Baie" is situated in north-eastern Brittany in La Rue - a hamlet close to the old coast road which runs from Pontorson to St-Malo.

Normandy is just a few miles away and our guests adore being able to sample the culture, lifestyle and gastronomy of these two such distinct regions which are located within minutes of each other.

View from the Panoramic Gardens at Roz [click to enlarge]

Cockle picking in the bay of Mont-St-Michel [click to enlarge]

Roz-sur-Couesnon

The closest village is Roz-sur-Couesnon (a mile away). It has a boulangerie, a boucherie and a small grocery shop. Fresh bread is available in La Rue three times a week and a choice of larger supermarkets can be found within a five-minute drive.

Roz-sur-Couesnon has wonderful views of the Polders and Mont-St-Michel from its Panoramic Gardens. The village’s ancient presbytery is now home to the Mairie.

Mont-St-Michel

Our most famous local attraction is Mont-St-Michel and we have wonderful views of it from both the front and the rear of our property. Mont-St-Michel is a gentle cycle ride away through the Polders - a vast expanse of farmland which was reclaimed by the Dutch in the 18th century.

All year round, you can explore the bay of Mont-St-Michel on foot or on horseback - and at certain times of year, the sea produces a stunning effect when it rushes in to fill the bay at high tide.

The beach at St-Lunaire [click to enlarge]

Beaches

The closest beaches are at Hirel and Cherrueix (15 minutes). As you travel along the coast towards Cancale, there are many sandy coves to explore. Just north of Cancale, there is a safe family beach at Le Verger.

Travelling eastwards into Normandy, the lively seaside towns along the Cotentin peninsula have wide sandy beaches, which are ideal for children.

Swimming pools

The nearest indoor swimming pool is in Dol-de-Bretagne (10 miles). Outdoor pools can be found in Combourg, Avranches and St-Malo.

The local Mouton festival [click to enlarge]

Cancale’s oyster beds [click to enlarge]

Restaurants & local gastronomy

Mont-St-Michel bay is famous for its mussels, which are the only AOC approved mussels in France. Oysters are also farmed in the bay.

The town of Cancale (19 miles) has too many mouth-watering seafood restaurants to choose from! It is a "world gastronomy site" and is home to acres of oyster beds.

Closer to home, many of the local restaurants offer dishes made with the famous salt marsh (pré-salé) lamb.

We love to cater for our guests and offer light suppers on the day you arrive, home-cooked meals to eat in your cottage and four-course evening meals with wine in the main farmhouse. Please ask us for further details.

The cathedral in Dol-de-Bretagne [click to enlarge]

The church in Roz-sur-Couesnon [click to enlarge]

Local places to visit

Avranches: holy books from Mont-St-Michel can be seen in the scriptorium and the town also has a World War II museum.

Cancale: marvel at the oyster beds and visit the oyster museum.

Cherrueix: sample sand yachting or take the Petit Train out to the mussel beds.

Combourg: explore the lovely castle.

Dinan: a mediaeval town with a castle set high above the river. Walk down to the port through ancient cobbled streets lined with timber-framed houses.

Dol-de-Bretagne: the town has a beautiful cathedral and a cathedral museum and is also famous as the last stand for Conan. He was finally defeated by William the Conqueror with Harold’s help. Harold was later shot in the eye by his ally.

Etang-Boulet: this 300-acre lake is surrounded by a forest which has several marked walks to follow. It also has a sandy beach. Water sports, such as sailing, are available and it is also possible to hire bicycles there.

Fougères: an impressive mediaeval castle, which is thought to be the largest in Europe. There is also a pretty park near the castle.

St-Malo: a fortified town with huge sandy beaches. The town also has an aquarium - and if you fancy a trip to the Channel Islands, this is where to catch the ferry.

Discover timber-framed houses [click to enlarge]

Exploring further afield

Bayeux: famous for its tapestry, which incorporates local landmarks such as the Couesnon river and Mont-Dol.

Lamballe: the national stud for working horses. Guided tours all year round, normally at 3pm.

Rennes: the principal town of Brittany and Ille-et-Vilaine - and the nearest place for a good curry! For an excellent day out, take the train and then use the metro to travel around the city. The Thabor Gardens are some of the most famous gardens in France.

Normandy Landing Beaches: the main museum commemorating the Normandy Landings is at Arromanches.

Roz-sur-Couesnon

Setting
Roz-sur-Couesnon is situated on 80-metre-high cliffs which stretch all the way from Cancale to Granville. Known as "Le Balcon de la Baie", the cliffs are the perfect spot for admiring the magical panoramic views of The Polders and the Baie-du-Mont-St-Michel.

A little history...
Roz-sur-Couesnon was originally part of the parish of Pleine-Fougères. In the 7th century, the church of St-Malo built a monastery and church in the area known as Roz. In 1231, the bishop of Dol-de-Bretagne decided to give away the church in Roz and its income, which resulted in a legal battle with the local clergy which lasted for four-hundred-years!

The area around Roz-sur-Couesnon was once well known for its sea-salt production in the Baie-du-Mont-St-Michel - in particular, the salt marshes known as "Quatre Salines" and "Polder des Quatre Salines". In the 19th century, however, salt production was abandoned when it was realised that its production was contributing to the erosion of the banks of the River Couesnon, along with erosion by the sea. Sea erosion had already caused the disappearance of three villages in the local area between 1250 and 1600 - Palluel, Mauny and St-Louis.

Places to visit
19th-century church of Saint-Martin (1888): following a fire, the church was partially rebuilt in the 1950s and its bell tower was constructed in 1953. 16th-century "Manoir de la Rue" (1575): built by the Ybert family. Ornamental cross: in rue-de-la-Fée-des-Grèves. 19th-century farm (1894): situated in the André-Est polder. 19th-century presbytère (1865). Municipal lavoir (1894). Three windmills: at Gograis, Les Chouannières and Launay. "Maison de la Baie de Vains": hosts an exhibition about the sea salt industry, including the reconstruction of a "saline".

Pré-salé sheep
The salt marshes between Roz-sur-Couesnon and St-Georges-de-Gréhaigne are grazed by flocks of "pré-salé" sheep. The sheep are left to reproduce by natural selection from 1 August until 1 November each year and the resulting lambs are born between Christmas and Easter. After 60 days of grazing, the lambs are then available for sale from Easter up until the following Christmas. All the sheep are sheared in May and June to keep them cool during the summer months.

Commune		Roz-sur-Couesnon

Population		952

Area		2586 ha (10 sq miles)

Altitude		80 m (262 ft)

Département		35

Région		Bretagne

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