Yoga holidays in France

Our property was a Fromagerie (Cheese Factory) and up until the 1930's was a fully working producer. When the depression hit France it was forced to close down along with several others in the village and the buildings were fairly dilapidated and some were ruins. The farmhouse and apartments date from the 18th century and the renovations and conservation of the buildings began 14 years ago when the Gite business was started by Stuart's father.

There is a river which runs through the property and we are in the process of converting the water wheel (which was used in the Fromagerie) to supply electricity to support our needs. We will therefore demonstrate our commitment to sustainable energy.

Our yoga studio/function room has been renovated with thorough insulation and an aerothermy unit to provide under floor heating. All appliances are low energy rated and we encourage responsible use of washing machines at low temperatures. We have wood burning stoves in the gites and wood is sourced from local sustainable woodlands. Where oil burners are necessary we use bio fuels. Only green/natural cleaning products are used in the properties.

We employ two people from our village which increases when we have a function in the Salle des Fetes which provides a reception room for weddings and courses. We buy our fruit and vegetables from a local organic farmer who also sells his produce every week at the market in St Pierre sur Dives. Through knowing people in our village we have made contact with plumbers/electricians and other services. We and our clients visit historical sites such as chateaux, gardens, museums and the WW2 memorial sites. We provide information and recycling bins for the clients and also composting.

We have 7 acres of gardens and a large lake, the children staying here a fun sheet to tick off when they spot all the different wildlife we have here, from herons to terrapins. We do let the clients know when our ducks are sitting on eggs so they don't disturb them. We have fresh eggs from our free range chickens which the clients really enjoy eating.

We host two fishing festivals a year, one run by our village Ernes and the other by the next village. The whole community gets involved and they fish,cook and have a merry day where they all come together young and old. It has been a great way for us to meet our neighbours and has helped us to develop good local contacts and to integrate into the community. Our maximum number of clients is 35 when all properties are occupied however there is plenty of space for everyone. The impact is positive as our village bakery does a huge trade as the clients order their croissants and bread each day.