L'Envolée Sauvage: reviews

A peaceful retreat in the wooded hills  

2012-10-21 21-Oct-2012

If you want to get away from everything, but still have the advantages of modern life, this is ideal. We stayed in the smaller of the two old stone buildings that make up this gite. The larger one is called 'Envolee Sauvage', the smaller 'Battement d'Ailes'. A lovely, spring-fed swimming pool, overlooking the gorge, is shared. We were lucky, and had it to ourselves. Everything, including the pool, is well maintained and clean. There were a few things missing in the kitchen - a corkscrew is essential! - but we found that our neighbours had two in their kitchen, so things probably migrate a bit. The little building is cosy and comfortable, with a wood-burning stove that was needed on a few September evenings, although we had been sunning and swimming earlier at the pool! You sleep on a raised platform, up fairly steep steps, which are a bit tricky to negotiate if you need the loo  in the night (outside, down the stone steps, into the kitchen) - but fun, and comfortable. Lovely walks. Note that the nearest village (St Germain de Calberte) is about 8 km away along a bumpy track, then a winding road, so you can't just nip out for a loaf of bread - but you are able to enjoy the peace. A car (with better ground clearance than a Fiat Panda!) is absolutely essential. Mme Bosquet, who welcomed us warmly, invited us to help ourselves to the vegetables and fruits of the large garden, which were delicious - thank you. It makes you wonder at the people who scratched a living here in the days when the sweet chestnut trees provided the staple food and the donkey provided transport. It must have been hard. We can recommend staying here to anyone of average fitness who wants to 'get away from it all' but in comfort. You can finally catch up on that book (there is no distracting TV), take another sip of wine, and occasionally raise your gaze to the wooded hilltops of the Cevennes that march into the misty distance.

Date of stay: 30/Aug/2012

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