Le Rhun - Les Chataigniers

BFB's Overview.

If happy children mean happy parents, Le Rhun, on the beautiful Crozon peninsula in Brittany, will havefamilies beaming from ear to ear! The owner have created an amazing array of fun things for little ones to discover and do, while grown-ups will love the choice of fab gites with a long list of helpful equipment for having babies and toddlers in tow.

Formerly a Breton cider farm, Le Rhun has been lovingly converted into 5 gites which have been thoughtfully finished and furnished in keeping with their character and offering every cosy comfort. From the typical Breton farmhouse to the converted cow shed, grain store, veg store and stable, each of the gites has been individually styled, combining original and antique features with all mod cons. A full range of baby and toddler equipment for eating, sleeping and safety can be provided in all the gites and each one has a blanket box of toys, books and games. More, larger toys are also available including Duplo, a dolls' house, farm set and pirate ship set, along with children’s DVDs.

Le Rhun is set in 40 acres of farmland where children can safely play and explore ‘free range’. Besides meeting the chickens, sheep and Jock the Shetland pony, animal lovers can stake out local wildlife at the natural hideout dens amongst the trees, Squirrels' lookout, Moles' Meet and Rabbits' Rest. Even if the wildlife doesn’t show, Le Rhun boasts several imaginative and well equipped play areas for all ages and a heated outdoor pool with floats and inflatables plus an inflatable paddling pool is available on request. Specifically with the under 5s in mind, a nursery garden features toddler swings, a large selection of ride ons, rope bridge and living willow tunnel. The Pirate Play Deck is obviously a favourite with a captain’s wheel, telescope and periscope, a flag to hoist, bell to ring, wobbly bridge and plank for naughty shipmates. A games pitch has all the wherewithal for swingball, volleyball, badminton and football, alongside larger swings, a slide and playhouse. Le Rhun also has a sand pit with appropriate toys, vehicles, buckets and spades, not forgetting that a lovely sandy beach is just a few minutes’ drive away.

If all this wasn’t enough, the owner also offers all sorts of activities for children including story-telling, treasure hunts, art and craft sessions, plus parents can even book a surprise party complete with balloons and homemade cakes. ‘Under The Barn’ is another quirky corner at Le Rhun, where families can have coffee and cake while logging into the wi fi or browsing maps, brochures and shabby chic brocante from French markets. The shop ‘under the barn’ is stocked with handy essentials and pirate paraphernalia including play swords, eye patches and Le Rhun pirate teddy bears.

Accommodation Overview

Le Rhun comprises 5 gites - La Ferme (sleeps 12+3), Etable (sleeps 8), Les Chátaigniers (sleeps 5), Hibou (sleeps 4 + 1) and Ecurie (sleeps 4).

Location Information

Le Rhun is on the edge of the village of Argol on the Crozon Peninsula of western Brittany and only 3kms from sandy beaches at Telgruc-sur-mer - one of at least 20 fab sandy beaches nearby for days by the sea with a picnic. Argol has a boulangerie for picking up fresh baguettes and croissants for breakfast and ‘Les Vieux Metiers’ is a living crafts museum which has regular demonstrations of clog making, butter churning, chandlery and cider making.

Crozon (8kms) is the main town on the peninsula, with a variety of shops, supermarkets and a local produce market most mornings. Neighbouring Morgat is a lovely little resort town with a long sandy crescent beach where the sea is calm and safe for children to swim, or families can take a boat trip from the marina to sea grottos around the craggy headlands. Morgat also has a children’s playground on the beach and a number of seafront cafes and restaurants for sampling Breton Crepes and the superb local seafood.

Nearest medical services: GP and pharmacy, Telgruc sur mer (5 mins drive); A&E at Landerneau (40 mins drive), Brest (50 mins drive)

Getting here: Brest airport (23kms) is served by numerous airlines and is only 45 minutes’ drive from Le Rhun. Brittany Ferries have regular crossings from Plymouth and Cork to Roscoff (1 hour 15 minutes’ drive from Le Rhun), Portsmouth to Saint Malo (3 hours 30 minutes’ drive from Le Rhun) and Caen to St Malo (4 hours’ drive from Le Rhun).