Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

Popped into the gym today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool for a great leg work out, doing 6 sets of squats up to 120kg followed by a couple of sets of straight leg dead lifts to work the leg biceps.

Looking forward to my next chest work out as my shoulder is feeling so much better, just goes to show that training around and injury seems to be better than not training at all.

The gym at the Brittany holiday cottage is available to use all year.

Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym

I stopped to speak to the guest currently staying at the Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym yesterday and they told me they had enjoyed a great game of golf that day and the previous night had a wonderful meal at Le Cheval Blanc.



Tonight for the New year festivities they requested that I pre-book a meal at a local restaurant and they will enjoy a special set menu, drinks included at La Taverne which is located just 2 miles from the Brittany holiday cottage.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

The guest arrived yesterday at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and were welcomed with a roaring log fire on arrival.

Supplied with fire wood I talked them through how to use the wood burner and showed that with a slide of a switch the fire went from roaring down to a calm burn and back up again.

I explained that the most economical way to keep the cottage warm is to keep a fire burning slowly throughout the day, once the thick stone walls are warm the cottage retains its heat for a long time. I gave the cottage a boost at the start of the day with the central heating to make the whole process easier, the guest have said they will let me know if they need the central heating during there stay at the holiday cottage.

They have brought there golf clubs and are aiming to enjoy a few rounds of golf during there week at La Forge.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

After a week of dieting at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym, I gained 2 lbs when I weighed myself Monday morning....not good, but then I would hate to know how many calories I ate on Christmas and Boxing day...looking at it on a positive note if I had not been dieting I might be 7 plus lbs heavier.

The diet restarted this Monday following the Christmas gluttony.

Trained chest and triceps yesterday and increased the weight I'm benching by an additional 10 kg, still my shoulder hurts but its getting better week by week.

Looking to buy some new equipment for the gym at the Brittany holiday cottage for 2011, ideally a leg curl/leg extension machine.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Today was the clean day at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool getting La Forge ready for the arrival of the guest this evening.


The guest staying at the cottage arrived at 7pm after driving from Caen taking a Brittany ferry to cross via Portsmouth and took advantage of the 20% discount on the ferry crossing by booking La Forge.


Book La Forge or La Veille Maison and receive a 20% discount on your Brittany ferry crossing making staying at the Brittany cottage with private pool even better value for money.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Just the other side of Chapel Nerve which is 3 minutes away from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool lives a friend who looks after Elsa when ever I'm away and it was my turn to look after their animals today for a week while they are away.



With a dog, 2 goats, 3 hens and 3 ducks to look after I tend to be there for 45 minutes each day giving them all food, fresh water and the dog and goats some time.



As a bonus for me I get to collect all the eggs while they are away.



I will buy some new hens for the holiday cottage in February so children staying at La Forge or La Veille maison can collect fresh eggs each year. I will increase the height of the fence to prevent the birds wondering the garden as I do not want a repeat of this year losing a bird to a cat or fox.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool

This year at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool, the pool was closed at the end of October and just to finish on the jobs involved with running the pool, I'll run through how the pool is closed.



Firstly it is given a good clean, making sure if any algae is present it is wiped of the walls and then thoroughly hovered. Before this Ive timed it that the chlorine in the pool has gone and the heater has been off for a week and the temperature is around 10 degrees, I then cover the pool with the winter cover and then introduce a double dose of Chlorine tablets to kill any thing that's present in the water.



The pump is then just put on a timer to run between 12am - 7am taking advantage of cheaper electricity then a few weeks later i reduce it further down to just 4 hours per day.



That's it, very straight forward and when the pool is opened in March ready for the start of the swimming pool season its crystal clear.



The heater is switched on 2 weeks before the start of April or my first booking at La Forge.

The swimming pool is open between April and September at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool but can be extended into October if requested.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

As it was boxing day at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool today it was time to cook the turkey.

Last year at the holiday cottage I ate one of the chickens I had, but cooked it the same as shop bought only to find because it was not full of water and was very lean I over cooked it. With that in mind I slow cooked the Turkey at just 200 degrees for 3 hours, basting every 30 min, it was covered in bacon and for the first 2 hours was also covered with foil.

The bird was smaller than i hoped once all the feathers were taken off and weighed only 6 lbs, it was cooked to perfection and tasted wonderful,very different from any I have bought in the shops before. It looked and tasted very much like a game bird.

Next Christmas I am offering a complimentary Turkey for anyone booking the Brittany holiday cottage with pool over the Christmas week period.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool

I have just got back too the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool after spending a wonderful Christmas day at friends living just the other side of Baud.

We had a spectacular Christmas feast with the table full of food, finished with several deserts and Christmas cake, its on days like this, that makes you realize how lucky you are to have such good friends.

I'm home now with the fire lit in La Veille Maison, feeling very stuffed watching ' Murder on the orient express'.

La Forge is available to rent all year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Its Christmas morning at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all past guest staying at La Forge a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

I'm looking forward to greeting the new guest that arrive next week to see in the New year in France at La Forge and the new season ahead.

La Forge is currently booked for 4 weeks next year which at this point was the same as last year , we then went on to achieve our highest level of bookings of 21 weeks for 2010.

The Brittany holiday cottage is available to rent all year and we do provide special long tern rental rates in the low season for those wishing to stay longer than 2 weeks.

Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool and gym

Its Christmas eve at the Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool and gym and as the shops will be closed tomorrow and Sunday I popped down to the local Carrefour in Baud to stock up on last minute bits for the festive season.

It was really enjoyable walking around the super market seeing all the festive delights tempting people to over indulge over the weekend.

La Forge is available to rent all year and we offer a special deal if you book the 2 weeks to see in the new year as well as for Christmas.

Book Christmas 2011 at the Brittany holiday cottage for 2 weeks and recieve a complimentary free range turkey as well as a 20% discount on your Brittany Ferry crossing.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

After a days rest I will hit the gym again today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool, it feels great to be back into a regular routine.

The diet is going well, although I did slip up yesterday, hopefully one day will not make a big difference on this weeks results, I will weigh myself Monday morning. My starting weight at the beginning of the week was 16st 10lbs.

My upper body is feeling nice and sore this morning after the 2 upper body work outs this week and my arms feel nice, full and tight.

I'll do 6 sets of squats today followed by 3 sets of straight leg dead lifts for my leg biceps, very light.

As its a bright sunny day at the Brittany holiday cottage I'll train around 3 pm so the gym will be warm and I would have had sufficient food in my system to give me the energy to train. Ive never had good weight work outs in the morning, I always feel so much stronger after a day of eating by the evening.

Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool

With just 2 days to go before Christmas at the Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool the time had come to dispatch the Turkey, its a job that I never relish and always get upset afterwards, but at least I know it was quick and the Turkey had a good life being free range and enjoyed a good diet.

This part of having birds is all part of rural French living in my mind and its the same as growing your own veg, planting fruit trees and becoming more organic. All of which I do.

Next season my intention is to buy 3 hens for eggs for the children staying at the holiday cottage to enjoy and 2 turkeys, one for my Christmas next year and the other to gift anyone booking La Forge for the 2 weeks at Christmas next year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

With a bright sunny day here at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool I decided to spend a little time in the garden clearing up and then popped along to Pontivey this afternoon to visit a friend in hospital there.

Its the first time I have been to the hospital and it was very easy to find with good car parking, my friend said the difference he see's in comparison to hospitals in the UK is in France if your not well they keep you in and don't send you home until they are sure your well, unlike the UK where it seems the idea is to empty the bed as soon as possible, that's assuming your given a bed in the first place back in the UK.

Pontivey is just a 20 minute drive from the Brittany holiday cottage.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

After finishing the decorating in the twin bedroom of the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym I decided to venture back into the gym again.

Back and Biceps tonight, did 5 sets of wide grip pull downs up to 80kg using a 60 inch bar behind the neck, followed with 5 sets of slightly narrower grip, front pull downs with 100 kg on the machine.

It felt great getting back into a split routine system this week, allowing more effort for each muscle group, then went onto just 5 sets of alternate dumbbell curls.

The diet is going well having eaten under 1800 calories each day this week, my stomach feels less bloated already, judging by the amount of food I am eating now, I guess although just eating good food Ive been eating around 3000-3500 calories per day.

I'll just diet and do the gym work for now and start the cardio in the new year. I'm currently 16st 10lbs, I need to get down too 12 1/2 stone by September.

The gym at La Forge is open all year for guest to train.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

Despite the shoulder injuring still giving me jip I decided to pop in to the gym at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool this evening to train chest and triceps.

Its the first session that Ive split in the last 5 weeks and will recommence training 3 different workouts from now onwards. The diet started yesterday and Ive started writing down every thing I consume throughout the day eating 1850 calories yesterday over 4 meals, I went to bed at 12pm and was a little hungry, I guess my stomach needs to shrink down.

I thought it prudent to start the diet before Christmas to stop me piling on more weight and to make the whole process of loosing the 4 stone easier for September.

The training session this evening was short and sweet and I could only bench press 60 kgs, but it was good to get back into the gym tonight.

The gym at the Brittany holiday cottage is available for all guest to use.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

With just over a week before the next guest arrive at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool I finished painting the ceiling of the twin bedroom today.

It's the final room of La Forge to be decorated as the whole house now has been painted and refreshed over the last 12 months. The most important part of running the holiday cottage for me is making sure its clean and presentable at all times so I'm always checking the walls in between guest stays to see if they need sprucing up due to scuff marks.

La Forge has now been booked for 21 weeks this year a new personal best, increasing occupancy each year, my goal is to hit the magical 25 weeks booked for next year.

The holiday cottage is available to rent all year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

If you enjoy kite flying you would have been in your element today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool with strong winds through out the day.

Down on the coast you can find kite boarding and kite buggy's zooming along the beaches or surf especially along the rugged coast towards Quiberon.

The Brittany holiday cottage with private pool has something for every one.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Well I managed to get up at 7 am this morning at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool with the determination to get down to Etel for a look at whats taking the bait.

With 8 layers on my upper body and 4 on my legs I felt confident I would be really snug no matter how cold it got down on the coast. I drove to Vannes first and popped into Decathalon with the aim of getting some rag worm, what a waisted trip that was, just 1 box of large worms left and when opened it looked like the dead had been removed and what was left was half a dozen worms at the outrageous cost of 5.50 euros. You would think if they had removed the dead and were aware it was short the price would have been reduced, but no, so I left without the worms with just the mackerel for bait.

I arrived at Etel at 10.30 and was pleased to see no one else was fishing and the sea wall had been reinforced creating a shelter out of the wind for me, high tide was at 3pm and the coefficient was 57.

I fished one rod out in the main channel about 100 meters out and fished the other only 20-30 meters out.

The sea was rough and the waves high, I had to keep my rods up high to reduce wave motion rather than my preferred set up of having my rods low and parallel with the shore.

I guess it does not matter how many layers you have on if you get wet, you just cant keep the cold out and with heavy rain all morning I was drenched and cold for most of the trip and by high tide and no bites I packed up. If only I had some worms....that's what I kept telling myself.

Etel is just a 30 min drive from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and is just one of many great looking fishing locations.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

With out the rag worms I could not motivate myself to get up early this morning and now regret the decision as its a beautiful day at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool.

So its mackerel for lunch today, the bait I had bought to use today.

It all comes down to confidence, I have always caught fish when Ive used worms and although a bright sunny day I know that it will be freezing on the beach and for me to suffer the cold I want to have the best chance of catching.

I will have another attempt next week at going fishing and try to buy the worms the day before or on the day if its a later high tide.

I have found some lovely places to fish from the beach near the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and will be happy to assist to help guest achieve tight lines.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Just 25 min away from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is the coast and looking at the time tables for this week tomorrow is an ideal day to pop down to Etel to fish. High tide is at 2pm with a coefficient of just 44, so it won't be a repeat of my last trip with a coefficient of 112 that caused us not to fish for the main part because the water was running to fast.

The nearest Decathlon store is in Lorient just 25 miles from la Forge and I pooped along this afternoon to buy the rag worm. As soon as I opened the fridge door in the store I knew there was going to be a problem, on inspection of just the 4 boxes of small rag left, all the worms were dead and looked a mess. The shop also had 3 boxes of large worms and they were alive and looked ok but at 5.50 euros a box are very expensive and from past experience are not good value for money, I'm able to get more full hooks of worms using the smaller worms buy buying 4 boxes at 4 euros each rather than 3 boxes of the large.

With the worms being rather disappointing I left with just a few items of tackle and opted to buy a couple of fresh mackerel instead at the local super market for just 2 euro's.

If I can get up early enough I might have a go at digging for a few fresh worms at low tide.

I am eager to fish tomorrow as I am normally not in France during December and am looking forward to finding out what fish are around for me to catch.

All types of fishing can be found around the local area of the Brittany holiday cottage be it; course, game or sea fishing.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

This year we have guest staying at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool from 28th December to celebrate the new year in Brittany and to enjoy the French festivities.

Unfortunately Le Cheval Blanc was fully booked for the 31st but La Taverne restaurant which is just 2 miles from la Forge is still available offering a set menu inclusive of drinks for just 62 euros per person. The evening starts at 8.30 and finishes at 2 am to see in the new year and being only 2 miles from the Brittany holiday cottage it is possible to walk back after a great night out.

We still have the week available to celebrate Christmas at La Forge, decorated for the festive season if you book the week.

Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool

I have been running the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool now for 5 seasons and each year its been a great experience, meeting new guest and making new friends.

Each year the bookings have increased with a new record for this year having reached 21 weeks booked, the average holiday cottage has between 10 - 12 weeks, so La Forge is doing extremely well.

Why do i think its doing well, well firstly I think because its a beautiful property to start with in a wonderful location, I fell in love with La Forge and La Veille Maison as soon I walked through the doors. I think another reason why its doing so well is because each year I make improvements to the house, the garden and its facilities.

I think if your proud about your service then it shows and people pick up on this and hence book.

I always listen to every guest staying at the holiday cottage and if I ever hear a good way to make an improvement then I always implement the idea.

This year a larger television has been installed in the cottage, a new terrace layed around the swimming pool, new exotic plants introduced in the garden and bedrooms redecorated.

My aim is simple to make sure every guest that stays at La Forge has a wonderful holiday and enjoys the best that Brittany has to offer.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

I woke up today to see a crisp frost on the ground at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and as I went out to feed the turkey was delighted to see a clear blue sky and the sun shining brightly.

Its my first December in France and its been a lot warmer than I was expecting reaching day time temperatures of 9 degrees which is great in comparison to the freezing conditions currently being enjoyed in the UK.

The holiday cottage is available to rent all year and I am looking forward to greeting the next guest arriving at La Forge on the 28th December.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

With just the turkey left at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool looking after the bird is no trouble at all. I don't even shut the bird away each night because it roosts up a tree above the chicken run, all I do is provide fresh food and water each day.

The only concern I do have is cats coming into the garden, as I lost a chicken to some kind of animal in November, the good news is that the Turkey is quite vocal and on 2 separate occasions has called out if a cat was around. I let the dog out and she chases it away.

Next February I will buy 3 new chickens and 2 turkeys at the local Saturday market in Baud so that children staying at the holiday cottage can collect eggs each day during there holiday and 1 turkey will be given as a gift for anyone booking La Forge for the Christmas of 2011.

Book the Brittany holiday cottage for 2 weeks at Christmas and take advantage of our 2 week special booking deal, see website for details.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Just 3 miles from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is the market town of Baud and last Saturday the Christmas lights throughout out the town were lit and as usual the decorations look wonderful.

The holiday cottage is currently booked for one week starting 28th December but we still have the week available to celebrate Christmas.

La Forge is available to rent all year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Situated in the small hamlet of Kebourbon this Brittany holiday cottage with private pool enjoys the beautiful Breton countryside but is only 3 miles away from the market town of Baud.

La Forge is available to rent all year while La Veille Maison during the months of July/ August, book either property and receive a 20% discount on your Brittany ferry crossing, making the holiday cottages even better value for money.

The Brittany holiday cottages are ideally situated to explore the delights of southern Brittany.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

New for the 2011 season at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is that during July and August La Veille Maison will also be available to rent, along side La Forge, therefore the swimming pool will be shared during those months.

For details of La Veille Maison see the link on the home page of the website, change over day for La Veille Maison will be on a Friday.

La Forge is available to rent through out the year and apart from July/ August the pool is for the private use of the guest staying at the holiday cottage.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

The weather has changed again this weekend at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool, after a very cold week last week and one day of snow, we have had rain this weekend but temperatures have risen to around 10 degrees.

With Christmas just around the corner, I was up the ladder today putting up the Christmas lights on the holiday cottage. Over the previous 2 years I have used a fishing rod to fire several lines over the big tree in the garden to hoist the lights up over the tree, it worked well but each year lights were getting damaged when I took them down.

This year we still have the Christmas week available to rent at La Forge, the week after has been booked for a party of four to celebrate the new year at the cottage and in France.

The guest staying at the holiday cottage have requested that I make a reservation for them at Le Cheval Blanc to see in the new year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

I woke up this morning at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool to be welcome to a blanket of fresh snow. While the UK has been suffering from the severe weather over the last week, its been bright and crisp each day with just frozen ground in the mornings.

Ive kept nice and warm with my log burner providing the main heat source each day.

The Brittany holiday cottage has a very efficient wood burner that keeps the cottage nice and snug during the winter months.

The cottage is still available for the Christmas week but has been booked for the new year.

La Forge Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is available to rent all year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

Before it got dark and the temperature plummeted I decided to visit the gym again today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym for a leg workout.

After 3 weeks away from the gym I am still taking it easy just doing a total of 6 sets of squats for a maximum weight of 120kg for 8 reps.

I then did 4 sets of crunches for my abbs on the swiss ball and that was the workout finished, just 30 min, job done.

For guest staying at La forge or La Veille maison the gym is available for there use during there stay and I am always on hand to give advice or assistance if required.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

With the ground frozen in the garden today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym I ventured into the gym for an upper body workout.

With my shoulder injury still giving me jip I opted to bench press a very light weight with the view its better to train light than not to train at all. I just used 40 kg on the bar and completed 5 sets, then went on to do 5 sets of wide lat pull downs, followed by 4 sets of dumbbell curls and finishing of with 6 sets of tricep push downs.

Initially my shoulder screamed out but by the third set of bench pressing it felt so much better, but I felt it more prudent not to increase the weight.

The gym at the Brittany holiday cottage is open through out the year as is La Forge.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

With just the Turkey left at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool I thought I lost it last night, because we had snow in the morning I decided to close the coup to keep it warmer only to find the bird not in the run or the coup.

I searched the garden for 15 minutes in the dark trying to find him but with no joy and returned to the house thinking I might have lost him to an animal or he had escaped the garden.

Thankfully at dawn I heard his call and went out in the garden to see where he was, to my surprise he was perched about 7 feet of the ground on a branch of a tree over hanging the chicken run.

Knowing how much my dog lost in weight trying to keep warm while in a kennel one year, I think I will catch the turkey today, clip his wings and close him in each night in the coup.

I did think he would be a lot bigger than he is but I guess being free range he might not put on as much weight as farmed birds, I am hoping what he lacks in size will more than make up for in taste.

Next February I will buy a new group of birds, buying 3 chickens for eggs and a pair of female turkeys, with the aim of gifting a bird next Christmas to who ever has booked La Forge.

The Brittany holiday cottage is available to rent all year and the pool is ready to use from the start of April and closes normally at the end of September.

Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym

I woke up this morning feeling some what cold at the Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym only to discover a layer of snow on the ground. I would normally fill up the wood burner just before bed and have it slow burn through out the night but last night I was warm enough with out the fire being lit hence why it was cold this morning.

One of my best buys last year was an oil burner stove which turned out to be fantastic because I just came down this morning, switched it on for instant heat.

This is my first full December ahead that I am staying in France and I'm looking forward to the cold winters nights with my wood stove to keep me warm.

La forge also has a very efficient wood burner that has no difficulty keeping the cottage nice and snug in the winter.

The Brittany holiday cottage is available to rent all year, see website for availability and special offers.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

I woke up today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym with a frost on the ground but bright and sunny.

Ive been back now in France for just over a week and the diet has started, eating mainly Tuna, white fish, vegetables and jacket potatoes. Although my weight has not dropped I feel so much leaner just over the last week and it was great to get back in the gym.

The gym at La Forge is available to use all year for the guest staying at the Brittany holiday cottage.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

The swimming pool at La Forge is opened in March each year ready for the start of April and the start of the good weather. We have just had a 2 week booking starting 7th April until 21st, so depending on your children's school you could still enjoy a week in La Forge for the final week of the Easter holiday.

During April and May the cost per week is just £549 however if you book 2 weeks enjoy a reduced price of £375 per week.
I have been at La Forge/ La Veille Maison now since March 2006 and every April so far has enjoyed some wonderful weather.

The Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is open all year long, see website for availability.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

After returning to France on 15th November to the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym I woke up the next day with a stinking cold, I felt it was in my system the week before but just concentrated on working hard. Then arrived back in France, relaxed, for the cold to hit me hard the next day.

It was frustrating for my training because while in the UK I did not enter a gym, prior to going back to the UK my right shoulder was really aching during a workout and I felt a couple of weeks rest would do it good. I finally got back into the gym at la forge last night and had a gentle full upper body workout, I find if I have a few weeks off its best to break into the training with some caution to keep the injuries away. I only benched press 50 kilo last night and my shoulder was sore, I am hoping that the next workout will be much better.

The gym is open all year round at the Brittany holiday cottage and is available for the guest of La Forge and La Veille Maison to use.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

After a few nice weeks working in the UK I returned to the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool on 15th November to find a pile of feathers scattered on the path. After a phone call from a friend who was looking after the birds while I was away I was expecting to see the results of either a cat or a fox.

I had left with just 2 birds remaining, my favorite hen and the turkey, I had not clipped the wings of the hen allowing her to jump over the gate of the chicken run to explore the garden during the day, unfortunately for her, allowing her to leave the protection of the run.

I am now just left with the turkey, who was always bought for the dinner table, for this Christmas. I have decided that for Christmas 2011 I will buy 2 Turkeys in the spring one for me and the other to give as a gift for anyone booking La Forge for Christmas.

I think for next year I will have 5 birds in total, 3 hens for eggs and the 2 turkeys. I will buy female Turkeys next year as I am a little disappointed on the growth of the male bird and I wonder if a female would have been a lot bigger.

The holiday cottage with private pool is available to rent all year, just click on website for more details.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

With 21 weeks booked this year for the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool its been a great year for bookings and I have met some wonderful people staying at La Forge.

The latest week to be book is from 28th December allowing the guest to see in the new year in France.

We still have the week for Christmas free, why not book the week and enjoy a festive holiday at La Forge decorated for the festive season. The normal cost per week is £549 as a last minute booking price enjoy the week for just £400.

Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool

La Veille Maison is a heavily beamed cottage that's been beautifully renovated and recently decorated throughout. The cottage is oozing with character and is situated next door to La Forge. The cottage is available to rent just for the months of July and August, for details of availability see La Veille Maison link on website.

Book La Veille Maison and recieve a 20% discount on your Brittany Ferry crossing ( 30% if holiday and crossing booked before 15th Nov 2010).

The ground floor is open plan with a modern fully fitted kitchen and spacious, attractively furnished sitting room, which includes a large wide screen TV.

On the ground floor are 2 double bedrooms, one with a king size bed the other with twin beds, family bathroom and toilet.

On the first floor is another double bedroom with beautiful exposed beams, a king size bed and en suit facilities.

Outside in the garden is a private terrace, the heated swimming pool, BBQ, a Boule court, children's swings and a chicken run so your children can check for fresh eggs each morning during your stay.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

The Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym was booked for the October half term and the guest had requested that the pool remain open.

It was family of 5 and all the boys aged 15 plus enjoyed the gym most days, including a leg work out with myself on the Thursday evening. It was nice to train with them as it encouraged me to do that little bit extra performing 9 reps with 160kg on the squat and it helped motivate one of the guys who had always steered clear of training legs.

They also enjoyed a day out at the Camours adventure park which is only 5 minutes away from La Forge and of course enjoyed a great meal at Le Cheval blanc.

We are still taking bookings for 2010 and currently Christmas and new year weeks are still available at the Brittany holiday cottage, fully decorated for the festive season.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

As the weather has been great at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool I decided to go fishing again last Saturday with a friend down at Etel.

High tide was at 18.30 with a coefficient of 111, I was surprised my friend suggested going that day as he had said on an earlier occasion that he preferred to fish tides with a coefficient of around 60 and from past experience Ive not had much joy with strong running tides.

We arranged to meet at 11 am, I arrived at 10.30 to be greeted with hugh waves hitting the beach and this was an hour before low water, I thought it would be un-fishable at high tide due to being to dangerous and it was agreed to try another location further up the estuary.

We dug for bait for the first 2 hours and started fishing just after 1pm, the tide had just turned and had started running back in, as we had not dug up much bait we decided to use Mackerel fillets for the first 2 hours to conserve the bait. On his 3rd cast my friend hooked into and landed a 3lb Conger eel, which I thought was a great sign of what was to come.

At 2.30 the tide was really running fast and a 6 onze break away could not hold bottom and we were casting up tide to be dragged down tide in a matter of 10 minutes. My friend decided to move around to a cove just 150 meters from where we were fishing to get out of the current, I remained and 10 minutes later had my first bite on lug worm to catch a small wrasse.

My mate came running around to say he had some great bites one after another and I agreed to join him after loosing both sets of tackle on a snag on the retrieve after being swept along by the current.

After setting up both rods again, I started fishing on a very uncomfortable rocky out crop and missed a bite, my mate had said now that he has missed 7 or 8 bites and after 45 minutes I decided to return to the initial fishing site and he followed.

The tide was however running so strong that I decided to wait until high tide at 18.30 in the hope the current would drop off to conserve the bait and tackle. My mate decide to pack up and I carried on, the tide did not loose its power until 7.30 when I began fishing again just before it got to dark and I caught a small Pouting.

All though we were a mile away from the Bar de Etel I could here the rumble of the waves breaking all day and although we did not catch much enjoyed the days fishing in a safe location.

My next planned sea fishing trip will be in November, when I'm hoping to do a night tide down at Etel.

Etel is just a 40 min drive from the Brittany holiday cottage with pool.

For guest staying at La Forge I do have additional equipment to lend if you wish to have a fish and am always willing to join you for a days fishing, if required.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

At the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool we are offering a 30% early bird discount on your Brittany Ferry crossings if you book prior to 15th November a holiday at the cottage for this year or next.

It makes booking La Forge great value for money to enjoy the best Brittany has to offer.

The Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is available to rent all year.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Just 40 min away from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is my favorite fishing venue at the 'Bar de Etel'. It was a bright sunny day and high tide was at 3pm so I decided to have a crack at the Bass, catching 4 in total of which one was a keeper.

I arrived a little later than I would have liked at 12 pm and started fishing with 2 rods using 3 rag worms crammed on an Aberdeen no 1 long shank hook. I cast one rod out into the current at the mouth of the estuary while the other was cast straight out at around 100-110 meters to be in the main current.

I caught 3 small Bass which to be honest the bites were hard to see with the strong tidal run and with weed on the line was not noticed until they broke the water. Then around 10/15 min before high tide I received my best bite, nice and direct and struck into a noticeable fish, what a difference and joy it is to actually feel a fish kick and after a few minutes I landed a 1 1/2 Bass.

After high tide the actioned stopped and with just one box of worms left I went down to 1 rod and cast out as far as I could and let the tide take out all my line on the reel, I thought I had 2 bites with each try but what seemed ages to retrieve all the line in all I caught was a great deal of weed.

I do have a spare beach caster available for guest staying at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool if they wish to have a fish for supper.

The larger Bass run between October through too January.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

The training at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym is going well, for the last 2 weeks since being back from the UK I have been hitting the gym on a 3 day on, 1 day off system.

I'm feeling very strong and have started trying to get the weight of, my short term goal is to below 15 stone for Christmas, then having 9 months to loose the additional 2 1/2 stone.

The aim is to loose the initial weight through diet and weights, then in the new year start the cardio.

I weighed myself today and I'm currently a lean 16 st 7lbs, I feel this new way of training, hitting the weights more frequently is creating a leaner me.

The gym at La Forge enables any one staying at the holiday cottage with private pool a great workout.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

It was my birthday Sunday at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and as a treat I decided to venture some where new.

I have been too Quimper before and pictures of that beautiful city can be found within the gallery of the holiday cottage web site, but just 10 minutes away is Benodet. France magazine listed its top 20 beaches throughout France a few years back and Benodet was one of them as was Carnac.

The weather for September has been bright and sunny as per normal so a trip down the coast was fantastic, as soon as I arrived I could understand why it made the top 20. It looked very clean, the sea safe and a great spot to walk along the coast.

Being at the end of the holiday season the beach was empty apart from several fisherman but along the path way we passed loads of people enjoying the Sunday afternoon enjoying the coast and sea air.

We had lunch in the restaurant beside the main beach which I would recommend for every one to try.

Its an additional great recommendation to make for future guest staying at La Forge for a great day out, hitting the beach as well as Quimper.

The current guest staying at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool are looking to go to Benodet tomorrow after having an enjoyable day out in Vannes today.

Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool

The weather during September at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool has been great again, with most days being bright warm and sunny. Ive spent several days out on the terrace soaking up the sun and guest staying at La Forge have enjoyed the garden, pool and BBQ area.

New guest arrive tomorrow for a weeks stay at the holiday cottage then there is a 3 week gap before the next guest arrive on 23rd October. For the first time ever the swimming pool is remaining open throughout October and heated, why not enjoy a week or longer at La forge during October and take advantage being away from crowded tourist times.

The Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool is open all year.

As the guest left the Brittany holiday cottage with pool today I decided to let the girls have a rummage around the garden. The hens are producing 2 eggs per day with an average of 5-6 that are double in size and double yokers per week.

The turkey is also putting on weight, I'm feeding them with corn every day in addition to the chicken pellets.

New guest arrive this Saturday at La Forge so I have 3 days to enjoy the garden and pool myself at the Brittany holiday cottage with pool.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

Just 25 minutes away from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is the medieval town of Josselin with its spectacular Chateau. The holiday cottage is ideally situated to see all the delights Brittany has to offer.

September for the 4 year running is enjoying some great weather and with the pool open and heated through to October La Forge is a great place to stay.

After a week back in the UK working I returned too the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym and enjoyed getting back into the gym. This video was taken on Thursday 16th September 2010 and was my last set of 8 sets finishing on 160 kg for 7 reps, I still had a little fuel in the tank but training alone I could not risk any more.

In my prime I used to do 3 reps at 220 kg, I feel I might get up to 180 or 190 kg within the next few months, if I do get up to that weight I'll get it tapped.

For guest staying at the holiday cottage the gym is at their full disposal and I am always around to provide assistance or advice.

The weather this week has been wonderful again at the Brittany holiday cottage and its great to be home again.

Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool

Training at the gym located at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool is going very well.

I started using the Udo's oil about 6 weeks ago and feel really strong again, I have changed the way I train in that I have gone back to how I trained in my twenties, hitting the gym 5 or 6 times per week on a 3 day split. In my early thirties I read that you should only train each body part once per week in order to grow, I did but in the wrong way as I lost my condition, going back to the more frequent training I feel alot leaner and have indeed lost 8lbs in the last 4 weeks.

The weights I'm currently lifting are: 160 kg squat for 8-10 reps
100 kg Bench press for 8 reps
60 kg barbell curl for 8 reps
100 kg pull downs for 7 reps

The gym at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool allows for any ability to enjoy a good work out.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool

What a wonderful week we have had at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool, the weather has been glorious and guest have made full use of the swimming pool.

On several nights they have enjoyed a swim under the stars, as the pool is heated the difference between the night air temperature and that of the water is a lot and the pool feels like a warm bath when you jump in.

The swimming pool season runs until the end of September at La Forge but this year guest have requested that the pool remain open until the end of October so why not enjoy the delights of a private heated swimming pool in October and come away for a very cheap week at just £350 for up to 6 people and enjoy the delights La Forge and Brittany have to offer.

For details of availability check out the availability calender on the Brittany holiday cottage with pool web site.

Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym

One of the most important aspects of running the Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym is listening to the guest, over the last couple of weeks some have said that Spike the Cockerel was a little too vocal in the mornings.

This week while my daughter was with me we decided to release Spike in the near by woods rather than do the deed, he can fly so with luck he will enjoy some time in the wild.

I had bought 2 ducks for eggs only to find out they were 'boys' and this week we had them for dinner. They were georgeous but with the amount of time needed to pluck I would only have them for a special occassion in the future assuming I bought 'boys' by accident again.

We have now gone down to the 2 hens and the Turkey, of which I have decided to have for Christmas. With just the 3 birds the cost of food will reduce dramatically.

I was shocked when I went into the Chicken run on Saturday to clean the coup to hear the Turkey 'cock-a -doddle- do' ,while Spike and the 2 male ducks were in the run the Turkey remained quite, now they have gone its showing the girls its the new 'man' on the block.

The latest guest staying at La Forge are enjoying collecting the eggs each day.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

New guest arrived today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym and were welcomed by a bright sunny day. Some went into the gym to check out the equipment while the pool was being cleaned then it was a swim in the afternoon.

The guest also enjoyed a night time swim this evening in the dark which is always recommended as a great experience.

The swimming pool at La Forge is open right up til the end of October and heated throughout the open season.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

Just 25 miles from the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym is the city of Lorient, each August Lorient holds its annual Celtic festival, this year it started on the 6th and ran through until 15th.

We popped down to the show on the 13th and had a really great time, the whole city center was taken up by the event with market stalls, artist, performers and bands playing every where.

If you have a look on the Brittany cottage web site you can see the videos taken on the day of some of the bands.

Guest staying that week at La Forge also went along on the 12th and said it was a great day out and they were very impressed with the event.

If so desired its easy to fill every day of your holiday at La Forge with events in the area to enjoy if your looking for a more active holiday at the cottage.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

For the last 10 days my best mate Tony has trained with me at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym and its been great for me allowing me to train at 100%. What a difference someone watching you makes, I did 8 reps of squats at 160kg and their was still some juice in the engines.

We trained 3 days on followed with a day off but after a great effort from Tony on his first leg day he could not walk for 4 days so the next leg workout he took it easy. I must admit it was partly my fault his form was great and his legs are really cut and I thought he trained them so I allowed him to work hard....too hard and although funny watching him walk I felt a little guilty.

The gym is available to all guest of La Forge to use and I am always willing to train with guest or just show them the ropes at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

The training is going extremely well at the gym at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool, with me hitting the weights 5 times per week. I have been using the Udo's oil now for 4 weeks and feel really strong, my joints feel good and I am looking leaner.

Last week a young lad was staying at the cottage who was a keen rugby player and he was in the gym every day, it was a real pleasure showing him the ropes and guiding him on the correct execution of the exercises.

Having a gym at the holiday cottage is a real bonus for anyone that's into sport that needs to work out while on holiday in order to enjoy themselves more. There was a time in my twenties that I would only book holiday accommodation if a gym was available.

We still have 2 weeks available from 11th September at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym ;now reduced down too £400 per week.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

Over the last 3 years the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym has enjoyed some wonderful September sun which moves in to October.

The holiday cottage is fully booked until 11th September but the swimming pool remains open depending on need until 9th October. The normal cost per week is £549 for this time of year, as a special offer book 2 weeks at a reduced rate of £449 per week.

Enjoy the months of September and October at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool

The Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool was bathed in hot sunshine today and it was great to dive in to give it a clean this morning.

The water was tested yesterday and chlorine was added with some new HTH tablets, the pool was crystal clear, just a little debris blown in to hoover up.

The swimming pool at La Forge is heated and is open from the start of April until the second week of October, it can be extended depending on holiday guest requirements.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool

I have been running the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool now for 4 seasons and its all ways nice to read the comments in the guest book that people have enjoyed their holiday at La Forge.

What really makes the job of running a holiday cottage pleasurable is when you receive the extra thank you from guest after they have departed.

Just received the following email that sums up what I mean:


Hi Mark,

Just to let you know the deposit cheque arrived today and thank you.

Both Rhoda and I had a fantastic holiday at the cottage,the setting was perfect as was the house and pool. You are a great host and we both hope you do well. You have picked the right area as there is loads to do and you don't have to travel far.

Thanks again and we will be back.

Yours Jim and Rhoda





La Forge is available to rent all year, why not enjoy your holiday in France at this Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool

The Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool is located within the Morbihan region of Brittany and its possible to enjoy a tourist event most days throughout the holiday season.

During the weekend of 24-25th July Hennebont held its 15th Medieval festival, there were events being held throughout the weekend including Knights jousting on horse back, musicians playing and traditional medieval tradesmen showing how things were made and used in the bygone age.

With a large market decorated to give a medieval feel it was a hub of activity with loads of people in costume.

Each year I raid the local tourist offices and grab all the information for the season ahead so guest staying at La forge the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool wont miss a great day out.

Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym

The training is going very well at the Brittany holiday cottage with pool and gym, with an 8 mile power walk today while enjoying a hot sunny afternoon.

Yesterday I trained legs in the gym doing 9 sets of squats with the last set being my heaviest of 130kg for 8 repetitions.

The Udo oil seems to be working also, I feel I'm getting leaner and feel really strong.

The gym at the holiday cottage with pool is available to use for all guest staying at La Forge.

Brittany holiday cottage with heated private swimming pool

It was a changeover day at the Brittany holiday cottage with heated private swimming pool as one set of guest leave from Holland a new group arrived from the UK.

The UK group took the L & D over night crossing from Newhaven too Deippe, arriving in France at 4am. Chatting to the chap he took a different route than I normally drive for the same mileage but avoiding 3 tolls amounting to 9.3 euros.

After enjoying lunch at one of the many bars within Baud they arrived at the cottage and took full use of the good weather to enjoy the swimming pool.

The guest are staying a week at La Forge and the weather forecast is good for the week ahead, so I expect the pool with have a lot of use.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

Had a great workout last night in the gym at La Forge the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym.

It was legs and abbs last night and I did 8 sets of squats finishing with my heaviest set of 7 reps at 130 kg. Perhaps I don't need to do leg extensions as a warm up any more, it is said that leg extensions can cause problems so I might buy a leg curl machine first before getting a leg extension machine in order to hit my hamstrings.

Abbs were done on the swiss ball with weighted sit ups, using a 10kg disk, its a small movement on the ball but you get a great stretch and a deep ache in the muscle with each contraction.

The gym is for the use of all guest staying at the holiday cottage and I am always on hand to help or offer advice.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool and gym

Finally after a 4 week wait a delivery van arrived at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool and gym with my order of Udo's Choice ultimate oil blend.

Its a combination of all the good fats that your body needs Omega 3, 6 and 9 and you just add it to your normal food during the course of the day.

I added 2 table spoons of the oil to my porridge for breakfast and another to a pot of Yogurt later in the day today. The concept of using the oil is when dieting you restrict your fat in take, the problem with that is your body tries to retain its fat reserves because it thinks a famine has started and would rather break down muscle tissue first to provide energy rather than the fat reserves.....not good if your trying to be lean and retain all that hard earned muscle.

With the oil the theory is, if during a diet you consume the good fats your body is willing to use up its fat reserves while dieting because its still receiving fats every day.

Reading the reviews its also great for extra energy and important for me, an aid in joint soreness.

I will let you know how I get on with the oil over the next month.

Currently my training is going exceptionally well in the gym at the holiday cottage, I feel very strong and starting to get lean at the same time, however my weight has increased....must be the fact my leg workouts are back and I'm rebuilding them.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool

For the last 3 nights in a bid to get the new duckling accepted by the resident duck ' Lilly' the birds at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool have been allowed to have a forage an hour before dusk.

Thankfully the duckling has now been accepted and resides in the chicken run with the other birds.

Children staying at La Forge the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool can check for eggs during their stay and feed the birds any fruit , veg or wet bread by hand.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

The new duckling at the Brittany Holiday cottage with private pool has finally been accepted by the resident duck. After several attacks by the resident duck I decided to leave the duckling outside the run and for it to take its chances in the garden, I felt it had a better survival rate than leaving it in with the resident duck.

The duckling stayed around the run for 3 days and each night I would allow all the birds to graze in the garden for an hour before dusk. The ducks seems to get on, with the duckling following every move of Lilly only for Lilly to turn on the duckling for no apparent reason after half an hour or so.

This went on for 3 nights with the attacks getting less vicious each night and last night I placed the duckling inside the run when all the birds returned after their hour in the garden.

This morning all the birds seem happy and it appears that the new duckling has been accepted by all.

Once the duckling gets bigger I will put another file box into the ground and fill with water, until then they will have to make do with a plastic bowl of water. I do not want a repeat performance of the duckling that was lost about a month ago.

Still only getting one egg per day, new guest arrive at the holiday cottage with private pool on Saturday from Holland and they have a small child, so I expect they will enjoy the birds immensely.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool

New guest arrived today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool after a long journey over night from Scotland.

They arrived to find La Forge enjoying another hot sunny day and after an hour I caught up with them as they enjoyed the swimming pool.

What was really nice and highlights to me how special a place La Forge is they said that' the pictures really don't give justice to how lovely the cottage and garden are' they went on to say' I was very fortunate to find such a lovely spot to settle'.

Every passing guest of the Brittany holiday cottage reconfirms to me, how lucky I am and its a real pleasure that I can share my slice of the French dream with them.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool

The chickens at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool have started laying eggs last weekend, I'm not sure which hen is laying but I'm sure the other will start laying soon also.

After 4 days away from all the other birds I tried allowing the other birds access to the new baby duckling. The hens went into its enclosure and totally ignored it but as soon as the resident duck Lilly got close the aggression started again.

I separated the duckling and will leave it for at least a week extra now before reintroducing it. Its eating well and its looking less shabby already.

Looking forward to seeing the delight on the faces of the next lot of children staying at La Forge holiday cottage when they find the eggs in the morning.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool

This year at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool the season for the pool to be open has been extended into October, each year both September and October have enjoyed good weather.

At the moment the pool is scheduled to be closed on 9th October, this date can be extended to accommodate your holiday assuming the weeks prior are booked.

La Forge the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool is open all year round, the pool is open from the start of April and closes in October.

Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool

We are currently enjoying some great weather at the Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool and after breakfast I decided to hit the road again on the mountain bike. I did the same route as yesterday up to Locmine and back which is 15 miles in just a pair of shorts and it was wonderful, I guess I was on the road for over an hour and it that time only 6 or 7 cars passed me.

I have some friends living the other side of Baud who are all keen cyclist, their father once riding for the UK team and all agree that the reason why Brittany is so popular for cyclist is because you have great roads to ride with a small amount of traffic on them.

The weather is set to last so I'll get out on the bike again tomorrow, not only for the cardio but to top up my tan.

The new guest have settled into La Forge and are out most days exploring, yesterday they went down to Carnac and today they visited Josselin.

All guest agree that the Brittany holiday cottage with heated pool is ideally situated to explore the delights of Brittany.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool

One of my pleasures at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated pool is transforming the garden. Ive spent several thousand pounds over the last 4 years in new plants to create a wonderful garden for my enjoyment and that of the guest of the holiday cottage.

All the planting is done from the view point of the terrace over looking the garden and private pool and from the sun bed area around the pool.

The main theme being to plant sub tropical plants, so while guest are sun bathing or enjoying the pool the setting is wonderful to relax and unwind. One of the perks of keeping the chickens is that the garden population of wild birds has increased so amongst all the plants bird song can be heard throughout the day.

After 4 years Ive finally managed to get my 'Bird of Paradise' plant to flower this year (as seen in the enclosed picture). The trick was to take it indoors between October and April and to keep it pot bound, to the extent the roots have split the pot.

Guest staying at La Forge the holiday cottage with private heated pool last week saw the flowers burst open.

Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym

With another beautiful day today at the Brittany holiday cottage with private pool and gym I decided to get out on the mountain bike and do some much needed cardio. I rode to Locmine and back which is around a 14 mile ride.

This evening I'll use the gym for a back and biceps workout, the training is going really well since I've got back into it from Easter.

The gym at the Brittany holiday cottage is available for all guest to use during their holiday at La Forge.

Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool

Yesterday was a changeover day at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool and the guest departing told me Friday evening that they would be leaving at 10 am. With that in mind I popped down too Baud before 9am to see if the guy selling livestock had any egg producing Ducks for sale, the majority of his Ducks for sale are for meat.

I was in luck in that he had one egg producing bird amongst 20 that were for the pot, it lacked a lot of feathers on its back but apart from its shabby appearance the guy assured me it was fine.

As soon as i released it amongst the other birds, they attacked the poor youngster, 2 weeks ago when i bought the other Duckling it was accepted by all the birds with no problems and the existing Duck literally took it under its wing and protected it.

What a difference with the new bird, this time it was the existing Duck that was the most aggressive literally climbing on its back and biting its head. I quickly rescued the youngster and have built a temporary secluded section within the existing run, the other birds can see it but cant get at it. I think I will leave it in there for 2 weeks before I introduce it to the other birds, one to let the feathers grow back and to allow it to grow.

I don't know if its shabby appearance had any thing to do with the onslaught but I did not want to loose another Duckling.

When I bought the hens they were lacking alot of feathers and looked shabby themselves but they soon grew back and look really healthy now and fully grown after 8 weeks of being with me. Mine are twice the size of a friends birds who bought there's the same weekend, there's are left to forage for food most of the day and are fed twice per day with chicken feed, where as mine have a constant supply of food in the chicken run.

The chickens and birds have been one of the best buys for the holiday cottage, guest staying at la Forge especially the children enjoy feeding them scrapes and interacting with them.

The Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool is available to rent all year, please check website for availability, we are now taking bookings for 2011.

Brittany holiday cottage with heated private swimming pool

I must admit it was horrible saying good bye to the guest that have been staying at the Brittany holiday cottage with heated private swimming pool for the last 2 weeks, they were such a nice group.

It must be a Scottish thing because Ive had several Scottish family's stay over the last 4 years at La Forge and all have been so friendly and easy going, its always been a pleasure having them stay.

They said they had a great holiday and the cottage was in a terrific location to enjoy the best of Brittany. They all enjoyed the swimming pool and as it was so hot throughout there holiday that they were in and out of the water all the time.

I hope to see them again in the years to come, enjoying another holiday at La Forge the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool.

Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool

The pool at the Brittany holiday cottage with private heated swimming pool is looking so inviting with the hot weather we are currently enjoying. On the weather forecast yesterday within the website it stated that the temperature was 24 degrees in Vannes however the current guest were saying this morning that the thermometer in Baud showed 31 degrees yesterday.

I know I had to keep moving out of the sun to cool down, it was to hot to sunbath all day long.

The current guest are really nice and it will be a shame to see then go, the young lad is really into building so as a treat I asked him to help me build a new gate for the chicken run, out came all his tools and he really got involved in the project.

It looks like the new guest arriving tomorrow at la Forge Brittany holiday cottage will enjoy a super week for good weather.

Brittany holday cottage with private swimming pool

Woke up this morning to another wonderful day at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool, the weather has been great for the last 3 weeks.

Looking at the weather forecast for the rest of the week its getting hotter, reaching 28 degrees tomorrow, I think i'll pop down to Carnac tomorrow for a day at the beach.

Carnac is just a 40 min drive from the Brittany holiday cottage wth private pool, its one of my preferred beaches, however the nearest beaches are around a 30 min drive from the cottage.

Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool

I learnt I had to do a new job yesterday at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool with regards to the pool maintenance.

The swimming pool is heated via a heat exchanger and walking along the garden path yesterday I noticed the heater sounded different, on inspection I was alarmed to see the back of the heater covered in thick ice during a hot summers day.

I immediately switched it off and went on line to browse for a manual, I could not find my make but read the maintenance instructions for a similar model.

Once the ice melted I discovered that the thin wire grill at the back of the heater was covered in gunk and following the service instructions I found, I cleaned this all off using a paint brush and a bucket of water not to damage the grill.

Once cleaned I switched the heater back on and noticed a more powerful ejection of wind from the machine and it was running very quite again.

I woke up this morning to another bright and sunny day at the Brittany holiday cottage with private swimming pool and rechecked the heater to find no ice and all was running lovely. I did notice a few leaves had fallen from the tree above and through the suction of the fan had stuck to the grill.

So I guess the muck I had cleaned off was made up of leaves that had simply been sucked onto the grill and then had broken down into the muck.

So I guess each morning I'll just check for debris and remove and leaves that are present, that way it will avoid having to do a major clean once per year.

Guest staying at the holiday cottage currently are enjoying a second week of hot sunny weather and its a joy to see the young boy learning to swim in the pool each day.