Re-Imagining Relationships
Residential Course | 30th Sept – 3rd Oct 2022 | Ruffec, France
Accommodation and Travel Arrangements | Sept/Oct 2022
Accommodation, travel & baggage prices are not included in the Course fee.
Accommodation:
Our house in France!
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Address: (with Google Map link) La Maison des Nuages |
We live in an unusual house. The garden is 4 floors below the top bedrooms and backs onto a lane that runs next to a stream. We are parallel to a water mill, river and Ancient Lavoir and next to medieval streets and houses. We are woken at 7am by the joyful ringing of bells from the medieval church!
The house has a huge garage/workspace on the ground floor, 22 stairs up to the utility, toilet, kitchen, dining area and living room with a balcony, up another set of beautiful wooden stairs to two bedrooms (one used as office), bathroom and toilet and, at the front what was a shop, and is now Frank’s library, and is at road level. Up another set of stairs is a bedroom, walk-in attic, bathroom and toilet and ZG’s singing, sewing and writing room which may double up as a guest room!
So, unfortunately, it is not accessible if you are a wheel chair user at this point. When we moved in a year ago the house had stood empty for 10 yrs. We now have new wiring, a pellet boiler with central heating, an open fire, and mixed decoration from 1984 and 2022! From the little road into the market you only see Frank’s shop so the whole of the rest of our house looks out over red roofs, a plethora of trees and a lovely hill and is a delicious secret to many and from many.
NB Disappointment warning: In the garden we will have 2 twelve foot yurts, but at this point we are still waiting for permission to put fencing up along the road to give them privacy. This is France; it is taking longer than we had hoped. Until the fencing is up the yurts stay down so accommodation from past courses but will include the yurts for the later stages of the course.
Within the house is a guest bedroom with a double bed. The toilet and bathroom are a few steps away on the landing. Frank and I will be using the upstairs bathroom so there will no juggling shower times in the mornings. Costs for this room is 250€ from Friday to Monday and includes breakfast and evening meal. Lunch will be provided as part of the course. Breakfast can either be eaten inside or outside on the balcony. All diets are catered for, with a strong leaning towards vegetarian/vegan fare but meat eaters are welcome!
We also have a little cottage which we have hired, around the corner from us, in the Rue du Pontreau, in the medieval section of Ruffec. It is just up the road from a C12th remains of a chapel and is delightful. It has two bedrooms, each with a double bed, and you can be self catering if you choose. The cottage is 250€ if one person is in it and 125€ each if shared.
As above, lunch will be provided as part of the course. If you would prefer to have an evening meal with Frank and I and the participant staying in the house the cost will be 75€s for all 3 meals. Alternatively I can supply you with a list of local eateries. If you are a meal eater or omnivore you are well catered for, if veggie you may find one dish, if vegan you will be very hard pressed indeed! France is a very long way behind England!
Payment:
The course costs are in sterling and need to be BACsed into Lloyds Bank, but the food and accommodation costs are in euros and need to be BACsed into my French account, both sets of details on the registration form. Apologies if this seems cumbersome; Leapfrog is a UK company and subject to tax accordingly, ZG is a micro-entrepreneur in France for providing food and accommodation and is subject to French taxes.
Transport (some suggestions):
Flights with Ryanair: Please note that luggage is not included in these prices.
Stansted to Poitiers Fri 30th Sept £19.12 return Mon 3rd October £15.24
Edinburgh to Poitiers Fri 30th Sept £15.99 return Mon 3rd October £14.99
Manchester to Limoges Fri 30th Sept £14.99 return on Mon 3rd Oct £15.99
There is no direct train from Limoges to either Angouleme or Ruffec. You need to go to Poitiers first. The journey is £22.48 with the train from Poitiers to Ruffec £12.01. It might be possible to find a Bla Bla car going more directly.
East Midlands to Limoges This flight only operates to the end of August.
NOTE:
All flights coming into Poitiers will need to take a bus or taxi from the airport to the train station and take the train to Ruffec, Charente, (there is a Ruffec in Indre as well). This costs under £12.01 and is cheaper if you are over 60!
If coming early and/or staying later please talk to us to arrange accommodation and food.
Car Rental:
Bla Bla cars can also be arranged and if a number of you need an early service then car hire is reasonable.
Travel insurance:
Please ensure that your travel insurance covers any Covid 19 measures. At this point, if you go on public transport or in public indoor spaces you will be expected to wear a face mask and may also need proof of vaccination and covid booster.
And finally …
We have two large and friendly dogs, Bella – a large lurcher and Rufus – a griffin. They will be next to Frank in his library during the course but we would like to introduce them to people on arrival. We will distribute biscuits for you to give to them, thus securing lifelong friendship! If you are allergic to dogs, or just dislike them, please let us know in advance. If they are outside they will be in a separate large section of the garden behind high trelliswork and a gate. If we sing they might very well join in!
