Tour de France in Normandy 2012

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Thomas

Tour de France has two stages in Normandy in 2012

The finish line ...

Great news for guests to Basse Copette next year: there is not one but two stages of Tour de France 2012 in Upper Normandy! Yes, stages 4 and 5 pass around the edge of Seine Maritime with Basse Copette right at the centre – meaning you get a great choice of places to witness this great sporting event. And on two days – Wednesday 4 July and Thursday 5 July 2012 – propitious numbers indeed! Exact details will only be published next June, but we know on Wednesday 4 July stage 4 starts in Abbeville, about 30 minutes up the road, heads for Eu and then along the coast to Fecamp before finishing in Rouen. Stage 5 on July 5 starts in Rouen, about 45 minutes away, and passes south of Basse Copette as it heads towards Saint Quentin. Two days to experience Tour de France in Normandy in 2012, all the while staying at Basse Copette. Continue reading →

Review of Basse Copette's Spring Wine Weekend

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Thomas

Foire aux Vins

Every year the nearby town of Aumale hosts a two-week spring festival, it ends on the second weekend of May with a number of events, including a foire a tout, the French version of a car boot or garage sale, and a Foire aux Vins, a wine fair. The car boot sale attracts the usual suspects, antique dealers as well as individuals just getting rid of unwanted clutter. But it is always good to explore – you just never know. For the wine fair, producers from all over France, from Alsace to Burgundy, as well as Champagne and Cognac, bring their produce for tasting and to purchase. Local producers of calvados and cider are also present. Besides the variety of typical French beverages, various local food artisans are also on hand, selling all manner of gourmet products, including snails and oysters, terrines and patés, and of course there is a lot of cream and cheese – this is Normandy afterall. Continue reading →

The Ultimate Summer Festival for Your Normandy Holiday

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Thomas

Rouen Cathedral by Night

For those of you with a passion for art, particularly impressionist art, this summer you have the ultimate festival to make your Normandy holiday that extra bit special this year. From April to November Normandie Impressionniste 2010 offers an amazing programme of events to celebrate Normandy’s Impressionist heritage. Most people know that Monet’s Giverny house and garden is in Normandy, but few realise that Normandy was a central focus for many Impressionist artists. Many lived in the region, and others frequently visited the cities, such as Rouen and Le Havre, and the coastline – the striking white cliffs being a favourite subject. But, it is not just a festival of museum exhibitions, there really is something on the programme for everyone, even the children. Continue reading →

French Christmas Markets: Amiens

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Thomas

French Christmas markets ... in France

French Christmas markets are a great part of the build up to Christmas, and the best way to experience one is of course in France itself. The city of Amiens hosts the biggest and most spectacular one in northern France. From the last weekend in November to just after Christmas the streets of the city are filled with over 120 individual stalls and all sorts of rides and attractions to amuse the younger visitors. And during the month of December, the façade of the Cathedral is lit up to appear as it would have done in medieval times. So if it is a quiet romantic few days away you are looking for in the lead up to Christmas, or a pre-Christmas treat for the children, a weekend Christmas break is a must. Only 35 minutes away is the small hamlet of Basse Copette. On offer, luxury but affordable bed and breakfast or self catering accommodation, for a weekend or a few days in the week. A Christmas market break at Basse Copette offers a great deal. Continue reading →

Summer Holidays in Normandy

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Thomas

Summer Festival Queen

Rural areas of France provide wonderful summer holidays, and Normandy is no different. Basse Copette is a small, rural hamlet in the Bresle Valley of Upper Normandy. There are only 6 residences, and very much off the beaten track. What it lacks in on-the-door-step attractions it more than amply makes up for in rural charm. We are close to some great attractions (Monet’s Garden in Giverny), and others make for a great day out (Paris, Disneyland), but there really is something unbeatable about being in France profonde. For example, each year from the the end of spring to the beginning of autumn most Communes and bigger villages host their own particular summer festival. And then there are the rather unique and often quirky ways of celebrating national events. These add a wonderful and often unexpected quality to a holiday. Continue reading →

France Christmas Markets: Rouen

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Thomas

France for Christmas Markets

France has wonderful Christmas markets, and the Marché de Noël in Rouen has a most spectacular backdrop: the cathedral that Monet has made so famous. Directly in front of the Cathedral is one of a couple of skating rinks available, which is surrounded by numerous stalls selling all sorts of drinks (of course there is mulled wine) and food. Then scattered throughout the streets of this older part of the city are various stalls selling all sorts of things that make great gifts. Most Marchés de Noël start during the last weekend of November and go through to the first week of January. Basse Copette is close to two great French Christmas Markets: Rouen and Amiens, and on offer are inclusive 3-day breaks to give you the opportunity to enjoy both! Bring the children, or as most couples do, take a break from the maddening rush that is the lead up to Christmas and relax at Basse Copette. Continue reading →

A new Museum in Giverny

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Thomas

Musée des Impressionnismes

Following the closure of the American Art Museum in Giverny in 2008 a new museum was quick to take its place. On 1 May 2009, the Musée des Impressionnismes was opened. The museum is principally interested in the history of Impressionism, its followers, the role of Giverny and the Seine Valley in this great artistic tradition. It promises to be an influential museum of Impressionist Art, and its opening exhibition (1 May – 15 August 2009) will include some celebrated paintings of Monet’s from le Musée d’Orsay and le Musée Marmottan Monet. Basse Copette is about an hour and a half from Giverny, and a well-placed base from which to visit many of the other landmarks in Upper Normandy that are closely associated with the Impressionist movement, including Rouen, Le Havre and the well-known white, chalky cliffs of the Upper Normandy coastline. Continue reading →

Voyages Pittoresques: Normandie 1820-2009

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Thomas

Detail of Bosboom

Three of Normandy’s leading art galleries will be hosting simultaneously three different exhibitions from 16 May – 16 August 2009, with the collective theme of Voyages Pittoresques: Normandie 1820-2009. The three art galleries are le musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, le musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen, and le musée Malraux du Havre. The three exhibitions will each focus on a different genre of imagery that depicts Normandy of the 19th Century. The three exhibitions are: La Normandie romantique (Rouen), La Normandie monumentale (Le Havre) and La Normandie contemporaine (Caen). Rouen and Le Havre are both within easy reach of Basse Copette, but Caen is a bit further afield and still a possible and enjoyable day trip. There is an entrance fee, but having visited one there is a reduced rate for the second, and then entrance to the third is free. Continue reading →

Brocantes, Vide Grenier & Foires à tout

Posted on April 20, 2009 by Thomas

A typical foire à tout

From just after the start of Spring to the end of Summer most towns and villages in France organise a Foire à tout, literally – a market for everything, or a vide grenier - empty attic. And, like any car-boot or garage sales, this is where if you are lucky and manage to beat the dealers you can pick up some great secondhand goods, or brocantes. And like all car-boots, there is a lot of tat. Some of the bigger towns organise more than one in the season. Most local newspapers have a list of the Foires à tout in the area, but just driving around the area you will see posters advertising the date of forthcoming events, including foires à tout. And, at most of these events, there is usually someone selling frites and BBQ saucisses, and even candi floss for the children! Continue reading →

Impressionism and the Seine Maritime Coast: Varengeville-sur-Mer

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Thomas

If you enjoy the Impressionist movement and are looking to spend some time in Normandy following in the artists’ footsteps, Basse Copette is a perfect base from which to explore this great artistic tradition, and the many places in Normandy that inspired them. In particular though, summer 2010 is just for you! A number of cities and towns in Normandy that have connections with the impressionists are coordinating a series of events and exhibitions to celebrate Impressionism in Normandy. “Normandie Impressionniste” will almost certainly be the art event of 2010. Book your B&B or self catering accommodation at Basse Copette now; just over half an hour from the coastline that was so popular with the Impressionists. Continue reading →

Basse Copette

Luxury B&B and gîte with heated swimming pool, Normandy, France

Category Archives: Forthcoming Events in the Area