Bienvenue à La Belle Vilaine
Self-catering, holiday cottages on the South Brittany/Loire Atlantique border in France.
Friendly family run gite accommodation where dogs are welcome & birdwatching a 'must'.

Let us help you see the amazing variety of wildlife here.

The feedback has been extremely positive - the general consensus of opinion being that this area is amazing for wildlife and that our input (local knowledge and some guiding if required) is invaluable. Our guests are able to get straight to the best sites (many not covered in "Where To ..."guides) offering the best wildlife for the time of year. We keep our fingers on the pulse and have many well-placed contacts to keep us informed as to what's about.

For detailed info about the species and to get an idea about the species present during the period you are hoping to visit, go to our Nature Notes and Nature Notes Archives.

There is a sizeable White Stork breeding colony in the vicinity. Whiskered Tern and Black Tern breed in the marshes. We have Turtle Doves and Hoopoe in the garden throughout the spring and summer. Sightings of Crested Tit are a daily occurrence in the nearby woodland and Cirl Buntings can be seen along the lane. Swallowtail butterflies are regular visitors to our buddlehia and we have added Short-tailed Blue and Sooty Copper to our garden list during 2008. Our moth trap is proving a great success - click here to see the full list. Get up very close to the Dragonfly and Damselfly species in the local vicinity (especially appreciated by our younger visitors), which include many species that are rare or not present in the UK. See July and August Nature Notes for details of these.

Which species are possible*? - Bluethroat, Black Kite, Black Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Black-winged Stilt, White Stork, Marsh Harrier, Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Cetti's, Sedge and Reed Warbler, Sacred Ibis, Cuckoo, Turtle Dove, Whiskered Tern, Black Tern, Cirl Bunting, Fan-tailed warbler, Crested Tit, Bittern, Kentish Plover .... and many others.
Red Squirrel, Hare, Camberwell Beauty, Large Tortoishell, Swallowtail, Hummingbird Hawkmoth and Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth are other species regularly seen in season.

Travel - You will organise your own travel and insurance and self-cater as normal for a gite holiday. We will supply details of the sites to be visited for each species and accompany you if you wish - contact us for details. Your holiday will begin with a powerpoint show to brush-up on identification of local species and to discuss sites to be visited.

Moth trapping evening - We will endeavour to organise at least one moth-trapping evening during your stay using our Skinner moth trap*.

*This non-contractual list is based upon sightings during April since 2005 and information received from some of the reserves, in no way does it represent a guarantee of species you will see. We have personally and regularly seen all the species listed during the appropriate seasons - see Nature Notes archives for more details.

*Weather permitting.

Book either of La Belle Vilaine Gites (Tuesday or Saturday arrival - £245 per week low season including April- £295 per week mid-season - July and August £395 Saturday arrival only during these two months) and we will introduce you to the amazing wildlife here - see Nature Notes and archives. Evening get-together and powerpoint show upon arrival, details of the best birdwatching sites and the wildlife to be found at the time of year. Plus an evening moth-trapping event*. Guided tours available - contact us for more details.
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La Belle Vilaine