Welcome to La Belle Vilaine — our true love and the heart of who we are.
We first discovered this beautiful region in 2003, back when we were living in the south of England. Paul was a police officer, and Elaine was teaching French in primary schools while running her after-school “French Clubs” — a fun and playful way for children to learn French. She had over 250 members (ages 5 to 16) across seven schools and even employed additional French instructors to meet the demand.
Their daughter, Cheryl, was 17 at the time when she announced that she wanted to live in France… a dream Elaine herself had cherished since she was the same age!
Cheryl was already bilingual — hardly surprising with a French teacher as her mum 😉.
And so, in 2004, with their English house sold, the whole family — including their two dogs, Gracie and Ficelle, of course — set off for a brand-new adventure in Brittany.
Read on for the next chapter of our story 😊
La Belle Vilaine – “Because going away without your dog simply isn’t an option.”
Our “Raison d’Être”
When La Belle Vilaine Gîtes first opened in 2005, we shared our lives with two dogs. Dogs had always been part of the family, and our aim was clear from the very beginning: to welcome everyone — regardless of how many legs they have. (Though, between ourselves, our four-legged guests may enjoy a slight advantage 😉)
More than twenty years on, the spirit of La Belle Vilaine remains unchanged: to ensure that everyone feels truly at home — both humans and dogs.
Fully dog-friendly holidays and canine activity breaks are what we do best — and what we love most. Our four resident dogs are always delighted to show visiting dogs the finest sniffing spots on our group walks, and they occasionally demonstrate their talents in a range of canine sports and activities for our guests.
Elaine’s reputation as a respected dog trainer now brings visitors from across Europe to our small corner of Brittany to learn from her. Although now retired, she continues to share her experience and expertise exclusively with our guests.
As for the gîtes themselves, Paul looks after every detail to ensure your comfort and to offer you “the best holiday possible,” complete with a warm and characterful franglais welcome 😊
Today, La Belle Vilaine welcomes families, couples, groups of friends and solo travellers alike. Our guests come from many different countries and backgrounds, but they all share one thing: they arrive with at least one dog — often more.
And that suits us perfectly. Our guests are very much like us: for them, as for us, dogs are not simply pets, but VIPs — Very Important Pets — and a true part of the family. A holiday without them would be unthinkable.
We always respect each dog’s individual pace and need for space. If a dog prefers a little distance, we allow them time. If they greet us with enthusiasm… we return it wholeheartedly!
Our guests share almost everything with their dogs — and to us, that simply feels… normal. 🐾
