Group gîtes in Normandy

Normandy is only 1 hr 30 from Paris. Once you're there, the countryside is still wild in places, the food is good and there's no shortage of history.

If you're coming with family or for a seminar, it's worth knowing that Normandy has plenty of group gîtes. So what are they exactly? Here's our answer.

What is a group gîte?

A group gîte is a large furnished rental designed to sleep between 12 and 50 people. That doesn't make it a hotel, though: you live together, and the shared rooms are built around that.

What is a group gîte in Normandy like?

It might be an old renovated farmhouse with a view of Étretat, or a huge chalet a short walk from the Mare de Vauville.

Often a little quirky, Normandy's group gîtes have real charm and are still easy to live in. That's one reason people like them, but there are two more.

Why choose a group gîte in Normandy?

A group gîte isn't like other kinds of accommodation, and that's a good thing.

It's a quiet place where you take time to look at the landscape. People come here to work on themselves, or just to catch their breath.

If that all sounds a bit dreamy, here are three more down-to-earth reasons to choose a group gîte in Normandy.

1. For the scenery

Normandy varies a lot from one area to the next.

It has centuries-old forests as well as beaches shaped by the wind, and group gîtes are often right in the middle of that countryside.

Picture a weekend among the Hattainville dunes, waking up to views of Mont Saint-Michel, or falling asleep to the sound of the wind near the Roche d'Oëtre.

No need to settle for postcards. Book a group gîte in Normandy in the right spot, and you'll have these views outside your window.

2. For unusual places to stay in Normandy

The buildings themselves are worth the trip.

Many group gîtes are in houses with remarkable architecture or a lot of history.

You could sleep in a 15th-century manor house, for instance. If that's not your thing, there are also mountain chalets, futuristic villas and traditional Normandy houses.

Nobody books a group gîte to sleep in a soulless room. A house with character also helps you forget the grey routine of everyday life for a few days.

3. For the sociable atmosphere

Group gîtes in Normandy are made for bringing people closer. The whole house is laid out so that guests bump into each other and spend time together.

Instead of small separate tables (for that, there are excellent restaurants in Normandy), you'll find a big kitchen next to an even bigger dining room. The same goes for the lounge areas: people sit together, and the conversation gets going on its own.

If you're planning seminars or hands-on workshops, most group gîtes also have rooms for hire.