La Plissonnais

11/05/2024

After remodelling this past year, I'm letting La Plissonnais out again for a limited run of three weeks (well, four, but one's already gone) this August (10th-17th, 17th-24th, 24th-31st). The 'rack rate' is €2,480/week, but I'm offering between 30% and 50% discount to 'friends and family' (including past guests). We're back to six bedrooms (sleeps 16, the maximum now allowed post-pandemic), but retained the new huge dining room.

The ABnB listing is just going through some updates, but is included here for info/reminder.

La Plissonnais - new ownership from Oct '22

17/04/2024

After over a decade relying on AirBnB, I always try to show solidarity with my fellow hosts, especially when they are an old friend. Anyone looking for a chic homestay in Highland Perthshire, Scotland should look up Catherine.

Après plus d'une décennie à compter sur AirBnB, j'essaie toujours de faire preuve de solidarité avec mes collègues hôtes, surtout lorsqu'il s'agit d'une vieille amie. Quiconque recherche une famille d'accueil chic dans les Highlands du Perthshire, en Écosse, devrait rechercher Catherine.

Home from home. Experience Highland Perthshire!

07/03/2024

Talk about pent-up demand! La Plissonnais has been closed since December 2022 while we complete the works and remodelling. I briefly re-opened for 19 minutes this morning and got three enquiries.

The old girl's still got it.

23/10/2023

The exciting news in the bubbling metropolis of Les Loges-Marchis is that the new street address system has been rolled out! We are no longer merely a place name with a long history and tradition attached, we are now, as we all strive to be, just a number. At least DPD might be able to find the place now.

So they've named the road we're on 'Rue du Jadet' after the farm next door. It runs from their crossroads down to the water mill by the bridge. There are consequently nine houses on it. Three at Le Jadet, three at La Grossetiere just down the hill, us, and the mill and millpond farmhouse. Nine houses. Which is why we are now "952, Rue du Jadet", obviously.

Objectively hilarious.

13/04/2023

Thanks to some upheaval and delay, we have decided to re-list again this summer, just for the 9 peak-season weeks of July and August. Contact Jon directly here if you're interested - rate is €2,495/week direct, or €2,925/week via Holiday Lettings/TripAdvisor. Excuse the old photos, new ones have been uploaded, but for some reason aren't showing up just yet. https://www.holidaylettings.com/rentals/st-hilaire-du-harcouet,-manche/2513886

8 Bedroom Farmhouse in Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouet to rent from $2857 pw, with a swimming pool. With Fireplace, TV and DVD.

23/03/2023

It's all gone a bit Repair Shop. A few rainy and blustery days this week has allowed me to complete a project I had planned to do years ago - refinishing the well-loved and slightly tired old oak dining table.

Purchased in the 1930s in Manchester, and beloved of four generations of (especially Christmas) memories the massive table is part of what makes La Plissonnais so convivial for large groups.

It looks almost as good as new, even if I do say so myself.

09/03/2023

One of the few benefits of being in mothballs for the whole winter is a certain amount of 're-wilding'. This evening, this little th*****me of Roe Deer came practically to my door.

23/12/2022

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

As custodians of this beautiful spot for what has now been 30 years, we feel we have a duty to pass La Plissonnais on to people who will love her as much as we have. So we're still holding the door ajar for our preferred buyers into the New Year, and so hopefully we will have some good news to share in 2023!

05/11/2022

C'est tout!

Sadly we have taken the decision that without Jon here, opening up La Plissonnais for even another winter or spring season simply isn't worth the hassle. Hopefully she will have new custodians before long.

So our last day has been spent tackling some of the less-well-loved corners of the property - finally repairing the end wall to the semi-outdoor smoking area outside the dining room back door, and installing a ceiling fan.

There's just time to batten down the hatches and have a croque monsieur before we wing our way back to Blighty 😪

04/11/2022

Our brief sejour to tidy the place up after the season is nearing its end. We've managed to restore the cottage's place in decent society, and have completely rehabilitated the pool area, which is functional once more, although now fully "hivernage'd" ready for winter.

30/10/2022

When I repaired the picnic table last week (it had seemingly been ravaged by a vengeful bear this summer), I did not expect us to be sat (in short sleeves) at it enjoying the afternoon sun just a few days later. But here we are!

You too could be enjoying this lifestyle for the paltry sum of €250k 😉

30/10/2022

If anyone sees Kwasi Kwarteng, say hi from me. I was due to be doing a handover to new owners this weekend, but instead (thanks to the UK property market problems of his making) we have been restoring order to the place (after a fairly chaotic final season I couldn't be present for). So we got ready for the first of several new viewings this weekend and into next week. It's not been the usual sort of autumn maintenance though - it has been 23° and sunny throughout our week of tidying up. Look at that! Climate change and maddening politics all in one post - all you need is guitar-building and that's the Jon trifecta!

28/10/2022

Due to UK market uncertainty, it seems we may have lost the buyer we had lined up, so back on the market she goes...

16/05/2022

...and we're back for sale. After last year's abortive drama, La Plissonnais is back on the market with a video tour!
https://suzanneinfrance.com/listing/8-bedroom-gite-for-large-groups-with-separate-one-bedroom-caretakers-accommodation-and-1-5-acres-with-swimming-pool/

8 bedroom gîte for large groups with separate one bedroom caretaker's accommodation and 1.5 acres with swimming pool

04/05/2022

Sad news for the many friends he made here over the years, but Henry the Golden Retriever went to sleep for the last time yesterday. Nearly 14 years old, and a survivor of two different cancers, sadly a third took him away in the end. He'll be sadly missed. RIP Henry 12/07/08-03/05/22.

04/04/2022

Well, despite our best efforts and a wasted year, La Plissonnais has one more season left in her! We thought we had sold, but the buyers turned out to be dishonest, so we are both back on the market (€275,000) and back in business. After a full winter, and fully-booked spring, we have a couple of June and July weekends left (€350/night), and a handful of weeklong (Saturday-Saturday, €2,099) lets in late July and August!

12/09/2021

Well c'est tout, gens! My last review is in, as the final guests pack up and leave La Plissonnais. It has been an absolute blast - my thanks to all the fun and interesting guests (nearly 2,700 of you!) that have made hosting such a pleasure over the last decade. Not so much the OCD ones who complained about the spiders, or the pregnant matriarchs who stomped about after they discovered my welcome basket was all booze and soft cheese, but certainly the rest of you! Off to start the whole adventure again soon in Ireland (watch this space: www.abandonedwreck.com - hopefully opening in 2023).

10/07/2021

So it is official. Our 29 year history as custodians of La Plissonnais is drawing to a close. In my tenure here since re-opening in 2012, I've seen a total of 2,521 guests (and 27 dogs!) through our doors, with probably close to the same number in Peter & Christine's era (1993-2009).

I have just 121 guests (8 groups) to go before we hand over the keys to a lovely Belgian couple, Yann & Nico, in late September. They plan to re-format as smaller units and re-open in 2023 or 2024.

Pictured - the house today, and the day in October 1992 when Peter & Christine took possession.