06/05/2017
Le Cygne is a former coaching inn constructed in 1724 at the heart of the historic village of Volckerinckhove in French Flanders. It is available to rent from March to October.
The property consists of a heavily beamed lounge (22ft x 18ft) with a vast fireplace. The kitchen is well equipped and contains a large pantry. There is a shower room and a separate toilet at ground floor level. The two downstairs bedrooms are spacious and each contain a hand basin. A backdoor leads to a private, sunny patio/garden, outdoor seating, a laundry room and a garage.
Upstairs contains a second kitchen and a bathroom with shower. The three upstairs bedrooms are large, one being 22ft x 18ft.
The option of two kitchens is particularly useful for larger groups or two families sharing.
There are 5 bedrooms in total: 3 have double beds, 1 contains 2 double beds, and 1 has a double and single bed. There is also a movable guest bed.
Volckerinckhove is designated as an historic village, it contains a large restaurant, a bakery, a butchers, a bar and a tourist information centre. It is situated in a well established holiday area. Saint Omer, 8 miles to the south, is famous for its waterways, massive cathedral, public gardens and gothic architecture.
It has an impressive main square lined with restaurants and bars, a modern cinema complex and extensive shopping facilities including two hypermarkets. Boat trips enable forays into the famous Audomarois waterways.
The cobbled, ancient hilltop town of Cassel is 9 miles away and is famous for being the hill in the rhyme "The grand old Duke of York". It has several quality restaurants and historic bars. The spectacular town of Watten, 5 miles away, has panoramic views from the hilltop windmill over the town and river below and miles of unspoilt countryside to the coast.
The nearest seaside resort is Malo les Bains which is 20 miles to the north. It offers a flat sandy beach with a mile long strip of bars, restaurants and souvenir shops, behind which lies a genteel victorian town with elegant squares. Heading east along the coast provides a continual offering of high quality resorts, including De Panne, just over the Belgium border, which boasts "Plopsaland" theme park. 45 minutes west of Volckerinckhove lies the beautiful, rugged coast road from Calais to Boulogne, providing a dramatic alternative to the flat sandy beaches to the north of Volckerinckhove. The small, seaside towns of Wissant and Wimereux are particularly recommended.
Lille (European city of culture 2004) is under an hour from Le Cygne and as the fourth largest city in France boasts an underground system, a charming old town, museums and art galleries. The beautiful Belgian city of Bruges is a straightforward 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Le Cygne.
The area has many reminders of the battles fought locally over the years, notably Ypres (50 mins away), the Somme (1hr 20), Dunkirk (30 mins) and Agincourt (1hr). "In Flanders Field" museum at Ypres is particularly poignant as are the hundreds of cemeteries dotting the landscape near the battlefields. The Last Post is performed at the Menin gate, Ypres every evening at 8pm.
Cost
Prices are from £295 per week.
Towels, cleaning and bed linen are included.
Electricity is extra, charged at 15 per kw/hour (the EDF rate).
Arrival time: After 4pm, Saturday. Departure time: Before 10am, Saturday.
