The House
STAY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE TO RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES IN A GUEST HOUSE JUST OUTSIDE SAINTES.
Les Herbes Folles, a guest house with character, connected to nature.
Come and discover the authenticity of the Charente-Maritime region, between La Rochelle and Bordeaux, by staying in a character-filled guest house nestled in the heart of nature, called “Les Herbes Folles”. It’s a name that sums up the spirit of this charming place, with its large natural garden where native herbs grow alongside tall trees and wild flowers, in a habitat enjoyed by frogs and hedgehogs. Here, calm is disturbed only by the chirping of birds or the mooing of neighboring cows!
Rejuvenate in this haven of peace in a hamlet near the village of Courcoury. Choose one of the three charmingly decorated guest rooms, overlooking the large garden or the terrace, to organize a stay in Charente-Maritime and visit Saintes, Cognac or Royan.
A GUEST HOUSE JUST A FEW YARDS FROM THE CHARENTE RIVER AND THE FLOW VÉLO
For a romantic weekend away, a relaxing break with friends or a holiday with the family, Les Herbes Folles guest house can accommodate up to 12 people, with its well-equipped guest rooms and home-cooked breakfast.
If you’re looking for a peaceful place to stay for a week of yoga or a seminar, Les Herbes Folles is the ideal place for such activities, just a stone’s throw from the town of Saintes, a beautiful city of art and history.
Situated just a stone’s throw from the Charente river and the Flow Vélo cycle route, this completely renovated, typically Charentais guest house, whose foundations date back to the Renaissance, will be appreciated by lovers of heritage, history and fine stonework. Not to mention the omnipresence of nature, with the Charente river right next door, crossed by a unique chain-pulled ferry, a local curiosity that you can take on foot, by bike or by car – free of charge!
JOËLLE AND HENRIK, NATURE-FRIENDLY HOSTS
In the hamlet of La Guérinerie, rue Moïse Potiron, you’ll be welcomed by Joëlle and Henrik, a Franco-German couple who, a few years ago, fell under the spell of the large garden and the potential of this Charente house. Opening a bed and breakfast was their long-cherished wish, which they recently fulfilled with a taste for aesthetics and decoration, resulting in a cozy and environmentally friendly home.
STAY IN AN ECO-RESPONSIBLE GUEST HOUSE AND ENJOY THE COMFORT OF ACCOMMODATION RENOVATED WITH NATURAL MATERIALS
The entire house has been renovated using natural materials, such as lime and hemp for the insulation of the bedroom walls, natural linoleum for the breakfast room floor, solar panels on the roof of the garage for producing electricity and the choice of geothermal energy for heating… not forgetting the respect for wild flower and herbs in the garden, with a small exception around the private swimming pool available to guests during their stay.
“We wanted to create a warm, friendly, comfortable guest house with a no-fuss welcome, so that our guests feel right at home,” sums up Joëlle, who does her utmost to satisfy her guests, helped by her husband Henrik and their youngest son Ingmar, alongside the house’s four-legged companions, the poodle Fluffy and Mara, a little farm dog of Danish origin.
HOMEMADE BREAKFAST WITH LOCAL PRODUCE
Homemade breakfast is served in a light-flooded room with a fridge, microwave oven, fully automatic coffee machine and water flavored with herbs from the garden, offered in the summer by Joëlle. To avoid waste, the day before, Joëlle will propose you various choices of sweet and savory dishes to accompany your morning tea or coffee.
To promote local products, preferably organic whenever possible, Joëlle and Henrik work with local partners such as le Pain du coin for its excellent speciality organic breads and homemade pastries, la Halte Marché and les vergers du Maine Allain for their fruit, juices and jams. The honey is produced by a beekeeper couple in Courcoury.
BREAKFAST IN A PHOTO GALLERY
On the walls of the breakfast room, bathed in light, you’ll discover black-and-white photos by photographer Raphaël Arnaud, a member of Joëlle and Henrik’s family.
These striking double-exposure photos are available for purchase during your stay at Les Herbes Folles. “Finding meaning and continuing to photograph raises questions every day. How anonymous are we in the overflowing stream of images, do we have something to say or show, or are we simply pandering to our narcissism?” asks the Marseille-based photographer.
LOCAL HISTORY ENTHUSIAST
For a personalized and unique stay in the Charente-Maritime region, you can count on Joëlle, a former teacher of French as a foreign language and local history specialist. Aa a licensed tour guide, Joëlle, la Guide à suivre, will be delighted to advise you on various walks to discover the little-known gems of Charente-Maritime, such as the villages of Saint-Sauvant, Pons, Mornac, Talmont, the various Romanesque churches and other monuments of Gallo-Roman remains in the Saintonge region. Trilingual in French, English and German, Joëlle is a jovial European host who welcomes all nationalities to her guest house!