La Ferme des Isles

Whenever I come back to my home country, I usually stay here. I found the place while searching online and in newspapers, and it’s never let me down. Sophie is a lovely, welcoming host, and Francois is one of the best cooks I know. The rooms and service are good quality for reasonable prices. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Normandy.

The countryside around Autheuil-Authouillet is so peaceful, and La Ferme des Isles made a great base for a visit to Giverny, about 15 km/8 miles away. We came for the 70th anniversary of D Day celebrations and chose to stay inland rather than near the beaches. I’ve known this village for over 30 years, usually staying with friends, and this was my first time at the guest house. Sophie and Francois Breban bought the former dairy farm a couple of years ago and turned it into a beautifully refurbished five-room mini-hotel. I’d walked and cycled past the site before. The rooms each have their own theme, with lovely natural wooden beams in the Norman-style construction, and all have en-suite bathrooms. We arrived very late, but the bed was comfortable and we fell asleep straight away. In the morning, the view over the fields and the river Eure was beautiful. We could hear cuckoos and watch wildlife around the grounds. It was a wonderfully calm start to the day. Our bathroom had double sinks and a large modern bath, with robes and hairdryers provided. There’s fast, free WiFi throughout the buildings, satellite TV with about 40 free-to-air channels, and a kettle with tea, coffee, milk and biscuits for a late-night snack. I hate hotels that charge for internet access, so the free WiFi was appreciated. Breakfast is served in the main house across the pretty courtyard. Sophie had laid out fresh croissants, baguettes, brioches, homemade jams, ham and cereals, along with freshly made tea and coffee. She tries to source food locally, and the seven kinds of jam were all delicious. If you want a cooked breakfast, the eggs come fresh from the hens on the property. Sophie will also try to arrange other catering if you ask. I checked the ground-floor room’s accessible facilities because I’m thinking of bringing my elderly mother next time. Everything was new and seemed ideal for an older or disabled guest. The village is about a 10-minute walk away, with a small supermarket, a lovely bakery and a butcher selling cooked and uncooked meat, plus a tempting range of homemade country pâtés. It’s a quiet place with modern comforts, and great value. I can’t wait to return.

Cosy, stylish and friendly, with an idyllic feel. We had a lovely two-night stay and would go back in a heartbeat. Thank you!

A lovely, quiet spot by the river Eure, just a short distance from Monet's Giverny and about an hour from Paris.