Outside
Roads
The house is half way between the villages of Saint-Thomas-de Courceriers and Izé, each 3 km away. These are connected by the country lane outside, with only sparse local traffic and is perfectly safe to walk along. As this is a farming area there will of course be occasional tractors and other farm equipment but you can go for hours without any noticeable traffic at all.
The nearest main road, between the towns of Le Mans, Sillé-le-Guillaume and Mayenne, runs through Izé, 3 km away, so is readily accessible but you will be oblivious to it at La Goupillère or anywhere near.
The Garden & Grounds
The large, secluded back garden is mainly grass and is surrounded by fields, The front of the house and the entire garden get the sun all day long and you can create your own recreational area using the many tables and chairs available. There are, depending on the time of year, strawberries, apples, cherries and plums in the garden. There are sun loungers, café style tables with parasols, comfy fold-up chairs, a couple of wooden benches and lots of lightweight chairs.
We provide a selection of garden games which you will find in the utility room.
The Patio
The patio, with its large fixed barbeque, is accessed through the kitchen and joins up with the back garden. It gets the sun in the morning, late afternoon and evening, which makes it ideal for sitting outside when the mid-day sun is at its hottest.
The banks are full of herbs you can use for cooking. The whole area has a secure wire fence along the top of the banks and the long flat lawn behind the house, off the patio, has a gate and fence at the far end so forms a fully enclosed terrace area where children should be relatively safe to play.
There are raised flower beds on two sides and access to the back garden on the other. The fridge is just inside the kitchen door so you needn't walk far to get that next cold drink or a snack. Also just inside, there are ample kitchen worktops to lay out food for your barbecue.
There is a big ceramic topped aluminium table with six chairs, large parasols and additional chairs should they be needed.
For those of you who prefer to dry your washing in the clean open air, there's a rotary line at the end of the grassed area next to the patio.
The Pool
Mayenne can have long periods of fantastic weather in summer but it is not in the South of France!
Weather permitting, the pool is available between late June and early September, possibly longer depending on the weather. It is a 3 metre round "splash pool" intended for cooling off in hot weather and although it is an amenity we hope you will enjoy, we do not promote the provision of a swimming pool and no charge is made for it in our rental rates. Please, therefore, view this as a bonus if it is available, not something you specifically book.
The Hangars
La Goupillère was once a mixed agriculture and livestock farm and of course had byres (cattle sheds). There are three of these, the largest which overlooks the pool and we have made this into a dry area should it rain, with a table and chairs. A small portable kettle barbeque is available to be used in wet weather. This hangar also contains the sun loungers and other outdoor furniture.
The hangar on the right can be used for car parking, as of course can the “long barn” at the front.
Walks & Picnics
There are many places nearby for walking or picnicking. The nearest and very pleasant picnic spots are the "Roman Bridge" over the river just past the old château in Saint-Thomas-de-Courceriers and the lake at Izé. Both are about 3 km away.
There are also nearby public chemins to explore but most locals just stroll along the quiet lanes, taking in the country air.
Local leisure pastimes are picnics and fishing. But to fully enjoy these activities you will need some basic equipment! We don't provide fishing rods but all the items below are available for you to take on your outings, so you don't need to bring any of these from home
- Picnic Set Backpack
- Folding Picnic Table
- Picnic/Fishing Chairs
- Coolbox & Ice Packs