The best of both worlds: Old-world charm with modern amenities and comfort, a plush natural setting with a private pool on the edge of a lovely little village, complete privacy with easy access to cultural and commercial centers. In short, the perfect vacation hideaway for extended families or other groups of up to 13 people, easily accessible from France's major metropolitan areas by car. What better way to pass your holidays in complete safety and privacy, as we face our third Covid summer?

The space

La Maison de Mamie at Strawberry Hill

A truly quiet and gracious holiday home for extended families or other groupings of up to 13 people

Looking for your own piece of paradise for a tranquil "get away from it all" holiday? Peace and quiet, utter privacy, fresh air, but plenty to see and do nearby if and when the mood strikes you? Welcome to La Maison de Mamie!

The pandemic is still with us, two years in. Vaccines have arrived, but so have resistant new variants, so it is still not the time to head for the beach where you’ll be cheek to jowl with thousands of other holidaymakers. Nor is it a time to travel by train or plane to far-off getaway destinations. Where can you go within easy reach of France’s major metropolitan areas?

La Maison de Mamie provides a place where you can unwind in total privacy, complete comfort and safety, surrounded by 6000 m2 of private lawns and forest, with a private pool, modern fitness equipment and all the modern amenities you’ve become accustomed to (high-speed internet, television, Netflix/Amazon prime, etc.).

In the heart of the beautiful Morvan natural park, the concept for this holiday home is gracious living in a spacious and comfortable old house like your grandmother might have lived in – with high ceilings, beautiful plaster moldings, hardwood floors, classic woodstoves, and period furnishings (check out the photos!). What you won’t find is any Ikea furniture or pristine spare decorations. (If you’re looking for that kind of accommodation, they’re a dime a dozen on any holiday rental site.) This house has a lived-in feel; it’s full of books (mainly in English, but some in French) and lovely paintings and antiques. It truly just feels like Grandma’s house.

Inside accommodations

There are three bedrooms on the 1st floor (2nd for you Americans), one with ensuite shower room and separate toilet and all with double beds. There is also a beautiful and stylish modern bathroom with integrated toilet.

On the second floor, you’ll find two more bedrooms, one with two single beds, and a vast 30 m2 bedroom that can serve as a sort of children’s dormitory as it sleeps five, with a bunk bed (double on the bottom, single on the top) and another comfortable double bed that can sleep two more (so okay, one piece of Ikea furniture!) The roof is well insulated, so even if summer temperatures mount, the second floor remains comfortable.

The ground floor has a spacious living room, dining room, and library, as well as the kitchen featuring a beautiful LaCanche stove and marble countertops. The downstairs is surrounded on three sides by a spacious terrace and there are tables and chairs for outdoor dining, if you prefer it.

The Immediate Surroundings

The house is built on a hill, on the lower part of a vast tract that includes forest and lawns. It’s all perfectly private so there’s plenty of space for children to roam in safety and the pool will provide hours of fun for children and grown-ups alike.

The property is situated at the edge of the village of Chissey-en-Morvan, which is one of the rare small villages in the area with a little general store that features a lovely café. Bread and pastries need to be ordered by noon a day ahead, but it’s just a short walk down to the store to get your daily baguette and newspaper in the morning. The store is not large but has a nice selection of fresh fruit and vegetables and an assortment of necessities, from wine to deodorant.

Chissey-en-Morvan marks the halfway point between two lively historic towns – Saulieu to the north and Autun to the south, both just twenty minutes away by car. Autun is larger and is home to all the major supermarket chains. Saulieu’s one big supermarket is a B1 (part of the Auchan Group) and is a very well designed and stocked store. They have a special section of Burgundy wines that many of you will enjoy exploring!

Season 2!

This will be the 2nd summer that La Maison de Mamie is operational. Thanks to the success of our first season, many improvements have been made. All the windows and doors are now double insulated and "tilt and turn". The electricity has been entirely modernized and the pool area walled in for extra security.

The "Mamie" in question is highly experienced as a holiday rental operator, having managed a large-capacity gîte in the Cher for over 8 years, during which time we never got a bad review! So rest assured that your summer holiday home will be comfortable, clean, well-equipped and thoroughly enjoyable.

Finally, it is always useful to know what to expect. At La Maison de Mamie, you can expect to spend your holiday in a lovely, private and gracious old house that is beautiful, clean and fully functional (from plenty of hot water to high-speed internet to a very well-equipped kitchen and well-kept grounds). What you shouldn't expect is a sterile Ikea-furnished cottage, or perfection. There will be a little (a tiny bit!) of scuffed paint, and some scratches in the floors. If you don't mind that sort of thing, then you're in for a dream holiday in the heart of France.

Book your stay now!

Guest access

This is a private rural villa with parking for 2 to 3 cars. The center of the village is just a couple minutes' walk down the hill. You're just a short half-hour's drive from the most beautiful lake in the Morvan, le Lac des Settons, and a mere 20 minutes from the historic town of Autun to the South and the village of Saulieu, home to the famous Côte d'Or restaurant created by Bernard Loiseau, to the North.

Other things to note

In order to use the fitness equipment at the house (a treadmill and weight-training station), adults will all be required to sign a legal release form and also accept responsibility and liability for any use by children.

For the comfort and safety of all our guests, depending on the state of the pandemic when you book, the host may enquire about your vaccination status.