Environment

The Mill is situated just north of Aumale, next to the farm at Breteuil (La Ferme de Breteuil), down a drive in a beautifully secluded spot.  Surrounded by water and farmland, in a wide open valley, the grounds are wonderful  to walk in. There are four natural habitats: lake, river, woodland and a designated wetland reserve, all in all a complete haven for wildlife.

Deer roam through the area, trout, pike and a wide variety of other fish swim in the lake. The swans had cygnets hatching on its edge last year, (water voles live on the edge too) and there are over 40 other species of birds on the site. We have just confirmed that a pair of otters is living on the river bank in the garden. they have a secondry holt on the lake!

The river ’ La Bresle’ (pronounced Brel) runs through the garden. It forms the boundary between  Picardy and Normandy. A  rustic yet beautifully made wooden bridge takes you from Picardy (where the house is situated) into Normandy to the lake, about 15 meters from the river. It is extraordinary to find this fast flowing river, right next to the deep, still lake. The walk around the lake takes approximately 20 minutes and is kept mown for easy access. You can use the rowing boat or swim in the lake too.  The riverside walk is very wild and overgrown.  A walk around the whole grounds can take between one or two hours depending on how much you linger!

You can also walk to Aumale. This is the nearest town, just over a mile south of the Mill which has one of the oldest Gothic churches in the whole of Northern France. There you will find a full range of shops including, chemists, patisseries and other food shops, electrical shops and mechanics, and a  wonderfully stocked and idiosyncratic hardware store - pretty much anything you would possibly need whilst on  retreat, can be found in Aumale.

The area around the Retreat Centre, the Bresle Valley, is beautiful walking country. There are many lovely walks from the Retreat Centre and we have maps and written directions for these. We also have maps of circular walks from Aumale (also with maps and directions). There is a guided walk from Aumale by a local guide on Thursdays.

Click map for larger image