Christian Holiday Forge, Normandy – Calm, Charming, Sleeps 10

Christian Holiday Forge, Normandy — A Quiet Retreat in the Pays de Bray

L’Ancienne Forge is a genuine Christian holiday forge, Normandy, break: a converted village forge dating from 1879, fully renovated while keeping its original character, tucked into the quiet farming country of the Pays de Bray. Unlike most HolyHols listings, there’s no fixed rental charge here; guests are simply asked for a contribution towards running costs, and the cottage is reserved specifically for clergy, missionaries, church staff and those working for Christian charities. It’s an unusually generous offering, and a genuinely restful base for exploring the wider Christian holidays in France, whether that’s a family week or a quieter break between placements.

In the village itself stands the Château de Merval, a 17th-century house so significant it was listed as a French historic monument in 1943, its facades, dovecote and orangery all protected. Today its 120-hectare estate houses an agricultural college, an organic farm and an orchard of more than 400 local apple varieties, with a shop selling cider, Calvados and Neufchâtel cheese made on site. The village’s roots go deeper still: a religious community is recorded here from Merovingian times, and in the 12th century Hugues V de Gournay founded the nearby Abbey of Bellozanne, visited by medieval kings before its dissolution in 1790.

Gournay-en-Bray, five miles off, gives its name to the whole Pays de Bray, a “land of Bray” long famous for dairy farming across its rolling hills and wooded valleys. Its Tuesday market is one of the liveliest in the region, piled with local Neufchâtel and Carré de Bray cheeses, cider and honey; the well-known Petit Suisse fromage frais was in fact first made on a farm near here, before Charles Gervais took the recipe onward to wider fame. The town’s Romanesque-Gothic church, dating from the 11th century, is well worth a quiet look inside, and the Avenue Verte cycle route threads through the surrounding countryside for those who brought their bikes, or borrowed ones from the Forge.

Rouen, half an hour further west, has one of the tallest cathedral spires in France and a chapel dedicated to Joan of Arc, canonised in 1920 after being tried and executed in the city in 1431. The cathedral, consecrated in 1063 in the presence of William the Conqueror, also holds the embalmed heart of Richard the Lionheart and inspired Monet’s famous series of paintings of its west front at different times of day. For those wanting to go further still, the Normandy landing beaches, the Somme battlefields and Monet’s own garden at Giverny are all within a couple of hours’ drive, alongside Beauvais and Dieppe on the coast.

The cottage sleeps up to ten across three double bedrooms and four extra single beds on the landing, mezzanine and in one bedroom, with a paddling pool, playhouse, camping cot and five adult bicycles for those bringing a family. Two wood-burning stoves keep the lounge and dining room cosy outside summer, alongside electric radiators throughout, and a well-stocked file of local information and restaurant recommendations awaits guests at the Forge. During school holidays, priority is given to families with children, making this a properly flexible, unusually generous base for a longer, restorative stay in rural Normandy.

Perfect for:

Clergy, missionaries and church staff, with a contribution-based rather than fixed rate
Families with young children, thanks to a paddling pool, playhouse and free bicycles
Larger groups, with sleeping space for up to ten across three bedrooms
History and pilgrimage interest, with Rouen, Bellozanne Abbey and Giverny all nearby
Those wanting a quiet rural base away from Normandy’s busier coastal towns
Longer stays and sabbaticals between placements or ministry postings
Cyclists, with the Avenue Verte route and five bicycles provided at the cottage

Location

L’Ancienne Forge, Brémontier-Merval, Normandy
How to get here: Car essential as there is no local public transport

1 hour by car from Dieppe
2 ½ hours by car from Calais

Nearest Town(s): Gournay-en-Bray is about 5 miles away {city of Rouen is 30 miles to the west}

Facilities

The cottage dates from 1879 and is a converted forge, which has been fully renovated and modernised whilst retaining its original character and charm.

Wifi provision. CD player. No TV. No wheelchair access. Space for one car off road, plus room for two vehicles on grass roadside verge.
Well equipped for families with high chair, camping cot and bedding, indoor and outdoor games and puzzles, small paddling pool, and playhouse with swings and slide for small children in garden. Also: 5 adult bicycles; a basic barbecue.
Sleeping capacity: three double bedrooms, plus four extra single beds on the landing, in the mezzanine, and in one of the bedrooms.
Newly refurbished kitchen with dishwasher, fridge-freezer, gas hob, microwave, and electric oven
Heating is by electric radiators, plus the wood burning stoves in lounge and dining room.
2 bathrooms; washing machine

Additional Photos

Click to enlarge

Wooden dining table with four chairs, two bowls, and a folded cloth. A wooden staircase, open door, glass cupboard with crockery, and a vintage poster on the wall complete the cosy room—evoking the warm charm of a Normandy home prepared for a Christian holiday forge of family and tradition.

A wooden playset with green slides, swings, and a small house stands on a grassy lawn, surrounded by trees and bushes reminiscent of the Normandy countryside. An old wagon wheel is visible on the right side of the image.

A cosy living room inspired by the rustic charm of Normandy, featuring a grey sofa, colourful cushions, a wood-burning stove reminiscent of a traditional Christian holiday forge, brick walls, a wooden coffee table with books, a basket, and a lamp beside green curtains.

Bedroom with rustic wooden beams, an open wooden door leading to a small bed, a bedside table with a lamp, paintings on the wall, and a table with a vase of pink flowers in the foreground—evoking the timeless charm of Normandy.

A brick house with a sloping roof, surrounded by trees and a green lawn, sits next to a field under a clear sky, evoking the tranquil charm of Normandy.

A cosy dining room with wooden chairs and table evokes the charm of Normandy, featuring a staircase to the right, a cabinet with glass doors, and a standard lamp. An adjoining room with a white piano is visible through an open doorway.

A cosy Normandy kitchen with white cupboards, a floral splashback, a wooden table draped in a patterned tablecloth, four wooden chairs, and a black cat-shaped teapot resting on the table.

A kitchen with white cupboards, a dishwasher, and a sink. The splashback features colourful floral tiles reminiscent of Normandy’s countryside. A wooden table with a patterned tablecloth is in the foreground, evoking gatherings for a Christian holiday forge, and the room is lit by natural and overhead light.

A wooden dining table with three chairs sits near a brick fireplace, evoking the cosy charm of a Normandy cottage. The table has a colourful cloth with sunflowers, while bottles and a clock rest on the mantelpiece, as if ready to mark time for an upcoming Christian holiday forge. Sunlight enters from the side, illuminating the scene, and a wooden door is visible.

Two sofas with decorative cushions face a wooden coffee table in a cosy living room inspired by the charm of Normandy. Sunlight streams through a window near wooden stairs, creating a warm ambience reminiscent of gatherings during a Christian holiday forge. A lamp, curtains, and side table complete this inviting space.

A cosy Normandy-inspired living room with a grey sofa, white and patterned cushions, a wooden coffee table, a floor lamp, an armchair, and a wooden staircase leading upstairs. Sunlight comes through two windows with brown curtains, creating a warm atmosphere reminiscent of gathering for a Christian holiday forge.

A countryside landscape in Normandy with a grassy field, wooden fence posts, a road, and a brick wall in the foreground. Trees and houses are visible in the distance under a cloudy sky, evoking the quiet calm of a Christian holiday forge.

A charming Normandy brick house with wooden shutters and an open door welcomes you in. Outside, a small paved patio area features steps, a bench, and a table with chairs—perfect for relaxing during a Christian holiday foray. Trees and shrubbery provide a peaceful backdrop.

A small wooden shed sits on a green lawn, surrounded by leafless trees and bushes under a cloudy sky in a Normandy garden, evoking the tranquil charm of a Christian holiday forge.

Costs

There is no charge for the use of the cottage, but guests are asked to make a contribution of £150 per week from 2024, if they can, to cover the running costs of logs, water, gas, electricity, insurance and local taxes. We restrict the use of the cottage to clergy, missionaries, church staff and those working for Christian charities.
Energy Provision: Costs included

Availability

Available throughout the year though we restrict it to families with children during school holidays.
Arrival and Departure times: Arrival after 2 p.m.; departure by midday.
Booking Arrangements: Normally Saturdays, but open to negotiation.
Pets: Sorry, no pets.

Contact the Owner

If you are interested in making a booking, or you would like further information, please get in touch using the following details:
Name: Rev. & Mrs S Lloyd
Phone Number: 01206 560172
Email Address: sheila.lloyd5@btinternet.com

L’Ancienne Forge, Brémontier-Merval, Normandy, France