Laurier – La Ferme du Cayla

La Ferme du Cayla has been in the Lacombe family for generations but when Jean-Pierre took the helm in the 1990’s, he and his wife decided to take the farm in an exciting new direction, with the aim of offering ‘the best family holidays in France’! They may well have cracked it too, with their beautifully bijou holiday village that has got the lot, in the Lot, for relaxing, fun-filled holidays with tots to teenagers.

So determined were the couple to get the formula just right, that they commissioned the renowned Lausanne Hotel School to conduct a concept design study on their family holiday village and their latest wave of tweaks and ideas were put in place for the 2015/16 season. For BFB, one of the best new features is the addition of a Baby Club Creche for little ones, from 3 months to 3 years old, to go with the Kids Club and Junior Club for 3 to 13-year olds. Toddlers can clamber around an indoor wooden play frame, or play with wooden toys or in the sand pit and the nannies can help with painting pictures or read stories to settle babies down for an afternoon nap. For older children, the outdoor play area now includes a 4-metre netted trampoline, swings, treehouses, table tennis and a 25-metre zip line, plus they can help with feeding time at a new mini farm, meeting the donkeys Pepino and Angela, Romeo the pony, rabbits and chickens. All this is in addition to a 32ft pool with an adjoining 16ft paddling pool, a 9-hole mini golf course and a host of stimulating activities, from learning how to fish on the private Carp lake, or how to build tree houses, to baking French bread and making pizzas.

There’s been some new developments for grown-ups at La Ferme as well, including an adults only indoor pool, sauna, steam room and massage treatment rooms, plus the inclusion of an open bar and wine cellar within summer holiday packages. The all-inclusive option, available from late June to September, really allows parents to utterly chill out, thanks to a superb buffet breakfast, buffet lunch or a picnic basket, afternoon tea and dinner in the restaurant, or served ‘back at home’. The package also includes two dinners in the nearby town with babysitters provided, free use of all the kids clubs, 2 massages per adult and a choice of excursions. The all inclusive package is at an extra charge

In transforming La Ferme from its agricultural origins, the owners have created the ambience of a little French village, including a pretty central square with bright flower beds, a fountain and the traditional patch for playing petanque. They have also renovated the buildings into 3 family apartments, 3 cottages and a family house which feature rustic exposed stone walls and have been comfortably furnished for families, including well equipped modern kitchens, Wi Fi and private dining terraces with barbecues.

Accommodation overview

Laurier is an attractive 2-storey stone house which provides 1200 sq ft. of internal space, including four bedrooms for six plus a baby in a cot. The house enjoys spectacular views over the Cele Valley, especially from a very large and incredibly panoramic, fully glazed veranda and there is also an outdoor dining terrace at the other side of the house, overlooking the mini golf course. Leading through to the conservatory-style veranda is a dining kitchen which includes a microwave, oven, dishwasher, washing machine and all the kitchenware for family self catering. The cottage has three bathrooms (2 shower rooms, 1 bathroom). The four bedrooms are made up of two double bedrooms and two single rooms set on a mezzanine level.