THE long and winding road leading to the small village of Chamarel is worth the effort. It will lead you to the Ecuries de la vieille cheminée. That is where, in the midst of the lush mountains overhanging the beautiful west coast landscape, Caroline de Spéville has chosen to break away from the tourist cliché ?sea, sand and sun? and build her two Creole-style bungalows. The Ecuries de la vieille cheminée offers much more than a weekend hideaway in a lush environment. Horseriding, walks and lunches in the woods as well as bike rides, on request, are available as an integral part of the stay.

An ideal refuge for a family holiday, the place is surrounded by vast green spaces stretching as far as the eye can see. Hidden away in the 250-hectare estate are the ?Cabane? and the ?Campement? which each accommodate six persons. The ?Cabane? is more informal than the ?Campement?. The wooden bungalow conveys a warm atmosphere with its wooden table in the dining room, a small rustic verandah and one bedroom with two large beds.

The ?Campement? is more suitable for a serene and quiet stay. It stands at the top of a small hill, overlooking the mountains around and has an colourful garden. The three fully equipped bedrooms are most comfortable and the four-poster beds in two of them add to the style and charm of the place.

Both bungalows offer all facilities ? blankets, towels, electric fans and gas water-heaters in the bathrooms. A maid comes

everyday from 8 am to 12 am. Although essentials are provided on arrival and the first breakfast is included in the deal, the bungalows are self-catering units.

Les Ecuries de la Cheminée also caters for exciting outdoor activities. Visitors can go walking safely in the woods at any time. They are given maps so that they do not get lost. The services of a guide are available for walks or mountain biking around the property or on the famous sites like the ?coloured earth? and its waterfalls. You can even climb Piton Canot.

Whether a professional or a beginner, everyone as from nine years old can practise horseriding. You can discover the natural environment on one of the six horses of the lodge. You can have a guide for one-hour, two-hour or three-hour trips depending on the package chosen.

The lodge also proposes ?three-day packages?. A typical day is as follows. In the morning, the guide takes you to the coloured earth with lunch at a ?table d?hôte? in the village and an afternoon ?musical tea? in the home of a villager. The Ecuries tries to work on a regional basis: it takes visitors to places with entertaining activities such as the Adventure Park .

In this small retreat, quality prevails over quantity. The estate has only two bungalows but visitors receive special attention and really feel at home. The Ecuries has more projects for the coming months but its main concern is to preserve its special character.