Jan 2014

The History of Mas Bas, 23rd Jan

In 1967 French farmer and JCB driver Simon Betoulieres, had an idea and purchased, for very little money, an area of sodden land that sat in a hidden valley.  This was much to the amusement of everyone in the area and he suffered much ridicule as the land was deemed by them to be worthless, both for farming and anything else. 

However he had a plan...

You can read the rest here

Mar 2013

Spring bank holiday week is now available!, 5th Mar

25^th May Spring bank holiday week is now available again.  

Due to a cancellation the charming Lotus Cottage has become available on 25^th May with fishing for 2 anglers on the main lake.  Usually this busy week is booked out well in advance but sadly due to illness a cancellation has been received.

So if you are looking for somewhere suitable for a small family or partner with use of a swimming pool too,  then this could be your chance.

Feb 2012

Constant battle with contemptible Coypu!, 13th Feb

Here at the lakes we have a running battle with Coypu so here's an update showing just what damage they can do! Every 2 years or so we have to rebuild the walkway between our beautiful lakes, because they have burrowed and collapsed areas the bank.

Coypu, cute but a real bankside barbarian, were imported from South America to Europe during the 20thC by the fur trade, released after becoming commercially unviable, they proliferated during the 60’ and 70’s and happily was totally eradicated in the UK during the 80’s.

Unhappily for us, it still proliferates in the wetlands surrounding lakes and rivers in France, burrowing deep into the banks and eating huge quantities of roots and stems they are the cause of enormous environmental damage. Producing between 1 and 13 young twice each year, they are a big problem getting out of hand extremely quickly unless regularly destroyed.

Here at Mas Bas, Lotus Lake holds a particular delight to these vegetarians as they are quite partial to lotus roots (the size of a banana) and are capable of diving and burrowing deep into the silt to dig up these luscious delights.

So Gilles has to literally rebuild the banks. Wooden stakes are driven into the ground and timber fixed onto their bankside edge. The space is then filled with huge amounts of soil and compressed to recreate a stable bank.

Apart from the upset they cause us as lakeowners, coypu (often mistaken for otters) are not attracted by rubbish and therefore do not come around the houses hoping for a freebie from the bins. They are seen generally at dawn and dusk either swimming across the lake or grooming on the bank, and as I said in the beginnning, looking really quite cute.

However, despite all our efforts of one thing I am sure, just like Arnie , 'they will be back!' 

Lesley Morland