Les Cabanes de Fontfroide

Les Cabanes de Fontfroide stand in a six-hectare wooded park in the hamlet of Sauvernay, in the commune of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye, a medieval village listed among the most beautiful villages in France. It lies halfway between Grenoble and Valence, on the edge of the Drôme, with the Vercors as a backdrop. The oaks and beeches in the park are between 80 and 100 years old.

This is not a campsite with pitches: the estate offers seven treehouse cabins, all different, as well as a guest room. The Amande (two cabins linked by a walkway) sleeps 2 to 4 people, the Châtaigne 2 to 3, the Noisette 2, the Noix, a family cabin, 2 to 5, the Macadamia 2 to 3, the Pistache up to 6 and the Rêveuse 2. The cabins are set between 4.60 and 6.50 m above the ground, with no water, a dry toilet and a 220 V socket; the shared washrooms are 80 to 200 m away. The 4 seasons guest room, of about 20 m², has a private bathroom, television and Wi-Fi.

On opening, the Saint-Marcellin Vercors Isère tourist office states that it is open from 1 January to 31 December, and the Cabanes de France network confirms it: the cabins can therefore be booked in the middle of winter. The estate’s website only shifts the arrival times, from 4pm to 7pm in high season and from 4pm to 8pm in low season. Electric heating is offered as an option at €10 per night. Published rates start at €100 per night for two people, breakfast included.

Pets are not allowed on site.

Walks and mountain bike routes from the park, visit to the medieval village of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye, small farm and electric bikes.

Every stay includes breakfast, brought to the foot of the cabin. You can add a picnic basket of local produce, an aperitif basket, or have dinner on site depending on the package chosen: the estate mentions evening meals served at the foot of each cabin. The all-inclusive package shown on the home page includes one night, breakfasts, two picnic baskets and bed linen, from €180 for two people.

The cabins are equipped with 140 × 190 cm double beds, duvets, pillows, a table with chairs, tealight lanterns, a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector. Sheets and pillowcases are not provided; you need to bring them or rent a bedding kit. Towels must also be brought. Lighting is solar-powered, there is no running water in the cabins, and electric heating costs €10 per night, a valuable option off-season. The shared washrooms include showers, washbasins and toilets; the website states that they are accessible to guests with reduced mobility.

The estate also rents electric bikes. There is no swimming pool and no à la carte restaurant: services are limited to breakfast, picnic baskets and the owners’ warm family welcome. Nothing in this offer is described as seasonal, as it follows the estate’s annual calendar.

The park is the main playground. The estate says that fine walks start directly from the site, and also mentions mountain bike and road cycling routes; the Cabanes de France network describes three waymarked circuits of 5, 10 and 15 km. The small farm is home to goats, which children particularly enjoy according to guest reviews.

The village of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye, whose historic site is listed as a historic monument, is the nearest cultural outing. The estate rents electric bikes for exploring the surrounding area effortlessly.

A night in the trees is often enough to fill a weekend: reading on the south-facing terrace, breakfast served at the foot of the cabin, the silence of the forest. The 4 seasons guest room, with its sitting area and private bathroom, completes the offer for those who prefer single-level accommodation. Travellers arriving in low season are expected between 4pm and 8pm.