Instructions for the River house
The adress of the Farmerhouse is 26, Rue du Colombier, 89450 Saint Père You can alway reach the landlord at 003164309053
On the path next to the house it is only loading and unloading, in order to keep the passage open for others. On the street parking – always on the side opposite from the house – is possible opposite the garden, in front of the green doors, and otherwise on the little bridge is an option. Or after the bend (direction Vézelay). If you are not using your car for a longer period, it is also possible to park it on the car park opposite the Town Hall, crossing of the ‘shopping street’, straight on, before the Church, at your right hand.
The keys are in the key safe in the alley to the river.
All the other keys of the house hang in the kitchen, right upon entering.
The door to the the terrace can be locked only after the handle is pushed up.
It is connected. If shut off (some times in the winter) open the tap in the cellar – in the corner near the garage doors. Check out weather there are tapes opened in the bathroom or kitchen. A more elaborate guide you can find (in Dutch, but with pictures) at the website.
If shut off (possibly outside the season): in the little living room right in the corner near the window hangs the meter cupboard with an button. Put this in.
When using electric heaters you can write down the numbers on the meter upon arrival (or from the time you put them in use along with the date). Likewise on departure. By pressing the button once the numbers appear on the meter. There is an intelligent meter that sents the usage to the tennant.
If the electricity was shut off, there is hot water after about 5 hours. You do not need to do anything there
If closed (usually out of season), shutters are easy to open.
Please take your own sheets, towels, tea towels and dish cloths.
There are five double beds and one double bed (190x140cm wide) there are single duvets, and a double duvet.
If all is well you will enter a house where you find toilet paper, coffee and tea, herbs and other basic necessities of life. It depends on your predecessors, to whom we asked to leave it, as they also have found this, if all were good. This system is based on perceptive people of good will, and we are happy that most are that. At the beginning of the season we make sure that stocks are up to standard. To prevent the people following you one do not find what is necessary it would be nice if you check on departure if there is anything that can be supplemented.
Opening hours shops in St. Pere:- Supermarket Vival – Tues to sat: 8.00 – 13.00 uur en 15.00 – 20.00 uur
– Sun: 8.00 – 13.00 uur
– Mon: closed, open in the morning in July and August
– Baker: Tues to sat: 7.30 – 13.00 and 15.30 – 20.00. Sunday: 7.30 – 13.00
Mon: closed, open in the morning in July and August
– Butcher: Tues to sat: 8.00 – 12.45 and 15.00 – 19.00. Sunday: 8.00 – 12.45
Mon: closed, open in the morning in July and August
Opening hours Vézelay
– Mon to sat: 9.00 – 13.00 and 16.00 -19.00
– Sun: 9.00 – 13.00
– Closed in winter months on mondays
Opening hours large supermarkets in Avallon-Mon-Sat: Auchan 8.30-21.00. Casino 8.30-19.30-
Sun: closed
Post Office Vezelay. Cards and stamps also at the Bar-tabac in Saint Pere.
– Mon-Fri: 9.00-12.00 and 14.00-17.00
– Sat: 8.45-11.45 hours
* Market: every Saturday morning in Avallon
Please do not mix plates, cups etc. of both kitchens: everything that is blue belongs to the river kitchen.
Do not roar with cutlery in frying pans or treat them with scouring pads.
In the basement is a washing machine. Washing programmes according to the instructions on the machine. Always turn knobs clockwise. Outside hangs a washing line. Ironing board and iron are also located in the basement to the right of the boiler. The water here contains a lot of calcium, so please add a calcium tablet with every wash.
There is wireless internet in the kitchen. Login to: duiventil. Password: aanderivier.
Never reset the modem. In case the modem doesn’t work (doesn’t occur often), turn the main electricity switch (little living room, left of the pick up) a few minutes down.
Electric stoves do not pollute like wood-burning stoves. But the constant use of all stoves at the same time would be an expensive joke. So don’t be casual with it. Don’t Forget to turn them off. We charge the electricity for the stoves (0.17 euro kw/h). Write down the meter reading on arrival or with date when the first stove comes on. And at departure. And report the readings at the end of your stay.
* Wood stoves: you will find the wood stock under the outside stairs, near the basement door. You can collect firewood yourself or buy it at the Avallon hardware store. In addition to kindling wood, kindling blocks can also be used. Sometimes a trunk is too thick. In the basement are two axes to split them. Please do not do this on the garden tiles – which break – but on the thick tree trunk or on the path next to the house.
* Putting them on fire generally: Find a flat piece of wood and place a firelighting block on top of it. On top of that first some thin kindling wood, slightly thicker branches and two not too thick logs. Light the block. Almost close the door and see if it ‘catches’. If the wood burns well, put 2 larger
blocks on top.
* Lighting the stove in the small living room: Open the hatch in the door on the right side of the stove and turn the lever on the drain pipe to the vertical (open) position. If the fire is burning well, close the hatch and then slowly move the lever on the pipe to the horizontal position. This ensures that less heat is lost through the chimney. If they close too quickly it prevents the combustion and is very polluting. This stove can get very hot, and it can still contain fire the next morning.
* Stove in the kitchen and in the living room of the grange: These stoves are well insulated so the front hatch should remain open until there is only coal left. When making the stove, the flap in the chimney must be vertically open. In the kitchen, this flap can be closed (=horizontally) if the stove is burning properly. This ensures that less heat is lost through the chimney. Do not squeeze the chimney too far, because then the fire will temper, more smoke will be released and you will pollute more. The flap in the chimney of the large living room should always remain open.
* The window can be cleaned with a used tea bag (not too wet; no herbal tea) or a damp newspaper, or with the spray bottle in the kitchen cabinet under the sink. Be careful with this stuff. Please make sure it does not get on the rope.
* Do not fire the very large stove downstairs in the grange at the same time as the stove in the large living room. They are both on the same channel.
* There is both in the kitchen and in the living room of the grange a fire extinguisher under the stairs to the top.
* The use of wood is included, based on ‘fair use’. That means that if you want to keep more than one stove burning at the same time, we ask 5 euros extra per basket of wood for the extra stove. Count them yur selve and tell at the end of your stay.
Please leave the shower doors open after showering.
The floor consists of traditional loose in lime-laid tiles. Never use the vacuum cleaner.
* Be carefull with opening the old window. If not realy neccecary, leave it closed.
In the living room you will find an extensive collection of music – classical, pop, jazz, etc. Slide LP’s back in the sleeve, and put them back where they belong: classic under, pop etc. above it.
* Enjoy the books, but don’t take anything home.
* There are also games.
There are trail maps, and there is a basket with leaflets of sights.
* There is also a guestbook, including tips from others to read and in which you are invited to write your self.
* On the website of the house you’ll find a map with a comprehensive overview of attractions.
There is also a guestbook in which all are free to write what you want.
* We are also happy with a review on the website.
In the the grange (barn) you’ll find a second kitchen. The plates and other stuff (as far as possible they are blue) are not to be mixed with that of the other kitchen in the house.
* There is hot water a couple of minutes after you switsch on the light above the sink.
There is a camp bed with mattress, high chair, baby bath and a stroller.
Garden furniture in the basement
Please water the plants when it’s very dry. You can evict nuisance hanging branches.
There are plasticized hiking maps in the house. It shows all existing (and no longer really existing) paths in the area. Also nice: just follow the nose without a map. See also the website.
Please clean after use for those who come after you.
* Repair flat tires etc. yourself to prevent tenants after you behind the net fishing. There is tyre sticking stuff, and in the supermarkets in Avallon accessories are for sale.
For nice routes see website.
In the ‘wine cellar’ under the small living room are two ‘sit on top’ canoes, suitable for an adult with possibly a child. The simplest is also suitable for an older child. There is a barrel with food and clothes etc. dry to take. These canoes are very stable and especially suitable for beginners. There are paddles and there is a life jacket for an adult. For large people there are larger paddles.
* For the house it is possible to canoe up and down.
* Making trips: See website.
* If the water is too low, canoeing can be difficult here and there. To avoid damaging the canoe, get out and push it forward.
* If you unexpectedly turn over and lose the paddle: please replace it with a second hand paddle to buy at the canoe rental to the campsite.
* Transport the canoes: This is only possible by car. With roof racks it’s very easy. There are lashing straps in the cave. Heared from tenant with older car: the canoe on a blanket (bring your own) on the roof and secure it with the lashing straps through the open windows. A tried and tested recipe:
stick them as far as possible into the tailgate. Don’t forget to attach an orange or red flag at the end (if all goes well to be found along with the straps). Drive slowly, the canoes easily catch the wind and bump along on an uneven road surface.
In the river behind the house is to swim if the water is not too low. Paddling and playing is always possible. The neighbour’s request to the dam builders is to remove their constructions at the end of their stay. This because quite a few leaves etc. get stuck behind.
* In the various lakes south of Vézelay it is good to swim. Closest is the beach at the Lac de Crescent, a stretch of shore marked with signs and buoys just before the dam. It is a fifteen minute drive (17 km) from Saint Père. See website.
* There is a swimming pool in Avallon.
In the river Cure are different types of fish, such as trout. In the area are also very large carp. Fishing must be officially licensed. See online brochure. There are also special fish ponds where you can come and fish for trout to eat.
In case of calamities: Koert van der Velde 00316 43019053.
* There is where you enter Vézelay on the right hand a ‘maison de santé’, a center with doctor, dentist and pharmacy. Tel: 0386 407397 or 0386 407836.
* The nearest hospital is in Avallon. 1 Rue de L Hôpital, 89200, tel: 0386 346600
* Emergency numbers: ambulance 15; fire brigade 18; police 17
* Aouta: In August there is a chance of aouta, a red rash for which you can get an ointment at the pharmacy.
* Tick bites: After forest walks within 24 hours find and remove ticks. It is really recommended to pay attention to it. A pair of ticks is for sale at the pharmacy in Vézelay. If you have a tick for more than 24 hours, you will be prescribed a 7-day antibiotic treatment in France to prevent Lyme disease.
* Snakes. You rarely see them, but still. Especially in high grass, watch out where you walk. High shoes and long trousers and (if necessary) with a stick in front of you out on the ground.
* Taxi: 0386323663.
The house must be left without dirty dishes, with the beds in the state you found them, as well as the other furniture. Please consult the yellow folder or website.
