"A hen harrier has been stalking the freshly cut hay fields.  A fantastic and rare site!  Corncrakes were calling well into the night - these are nearly extinct in Britain. 
Please can I stay longer in this rich wildlife habitat!.  The butterflies are too many to name on this visit.
I hope I get the opportunity to visit this very special place again....."
Simon Berry, Devon Wildlife Trust

Trebuchon's land stretches over 32 acres and includes gardens, fields, flower meadows and woods and is surrounded on all sides by open farmland. The house is set in the middle of a large old courtyard of ancient barns and offers complete privacy from the outside world.

The gardens of Trebuchon are beautiful and surround the property with an enormous variety of both spring and summer plants including tulips, wild crocuses, snowdrops, camellias, fuschias, rhododendrons, passion flowers, climbing roses, azaleas and lilacs and many more. There are two small orchards from which you will find a wide variety of fruits including pears, cherries, plums, apricots, walnuts and a small grapevine.

From the boundaries of the land, there is direct access onto an abundance of local footpaths (know as cheminé rurals) and are a walkers paradise. Many of these tracks can also be cycled or ridden on horseback. We have a beautiful flower meadow behind the house which is allowed to grow 'au naturel' and is home at dawn to visiting roe deer.

The wildlife is abundant including foxes, barn owls, buzzards, swallows, hawks, jays, humming birds, woodpeckers and a plethora of butterflies rarely seen nowadays in the UK. Deer are common visitors to Trebuchon but you and can often be seen early morning either immediately behind the house in the flower meadow or at dusk coming out from the surrounding woodland.

"Bee eaters, humming birds, birds of prey, all sorts of butterflies and moths.  Deer in the evening sun - the kids had great fun feeding our pety Praying Mantis - 'Bernard'.
Mr & Mrs Courtney, Wales

On warm summer nights the buzz of the crickets can be heard constantly and the rhythmic bleep bleep of the lizards arguing against the croak of bull frogs from local ponds is quite mesmeric. Fireflies have occasionally been seen and are a real treat.

You will see from our wildlife book kept at the house that there is a myriad of nature and we encourage guests to record wildlife in our record book. In order to maintain the gardens, please note that our gardener will be working discreetly around the property once or twice a week.

"When we return on our French dream ticket
I'll remember the sound of the Trebuchon cricket
The red sky at night, the sounds in the dark
Give me the peace, not a noisy theme park!"
Diane Berry, North Devon 

The Berry Family June 2004