Walk the footpaths around St Germain du Crioult near the river gorges of the Suisse Normande and between June and September, you may catch the unexpected scent of lavender on the air or spot a splash of vivid purple

on the hillside. If so, drop in at the lavender farm of La Paix and enjoy a traditional English cream tea with owners Corey Koch and Bob Kyle.

When the couple moved permanently from London to Corey's Norman holiday house in 2003, their first major job was to tame the overgrown land. A lifelong user of essential oils, Corey began to research the possibilities of growing lavender here in Calvados, and in April 2005, they planted 5000 young plants.

‘Our neighbours were bemused but always very supportive and once the lavender started to bloom, people walking past would stop and ask for a closer look,' says Corey. ‘So in 2007, we applied for a licence to open a small tea room in a wooden chalet overlooking the fields.'

Now visitors can sample a variety of teas, enjoy scones and tarts, and buy essential oil, distilled by Bob from their own hand-picked flowers. Book in advance and you can even enjoy a generously-stocked picnic hamper with a bottle of wine amongst the scented fields.

The couple's latest venture is the conversion of an old barn adjacent to their stone farmhouse into two spacious chambre d'hôte bedrooms, complete with their own kitchenette and living room with lavender views.

‘This is such a beautiful area with rolling hills and deep river valleys that remind us of Devon and Cornwall,' says Corey. ‘Clécy is absolutely stunning. There are great opportunities for walking, canoeing and paragliding, and there are so many fascinating places within easy reach too - it's just 40 minutes to Caen, 30 to Falaise and an hour to the D-Day beaches. A great place for a holiday!'

Gillian Thornton , Wednesday, 01 July 2009