Lac du Coron from Sharon's point of view
Ok, I'll be brutally honest here. I took a lot of convincing to take the plunge and move my life to France and open a fishing business. I've never doubted Nic's passion and determination for a moment, but I really doubted myself.
I come from the land of 24 hour Tesco's and takeaway meals on tap. Alas, where we are in France, it just doesn't work like that!
I've had to recondition my brain to accept that France is different. Ok, well Paris might be similar to the UK, but Coron......totally the opposite.
And you know what...I adore it! I love this pace of life, I love how things have slowed to a snail's pace. I've finally understood fishing at its most basic, primal form.
Peace, tranquility and nature.
Lac du Coron has emerged from a seed in Nic's mind, to a fully functioning fishing destination. When we first viewed the lake in 2015 it was totally overgrown and untouched in nearly 30 years. Nic's vision has cemented dramatic changes to the lake. Trees have been removed, shaped, planted and tended. Swims have been carefully thought about. I know Nic only wanted to
create swims that he would be happy to fish himself. We've done our best to plant bulbs and flowers to encourage the wildlife. We've also extended the lake to allow more water for our fish to explore and feed.
Feedback from loads of our guests has confirmed that we have an abundance of birds and other creatures that visit our lake. From kingfishers to coots and evidence of the occasional wild boar! The farm next door has donkeys (who love any spare bread you may have!) and a little Jack Russell
terrier who loves a cuddle.
The farm also has some amazing cows and it's lovely seeing the newborn calfs throughout the year.
2017 has proved to be a challenging year in terms of weather. We have seen severe drought in the last 18 months. Hosepipe bans and farmers desperately worried about their crops and livestock.
The lake has suffered this year in terms of water depth. We have introduced a new aeration system to keep the fish healthy and recent fish captures have confirmed that our fish are still healthy, putting on weight and eating despite the drought.
Nic is always on call and is your main point of contact for the lake. But guys, bring your Mrs, we don't even charge for non fishing guests! I'm always happy to take a female guest (or male!) out and about shopping or wine tasting if they're not that into fishing. We are on the doorstep of the Loire Valley and the local vineyards are superb. I'm happy to drive you to the city of Cholet for some retail therapy (I love a good handbag!) or to Saumur for some true French culture (ok, I'm talking sparkling Saumur wine...it's as tasty and well regarded as Prosecco...and I'm sure we'll find a little bar somewhere for a bite to eat!) Plus Saumur has a chateau if you fancy it!
Many of you opt for our food package when booking the lake. Can I please emphasise the importance of letting us know any food dislikes or allergies. We do our best to use all local produce and to provide meals for you. It makes it really difficult if you arrive on site and tell us you don't eat onion, cheese, meat...etc, etc.
We're not the chicken nugget and chips kind of place, but if that's all you want, please let us know! Happy to cook that for you!
Our fishing lodge is fully equipped with cooking and shower facilities. It's not the Ritz hotel, but is very clean and provides you with a space to store dry clothes, somewhere to chill out and socialise and recharge your phones etc.. Nic has also provided a tackle shop that stocks the bits and pieces you may have forgotten, as well as house baits, pop ups, pellets, liquids and oils.
We also stock the coveted Lac du Coron hoodies and t'shirts! Be quick if you want to grab our opening season's design as we're about to change! Nic has been working on a new hoodie and some other bespoke bits for you all. We won't repeat a design, so if you want to snaffle the last few 'original' Lac du Coron items before they go, drop us a line.
We've had the pleasure of meeting some lovely people since opening Lac du Coron.
Each and every guest has provided us with valuable feedback and advice. We welcome any comments and will do our best to shape the lake and the facilities to your expectations whilst retaining the all important #Coronvibe.
It's our mission statement that we embrace our surroundings and retain the lakes natural feel. The #Coronvibe is a feeling we want to convey to all our guests. We want you to totally relax and enjoy your fishing and surroundings.
We are still learning how the environment and lake work. We are listening very closely to nature and the seasons. We do not want a manicured environment. Nic is very keen to keep the lake as natural as possible. That way you can appreciate the lake in its natural habitat. The fish are thriving here as they have plenty of room to explore and feed.
I'm happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. All in all, Nic and I want you to have a perfect fishing holiday and we'll do our best to ensure that you do!
