About us
The Scheenaard family, your hosts at La Batisse
Hello,
We are the Scheenaard family, Bart, Yvon, Kate and Emma. In April 2022 we set out on the great adventure. We left the Netherlands behind and exchanged it for the domaine La Batisse in Saint Laurent, Lot-et-Garonne.
We’ve both always had a soft spot for France. Above all, we came here to live à la douce France. Bart has long dreamed of running a hotel, and Yvon brings the warm “Brabantse” hospitality she was raised with, running a gîte felt like the natural place to start. It’s not a hotel, but sometimes you have to start small to grow bigger.
Both of us work from home for Dutch companies. Beyond our “regular” jobs there are 1.2 hectares of garden and the house itself to look after. If there’s still time left, we try to fit in some sport. But what we love most is sharing a drink and a bite in good company under the southern French sun.
Our eldest daughter Kate (2014) attends collège in Port-Sainte-Marie. She trains twice a week as a gymnast, so it’s not unusual for us to be treated to a full show with all the tricks.
Our youngest daughter Emma (2018) goes to primary school in Saint-Laurent. Her hobby is majorette. Her performances take us on the road regularly, and we’ve already enjoyed many a village fête this way.
Since November 2023 our family has been completed by our dog Kay (a shepherd cross with… we’re not entirely sure). He loves meeting new friends, human or animal. Outside, his greatest companion is a tennis ball, and he’s mastered the art of convincing absolutely anyone with his most charming look to throw it, so he can race off and bring it right back. Around a hundred times a day.
Enjoying life at La Batisse doesn’t mean we’ve given up our own hobby: travelling. So during your stay, our hosting duties may occasionally be taken over by one of our hand-picked stand-ins ;).