A Victorian Lakefront Retreat

Nestled along the shore of Lake Champlain, this 100 + year old victorian cottage has served as a summer home for the same family since 1963. Because of its size (5 bedrooms) and its unusual mostly sandy, gradually sloping beach it is the perfect vacation rental for a large active family or group of friends. And, since it has not been rented for the past 40 years, it is in excellent condition.

The cove that the cottage fronts has one of the few sandy beaches on the lake. This makes swimming and water play terrific for children and adults alike. A small, fiberglass dingy and an aluminum canoe are available for your use, and if you plan to bring a boat, the cove is deep enough for anchoring overnight and arrangements can be made for a mooring.

The lake is about 2 miles across here, with Vermont's Basin Harbor Resort immediately opposite the cottage. The public boat launch and the full-service Westport Marina are very close by. The town is within walking distance, but be aware the climb to the main road, though short, is rather steep.

The large porch in front overlooking the lake will be your vacation headquarters. From here you can direct all activities, enjoy some sunbathing, read a book, sip a cool drink and take a long, lazy nap, perhaps all at once. If you have children with you, the porch is a great place to watch yard activities, while still being separate enough to engage in adult conversation. The porch also has its own dining table with a gas grill just down the steps.

After your vacation is over what you'll probably remember most about the porch, in fact about your whole time at Lake Champlain, is the view. From Mt. Mansfield off to your left (Vermont's highest peak and home to Stowe) to tiny Button Island just across the lake, the setting is magnificent. But adding to it is the play of time and weather. Lake Champlain is big enough to be a weather-maker. Whether it's an early morning fog slowly rising, a nice blow from the northeast that clears the air and makes you put on a sweater even on a warm summer day, or a late afternoon thunderstorm marching across the lake, the weather adds a special patina to an already beautiful canvas.