Au Coin du Feu

The weekend was nice because of the champagne and our friends, not because of the house. After reading the owner’s comments on Darren’s review, I also realize I was far too kind in my Airbnb review. The house is spacious, but the outdoor area didn’t match the photo: there was no table or deck chairs, and everything was put away in a very dirty garden shed. Inside, a house advertised as having four bedrooms has only two doors and offers no privacy. The two rooms upstairs adjoin, so you have to go through one to reach the other, and the bathroom has no proper door. Unless you’re a large family using the top floor, I wouldn’t recommend it. The narrow, steep stairs to the bedrooms also make it inconvenient for couples with babies. We had no hot water on Saturday, and with temperatures below 0 that weekend, the heating took a long time to warm up. We weren’t told beforehand where to put the black bag, the only large bin and supply of black bags in the house. Even though we’d agreed on a late departure, the cleaner hadn’t been told and arrived at the usual time, asking us to leave immediately. She only agreed to let us stay after speaking with the owner. We were also told to put the sheets and towels in the laundry room before leaving, despite the 80 EUR cleaning fee.

The house is spacious and can sleep quite a few people, but it was easily my worst rental. The beds were awful, the furnishing poor, and there wasn’t much comfort or coziness. The place felt like somewhere to party and sleep wherever you could, not a family home or a place for adults looking for a bit of calm. The bedrooms were awkward, especially the last two: to reach the 4th bedroom you have to cross the 3rd “claimed” bedroom, which doesn’t really count as a bedroom. There are really only three awkward rooms. The insulation is terrible too, so bring ear plugs. All 8 of us had cold showers the first morning because there was a hot-water problem on arrival. They sort of fixed it, but not completely.

A great place to stay.

The children loved playing safely in the garden, and we enjoyed the peaceful spots there and the wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. Inside, the gîte is spacious, spotless, and nicely decorated, with comfortable bedrooms, welcoming shared areas, and a kitchen that has everything you need. The hosts greeted us warmly and were attentive and available throughout. It made for a lovely family break, and we left with great memories and would happily return. It’s a lovely place to get together with family or friends, relax, or explore the area.