Gites De Fontroussiere

The cottages are clean, comfortable and furnished with good taste. They feel like home, with a well-equipped kitchen, and the owners are friendly. A couple of small things could make it more comfortable: some lighting at the front of the house, and cushions for the kitchen chairs when watching TV, since there’s no sofa. The access track and lack of internet suited me, I like that bit of authenticity. Drivers with low-clearance cars might appreciate knowing the way in is a footpath. Thanks for a really pleasant stay, and keep it up!

The setting is lovely for getting away, and the kitchen is equipped, with comfortable beds. Those positives didn’t make up for the many problems we had. The drive to the gîte was difficult, with lots of stones and no signs. There was no soap or hand sanitizer. We also found no dishcloth, dish soap or cleaning products, even though guests are expected to clean before leaving or pay a €35 fee. You’d have to bring practically your whole house. The owner was accommodating about some parts of our booking, but throughout the stay she treated us disrespectfully and inappropriately. She reprimanded us in front of other guests, imposed rules that seemed absurd to us, never smiled, and came across as acting in bad faith. The hospitality and attention to detail were completely lacking. Even a retirement home would have felt warmer. Families with young children should know that a resident walked around topless by the pool. We warned the cottage owner, but nothing was resolved. Wi-Fi was absent and the 4G signal very weak, so we had to go out onto the terrace to use our devices. The TV reception was poor too, with encrypted channels and some channels unavailable.

The cottage was comfortable, with a lovely kitchen, and the setting made for a beautiful change of scenery. The only downside inside was the stairs to the bedrooms. Getting there is rough: the road has big stones and sand, and a 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Otherwise, you risk leaving your shock absorbers and undercarriage behind. The TV didn’t work properly during our stay. TF1, NT1 and TMC were unavailable, and other channels froze before showing a blue “no signal” screen. Not every cottage has internet, so it may suit people wanting to be entirely cut off. The owner was extremely unfriendly. I’ve travelled for 15 years and never encountered one like her: not a single smile during the stay, and the briefest “hello” without a smile. She really needs customer service training. At the pool, everyone, including children, has to be very quiet, or the owner will make sure the other cottages hear you. Apparently pool games have to be played in silence. There’s also a permanent resident, a woman of a certain age, who likes to sunbathe topless right next to you at the pool.

We stayed surrounded by nature and enjoyed the guaranteed peace and quiet. Flayosc center is just 10 minutes away, and the host was pleasant and helpful. A lovely spot for nature lovers 😀 Just be aware that getting to the upstairs rooms involves stairs.