Domaine des Cazottes

We had a truly successful country wedding here. The house has lovely regional character, and the secluded setting meant there was no noise to disturb us. There are waterfalls and hiking trails nearby, plus river swimming, a little campfire spot and a rustic bar. It would work well for a family or friends' holiday too, or for events like weddings and business meetings. A beautiful, peaceful place.

We got to try the owner's birch sap, which is completely natural, and really enjoyed it. Domaine des Cazottes is surrounded by nature and wonderfully quiet, with a magnificent old-fashioned house that suited our family gathering so well. We had a lovely holiday here. I highly recommend the products and an authentic short stay.

For €3,000 a week, I expected much better. The setting itself is peaceful, with a nice view and no traffic noise, and the pool was a decent size. There's also a well-kept ping-pong table with paddles and balls. But getting to the house means driving down to the bottom of a valley, which may be stressful, and every outing takes about five extra minutes to reach the main road. The river is a short but steep walk away. The house and grounds were in poor shape. There was dust and clutter everywhere, the provided sheets smelled strongly of mildew and clearly hadn't been washed before we arrived, and most of the overgrown yard hadn't been mowed. Nettles made it impossible to let children play by the swing set. A bad smell lingered in the living room throughout our stay, and the kitchen smelled of sewage whenever the first-floor macerator toilet was flushed. There were safety concerns too. The pool barrier opened just by pushing it, despite the latch seeming to require an adult to press and turn it. The stairs between the first and second floors weren't secured, which could be an issue with children sleeping upstairs. There is a bedroom and a bunk-bed alcove on the ground floor, along with a bathroom. We also had mice or rats in the house, so everything had to be put away in boxes, coolers or cupboards, even sealed plastic bags. When we raised it, the owner's response was, “It's the countryside.” The house cat had fleas, and we only worked out after a few days that it was causing the bites, so watch out if you have children. We got no real welcome and weren't given information about local walks. This was the first rental season, in summer 2021, and we booked without reviews. I wish someone had warned us. I wouldn't rent this house again. At €1,500 a week, maybe it could make sense for its capacity if you can put up with the cleanliness and smells and want somewhere remote. At this price, there are much better properties.

Such a relaxing, almost magical spot, with a view that takes your breath away. Magnificent place, highly recommend it.