L'Isle de Bourbon

We eventually found another place that wasn’t listed as pet friendly, and it was far more accommodating than this one. I can’t recommend this place to anyone travelling with dogs. It might be nice otherwise, but management could use a lesson or two in customer service. We’d booked five nights during a major local competition because the listing said pets were welcome. Our five dogs would stay and sleep in the car, as they’ve done on years of trips through 16 other countries and many accommodations. A week before we arrived, with temperatures forecast at 27 degrees Celsius, we asked whether we could park in the shade. The hosts blamed us for not explaining the reason for our visit or mentioning all five dogs. We repeatedly said we’d walk them in the forest, keep them leashed, and clean up after them. In the end, the manager said dogs weren’t allowed anywhere on the property, including the yard and garden, despite the pet friendly listing. The requirements were impossible for us, so we considered cancelling our already paid reservation. The manager said that was probably best. Our first trip to France got off to a rough start.

The garden is lovely and the host was nice. Breakfast was simple. We slept in a little building attached to the main one, where the bed was okay, though both the room and shower were rather small. If you stay here, you might want to ask for a room in the mansion.

We’ll be back. This was a charming guesthouse and a great stop on our Vendée tour cycling route, with thoughtful, attentive hosts. I’d recommend trying the table d'hôtes set menu.

There was no noise at night, and even our tandem bicycle had a safe spot in the garage. Marc and Étienne welcomed us like royalty to their magnificent home, with a garden that felt wonderfully peaceful. The hosts were friendly, the Réunion cuisine was delicious, and the meal flowed along nicely, with almost everything homemade. Breakfast was generous. Perfect!