Le Jardin de Beauvoir

Our hosts were welcoming, pleasant, and very service-minded. They took great care of us, and we’d love to return. The old town of Lyon is easy to reach on foot from Fouviere hill, though some parts of the walk are quite steep. The location sits high above the city noise, in a lovely private walled garden among tall trees. The rustic main house and recently rebuilt side buildings frame a broad lawn edged with roses and herbs. Breakfast is served there when the weather permits. Stairs between the buildings lead to another walled garden above and behind them, with a stunning city view from its southern end. We had the spacious garden suite on the lower level, with big south-facing windows looking onto the front garden. The room is raised enough to feel private without drawing the curtains. The light, softened by the trees, was lovely, and the air conditioning kept things comfortable on warm sunny days. High ceilings add to the airy feel. A half wall separates the bathroom area from the rest of the room, while the toilet has its own small room with a lockable door. The tub is medium-sized, with space for two seated adults if they’re very good friends. Its tap has a nice handheld shower head, but there’s nowhere to mount it on the wall. With no curtain or wall on two sides, water gets onto the bathroom floor, though plenty of towels are provided. Breakfast came with warm fresh-baked goods, butter, local ham and cheese, and jams that seemed homemade. There was freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee or tea, and scrambled eggs if you wanted them.