Auberge de l'Etang

We’ve been returning every year for more than 20 years and plan to keep coming back. The staff are friendly, attentive, and do all they can to make the stay pleasant. It’s a fantastic hotel for an overnight stop, and the food is amazing.

The restaurant food was tasty and good quality, though there was only a fixed menu. For an overnight stop, the price was reasonable. There’s no secure parking, but the hotel is in a quiet little village, so I wasn’t too worried about leaving the car in the nearby public car park. The room felt a bit dated. The bedding was clean, while cleanliness elsewhere was only just acceptable.

We picked Magnac Bourg for a one-night stop because of the village itself and the amenities at the logis auberge de l’étang. It’s a “village étape,” a kind of tourism recognition for villages with cultural history, a notable nearby site, and high standards for accommodation or restaurants. The rooms were quiet enough for us to sleep with the window open, and breakfast was a pleasant continental one with a choice of things. The pool was very clean, with a nice garden overlooking an artificial lake. The dining room was magnificent, decorated beautifully in black and white, though sadly it was only for looking at. We couldn’t sit there for dinner, and the options were two cold dishes on the terrace. The woman who handled our phone call and reservation was professional and lovely to talk to. Check-in, though, was a cold shower: we gave the gentleman, presumably the manager, our name, and he went to the computer without a greeting or welcome, then brought back a key and said “room X.” When I asked how to get to the pool, he stayed in the kitchen and said, “Through the restaurant.” I’d just arrived and had no idea where that was, so he eventually showed me. After cancelling the pseudo-dinner, we went into the village. A few locals told us the auberge had been doing well a few years ago but was declining. More unflattering details came up, but they aren’t for here. I admire the woman for keeping a brave face every day. And please dust the lamp shades. The room décor was a bit “kitch,” and matching the tapestry pattern and colour on the curtains and bedspread wasn’t to my taste.

The food was way overpriced. My salad was tired and not very fresh, the chicken was a big frozen nugget, and the potatoes were old and over-fried. They dressed it all up to look fancy, just like the over-the-top décor. I told the guy I’d seen the bad reviews and wanted to give them a chance to earn a good one. They didn’t. The owner could use a personality transplant too.