La Bonne Etoile - The Good Star

There’s no air conditioning in this south-facing apartment, and even the cool night air didn’t bring relief. It sits right on the historic center’s main square, so there’s noise and nowhere to park. Watch the parking rules closely: even the 30-minute stop for dropping off kids [3] and groceries got me a fine straight away. Worse than Switzerland. What a shame, because the apartment itself is wonderful, clean, and well equipped, in an unforgettable spot like a painting in the Provençal Alps.

The apartment’s location is hard to beat, right in the heart of Moustiers Saint-Marie and about 10 minutes from the Verdon Gorge. Check-in was easy, it’s a lovely and unusual place, and there were basics like soap and shampoo, plus a washer and dryer. We broke a plate and weren’t charged for it. The town is fantastic, though next time I’d choose somewhere beyond the center. The price felt high for what you get, with the location doing most of the work, and I’ve taken off a star for the lack of air conditioning and the communication problems. The heat was rough: it was 34°C outside and 29°C indoors, and the fans and shutters barely helped. We couldn’t sleep properly. Most communication with the owner was in French. I explained I didn’t speak it, but was told to use a translator, and then my questions went unanswered for days. Parking was a nightmare, outside town and paid, which made carrying groceries a hassle. The apartment was partly dusty and unclean. It had just one dish towel, and several things were damaged and needed replacing, including a dining chair, the light above the stove, a bowl, and the colander handle. The old sponge was unusable, and there was initially no dish soap or clothes rack, though those were brought over quickly. The bathroom is very cramped and wouldn’t suit a family with small children. Its loud ventilation made odd noises without clearing the air, and with no window it got stuffy after showers.

I had an attic room, nicely furnished but a little tight, with low ceilings at the edges. It can get stuffy without air conditioning, though opening the windows and using the ceiling fan helped some. Sounds carry through the place, and the doors feel like cardboard fitted close to the frames. At times there was a sewage smell, probably from the roof vents. It’s a nice hotel right in the center of town.

The bedding was dusty and I couldn't tell when it had last been washed. The pillows smelled so bad I couldn’t use them, and dust had settled in lots of places. It looks like the place needs maintenance. It’s a privately run property in a 17th-century building, tidy in appearance and very well placed for seeing Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, but there’s no parking or elevator. Without air conditioning, the heat lasted into the late evening.