Le Rouge Gorge

We had a great time sitting by the pool on a summer evening and enjoying the Provence nights. The location is very nice, the staff are friendly, and the owner is also the chef and did an amazing job. Thanks, Rouge Gorge, I’ll come back.

The views from the pool over the mountains of the Provence Verte were lovely, and the food was excellent and very authentic. We found the hostess super friendly and welcoming at this charming chambre d’hôtes in the quaint village of Ponteves, France. Highly recommended.

I’m left wondering whether some of the other reviewers have low standards or simply don’t get out much. Rating a hotel and restaurant together is tricky, so I’ll take them separately. The pool was fairly large, clean and sunny for most of the day. There could have been more deck chairs, though there were armchairs too. Breakfast was okay, but below what I’m used to at bed and breakfasts. It wasn’t a buffet; someone brought a plate with everything on it. The jam, yogurt and croissants were really good, but there was no honey or toaster, and the bread was a basic baguette that did the job without being enjoyable. The restaurant menu says everything is homemade. I’ve eaten out a lot, and I can guarantee that not many of the things I saw were made there, apart from salads and fish dishes where there wasn’t much to do. The crayfish gratin was obviously bought ready-made. Maybe they count assembling it there as homemade, but I find that unfair. The suggested white wine, on the other hand, was outstanding. Service was friendly and good. The one dampener was that the older lady wouldn’t tell me what to see nearby and pointed me to their magazine instead. As for the room, this is an hotel, not a bed and breakfast, despite how it’s advertised. Someone makes the bed every day, there are mandatory emergency exit signs, and the room had no charm. Room number 1, normally for 3 people, costs 120€, but the lady on the phone kindly offered it for 110€ since there were only 2 of us. What a disappointment when we arrived. The bathroom and bedroom had pale lighting, the bed was 140 cm, the TV was tiny, there was no shower curtain, and everything looked antiquated. There were a few ants regularly wandering on the bed, and the room smelled of insecticide when we arrived. The noise insulation was terrible. Without earplugs, you’re likely to wake up when people unlock their doors or talk in the corridor. I saw a glimpse of other rooms costing a little more, 130€, and they were much better quality for the price, with more light and a sofa. In my opinion Room 1 should cost 80€. I’ve stayed at a bunch of bed and breakfasts, and this was by far the worst for the price. Even if you expect a hotel, this isn’t a room I’d want to spend my holidays in. DO NOT ACCEPT ROOM 1.

The owners were attentive, and the place was easy to get to. We had a great room with two bathrooms and a wonderful breakfast by the pool, all in a beautiful part of the world.