Chambres dHtes La Maison

We loved our four days at Chambres d'Hotes La Maison in Rouen. Franck and Martine, the proprietors, were wonderfully warm, sweet, and considerate. We even ran into them later at a tasting stall in the fish market in Trouville, where Franck greeted us like old friends. Their care showed during the Lubrizol chemical factory fire on our second day. Franck urged us to leave in case the chemicals were toxic. The fire was under control by midday, and the air around La Maison was largely unaffected, unlike the city center, so we stayed and visited nearby Giverney and Castle Gaillard. The house is a lovely 19th C home about 20 minutes outside the city center. It somehow escaped the WWII bombs that devastated the nearby area, making it an oasis among otherwise unattractive post-war development. Behind the walls, the garden feels like the countryside. The rooms are charming and super comfortable, and breakfast included the best croissants of our trip, along with other yummy things. We were unsure we'd found the right place when our taxi stopped at the locked gate amid the charmless developments. The driver knew it was a gites, and then we spotted the small Gites de France sign, though it was easy to miss. A German couple arriving at the same time seemed just as unsure what to do. We used the intercom, and Franck quickly let us in and made everything after that simple. We had worried about the distance from the center, since the walk is a charmless 20 minutes, but a metro stop is only two minutes from La Maison and gets you to the center in five. Rouen is fascinating, and I highly recommend La Maison as a base for exploring it.

The garden feels like an amazing little oasis. Inside, the accommodation is gorgeous, and breakfast was fantastic. Our hosts were so warm and welcoming, always ready to help with anything we needed.

Comfort, hospitality, and location were all superior. Excellent in every way.

The room I picked on the second floor was the largest one, and it was gorgeous, spotless, and wonderfully quiet. Breakfast was better than I expected, with fresh baguette, butter, jam, yogurt, fruit, and croissants, plus eggs and bacon if requested. Outside, the building isn't especially attractive at first, but inside the gate there's a garden and a lovely 19th-century house, elegantly furnished with designer touches. The owner is incredibly kind and offers lots of helpful information for your stay and for exploring the city. His English isn't great, but he makes himself understood. The house is so refined and beautiful that it's even appeared in French luxury interior design magazines. I'd definitely recommend staying here.