Chambres et Gîtes Les Mésanges

The food was such a surprise. At dinner, I loved the "petit rond" soup, whose recipe is still a secret, and I can still taste it. Then came hedgehog roasted on a spit, with mushroom sauce and Provençal herbs, freshly prepared by charming Allain, the presumed owner of this delightful gîte. My partner and I had come for our first night there, and it was unforgettable. The little animals gave me a warm welcome, and the beautiful room smelled of flowers, lilac and rustic wood. It felt like a five-star fairytale, with solid gold sinks I’d never seen before. Thank you, Allain, for that incredible night. I’ll be back soon.

The rooms were unsanitary, dirty and dangerous, especially for €51 and €59 per couple when all we wanted was a REST. We left with no one there to greet us, so we had to leave the keys on the table and head to our activity. We’d booked through Booking.com, a huge mistake. The house reeked of cigarettes and animals, with lots of cats. The open fireplace in the living room stank throughout the house, and there were no smoke detectors, though the listing said they were present and they’re mandatory. Our rooms had broken tiles and extremely dangerous electrical outlets. In the bedroom, there were unidentified yellow marks on the wall, live and dead insects, stained sheets, hair clippings and lots of cobwebs. Rain was coming through a leak at the corner of the window. That evening, people who weren’t staying at the gîte drank, blasted the television and made an unbearable racket until 3 a.m. A disaster. The photos speak for themselves. RUN AWAY.

Thankfully, I hadn’t paid anything in advance. I hadn’t read the reviews before going in, and my first thought was wondering how I could spend a night there. My grandson wanted to sleep in the car rather than the room. We found another place, then came back to Les Mésanges half an hour later to return the key. We were relieved to spend a very pleasant night elsewhere in the region. After reading the reviews, I can say I saw some truth in them during my 10 minutes there.

The bedding was poor quality, and my back hurt. The air felt unhealthy from the high humidity, and the place was cold and badly heated. Cat and damp smells were unpleasant and clung to my clothes. I can’t understand how this guesthouse is allowed to host guests. The earlier reviews are true, but the owner clearly doesn’t take them into account or seem interested in improving. I had no choice but to leave. Believe me, if you have the same experience, don’t stay. Better to lose your money and go somewhere else.