La Bergerie Provençale, Mme Christelle Meyere

The pool was still a treat in September, and my two-year-old grandson could hardly get enough of it. His other daily highlight was visiting the chickens and getting to collect eggs. The house was just as well kept as we remembered, but we were surprised to find it freshly painted and the kitchen completely renovated. There was even a chilled bottle of rosé waiting in the fridge. Thank you, Christelle, for looking after us and helping make another holiday a success.

It’s wonderfully quiet in both the house and garden, yet the charming center of Salernes is less than a 10-minute walk away. The owners are discreet, welcoming, and ready to help. There’s plenty of room inside, with two large bedrooms, good storage, practical furnishings, and a house that’s easy to keep cool. Outside, the spacious garden has a lovely pool, lots of shade, children’s play equipment including a tree house, slide, climbing frame and swing, plus chickens in a nice coop. Highly recommended!

We’ve rented three times a year for 10 years, and this was the first time we came away so disappointed, especially by the owner’s response. The house felt basic, the pillows need replacing, and the only things we liked were the pool and fans. It’s not isolated: the garden is shared with the owners, who stay upstairs while guests are downstairs, there’s no fence between the green areas, and even the neighbors pass through your garden. Pets were allowed when we booked, but on arrival we found chickens roaming onto the terrace. Our curious dog couldn’t be kept away from them, and we were told we should have read the contract, which says the animal must not roam alone on the property. The owner said that outside stimuli didn’t change that, and that because it’s the countryside, the chickens needed to be out. She was on vacation too, she said, but apparently a dog tied to a tree for eight hours was fine. We found the owner unpleasant and unwilling to accommodate us. After our stay, pets apparently won’t be allowed anyway. The heated pool was another issue. After a storm, when we asked about it, we were told it was like turning on the heating in summer and that we had to wait for off-peak hours. There’s also no pool sunscreen, as the contract specifies, so that’s a problem if you have toddlers. At €1,500 for the rental, there are much better and friendlier options nearby if you have any expectations, questions, or pets. Your response just shows your bad faith 😂! We’re allowed to share our opinion of our experience, even though it was negative.

We had a great week and came away feeling recharged. It’s such a peaceful, idyllic spot, with a comfortable house and a magnificent pool. Thanks, Christelle, for the warm welcome.