Cathédrale des cieux

The location near the city center and the apartment’s unusual charm were just what we wanted. The main room was more pleasant, though there weren’t enough electrical outlets, so power strips had been connected in series. The steep stairs had two railings, but they didn’t feel sturdy enough either. The bathroom was the biggest problem. It smelled bad from the drains, the window was moldy from damp, and there was nowhere to hang clothes or dry towels. The hot water kept changing, and the heater was completely broken. It must have been around 12 degrees in there. The owners suggested using the small electric heater, but the only choices were putting it on the floor, where it barely warmed the room, or balancing it precariously on the sink less than a meter from the shower. There was nowhere else to put anything, and that felt disastrous from a safety point of view. The kitchen was just as cold because its heater didn’t work either, so it wasn’t inviting for making coffee. The dishes were basic but enough for three days, though we didn’t want to eat there anyway. The apartment also felt cramped, with very little comfortable seating. It definitely wasn’t 34 square meters, and it was hard to imagine relaxing with a book on a winter afternoon as the photos had led us to expect.

It’s very quiet, and Thibault was great to communicate with. The location is unbeatable, with a lovely courtyard in this old house. The apartment is small but well put together, and Thibault had useful tips and all the information we needed. A little gem in a beautiful city.

We had to find somewhere else to stay in a hurry, paying €75 for the OURSON plus another €90 for a cleaner place. That’s a lot for one night. We reported the deplorable state to the owner and asked to cancel because the place didn’t match the listing, just 30 minutes after booking. The owner refused to make any arrangements, said they’d lose a rental opportunity, and wouldn’t refund us. The apartment, OURSON DE LA CATHEDRALE, was extremely dirty and much smaller in reality than the advertised 22 m². It was on the ground floor right onto the street, not the courtyard shown in the photos. You couldn’t open the only window in the main room and have any privacy. It was beside the entrance to an old building with many apartments, so it wasn’t peaceful. The shower room was tiny and uncomfortable. The description made it sound quiet and spacious, and none of the photos showed what it was really like.

The garden was a real bonus, and the cottage was so peaceful, with only birdsong for sound. Two of its four windows look straight out onto the trees. We spent five days there and absolutely loved it. It’s cozy, comfortable, beautifully decorated, and a little unusual. We’d stayed at Gîte du Papillon in May, but it wasn’t available for the All Saints’ Day weekend, so we booked Ciel de la Cathédrale instead. We can’t wait to return.