Beautiful farm cottage in the French countryside
Review submitted: 1 May 2016
Date of stay: March 2016
We stayed in the cottage with our 9 month old baby for 10 days over Easter 2016 and had a lovely, relaxing time. We didn't want to leave! The owner Katerina was very helpful, friendly and really made us feel at home.
The cottage is located in St Hippolyte a small village about 20 minutes away by car from the nearest town Loche. The village is very quiet with a lovely boulangerie to get your baguettes and croissants every morning and a nice restaurant. Loche is a lovely pretty town with a beautiful castle, lots of cafes and restaurants and has a market every Wednesday and Saturday which is definitely worth paying a visit. Would definitely recommend La Galerie B for dinner on a special occasion!
The cottage itself was very comfortable for a couple and a baby with everything you could possibly need including a lovely wood-burning stove to curl up to on a cold evening! It was clean, tidy and had good Wifi as well as access to UK TV if required.
We spent our days exploring the Tourraine region with plenty of walks on offer and visits to beautiful Chateaus including Chenonceau and Amboise which are all within easy reach of the cottage.
I would definitely recommend this cottage for a lovely relaxing holiday and to use as a base for visiting the surrounding Loire Valley. Thank you Katerina!
Owner's Response: We are delighted that you enjoyed your break at our cottage. We always try to make our visitors stay a pleasant experience. Thank you again for choosing to spend your Easter break with us. Please give a big hug to your daughter Mae Olivia. John and Katerina.
A perfect Loire setting of peace and tranquility.
Review submitted: 19 August 2015
Date of stay: July 2015
We have just spent a lovely week here - a real opportunity to relax and unwind in the most peaceful and tranquil of settings. Imagine ... the gentle hum of bees on lavender, a family of deer on the crest of the hill and a Sancerre in hand - sunshine in a glass - perfect!
The property provides a rustic experience - with all the facilities required for a very pleasant stay.
We enjoyed local markets, brocantes and the nearby chateau of Montresor along with philosophy at Descartes. Loches was perfect for morning coffee or lunch in the sun - an interesting little town with something for all.
This is a real gem of a property and we hope to return next year.
Emma & Paul Tyler
A week in the Loire
Review submitted: 28 October 2014
Date of stay: July 2014
We spent a week in this lovely cottage. Everything was perfect and all the things we needed were provided. The grounds where the cottage was situated were perfect and so well maintained by the owners Katerina and John. Magnificent views over the surrounding countryside and a perfect base to explore this wonderful area of France. It was so peaceful but close enough to nearby towns if you wanted a night out.
We were lucky enough to have Katerina and John staying at the same time and we saw just how hard they work to keep this site in perfect order. We benefitted from their knowledge of the area which they were happy to share with us and we spent a lovely evening with them chatting and drinking wine at their home. It was a really nice stay and we would definitely recommend it.
Steve and Jackie Hamilton, Essex, England
Out window to the Loire
Review submitted: 25 August 2014
Date of stay: July 2014
From the moment we arrived we were welcomed by the most wonderful hosts. We shared wine, meals and a day with them visiting Angel sur l'Anglin and we developed a wonderful friendship.
The accommodation was clean, comfortable and well maintained. Like all of the places we stayed, the only suggestion for improvement would be ceiling fans for the hot evenings.
We would recommend this as a restful place to stay or a central location to base yourself for day trips.
It would be ideal for a family with lots of space for children to play. While there was ample space to share with a second couple, the bedding best suited a family.
We would not hesitate to stay there again. Katerina organised a meeting with a local in our profession. Her knowledge and advice on local tourist sights, where to eat and suggestions of activities were very appropriate.
We hope we can return their hospitality when they visit Australia in the future.
Owner's Response: Thank you Judy and Rod for your review. We don't often have temperatures of 40 degrees in the Loire! I will however take your recommendation on board and make sure that we provide cooling fans for very hot days.
A delightful gite with excellent facilities
Review submitted: 28 July 2014
Date of stay: June 2014
Highly recommended and very French!. The cottage is in a wonderful peaceful location. Very well maintained and equipped, clean throughout. The gite is in an excellent location for visiting chateaux and towns including Loches and Tours.
Owner's Response: Thank you very much for reviewing our cottage. We are very happy that you enjoyed your staying at La Maison des Amis and you found the cottage and the surrounding area to your satisfaction. We hope you can return to our place and region one day. With kind regards, Katerina
Oasis of rest
Review submitted: 9 October 2013
Date of stay: September 2013
We have spent a very good time in St Hippolyte in La Maison des Amis. We were in love for the cottage!. Such a nice cosy place! It was so calme and peaceful there. An oasis of rest! It is a place to return! The house is very comfortable. We had all we need. And the region of Val de Loire is very interesting.Beautiful area and there is also a lot to visit and to see.
Frits and Sylvia Krijnen ( The Netherlands)
Peace and calm! But close to amenities!
Review submitted: 19 August 2013
Date of stay: July 2013
So peaceful and tranquil! All we expected and more. Easy to find, down a little lane yet not far from the main roads which made touring the area very easy. The cottage was cool inside with its stone walls and small windows- a relief at times from the heat outside. Everything was well maintained and of good quality, with comfy sofa, chairs and beds....there was everything we needed and more. It was all clean and very cosy. 2 of our party are "less mobile" but we found the property was suitable for us although the stairs were curved and a little difficult with no handrail. Manageable though. And the downstairs bathroom and toilet helped. The gardens were lovely and well kept. The caretaker was close by in case of any problems- such as when we couldn't get the tv to work which was down to us, not the tv! The epicerie/boulangerie in the village was closed when we were there but bread was available at the Marie and supermarkets were only a few km away, where you could also buy petrol including on the Sunday. The local restaurant, La Renaissance, is also to be recommended- good food, good service and very friendly : you'll need a little French here, but they will appreciate you trying! There are so many places to visit in the area and we got to many of them- but there would have been plenty to have kept us busy for a month or more. The towns and chateaux are just lovely, and the countryside is pretty and gentle. I'd recommend both the cottage and the area to anyone- we thought it was excellent value for money!
Jenn, United Kingdom
A little piece of Heaven
Review submitted: 19 August 2013
Date of stay: July 2013
Very easy to find. If you want to look ahead, look on Google Street View you can just see it as you enter Bourg Neuf! The grounds are just lovely and very well maintained, full of butterflies, birds and bees. And we loved our donkey and goat neighbours. There was always some part of the garden that caught the full sun. And it was HOT!!!!! so we were delighted to realise just how cool the cottage was inside, with its stone walls and small windows. Everything about the cottage was of good quality, no skimping. There was simply everything we could have possibly needed- and this included the means to keep it all clean and tidy, which was really no effort. Do look out for the paw prints in the floor tiles- my favourite "find"! The sofa, chairs and beds were all very comfortable. Ellen, the caretaker, was very helpful when we couldn't work out how to use the tv and came and showed us. We were also delighted that the wi-fi worked perfectly- not always the case in rural areas - so we could easily keep in touch, have to go back!
Peaceful cottage near Loire valley
Review submitted: 30 July 2013
Date of stay: July 2013
La Maison des Amis was perfect for our holiday.
The cottage is well equipped and is in a lovely setting, with a well-kept pretty garden looking out across fields and adjoining an orchard. Birdsong and buzzing bees were the soundtrack to our time there.
Nearby Loches was good for shopping - both in the supermarket and the market which, combined with a visit to the Donjon and Royal Palace, made a lovely day. Further afield Chenonceaux is about 30 mins away and Chaumont - with its garden festival - just under an hour.
La Maison des Amis proved perfect for our holiday – we were able relax peacefully in the sun at the cottage, visit some of the ‘big names’ in the Loire and explore the interesting ‘hidden gem’ villages nearby. (Watching the Tour de France whizz through Villeloin Coulanges was just a 2013 bonus!!)
Thanks to Katerina for all her work making it perfect!
Lovely tranquil stay in the Loire
Review submitted: 9 July 2013
Date of stay: June 2013
A lovely, authentic, traditional french cottage, set in the heart of the beautiful Loire countryside. Old tiled floors, fireplace and old oak beams - all very romantic! Very quiet and peaceful pretty garden, secluded with views over neighbouring fields - a real suntrap, good for the BBQ and long summer evenings.
A good location near Loches, close to many Chateaux and other pretty villages and also the rivers.
Thank you Katerina, we had an excellent time and would stay again :)
Trevor & Karen
A Cottage that 'exudes' Peace and Relaxation
Review submitted: 7 July 2013
Date of stay: June 2013
La Maison des Amis is one of the most comfortable gîtes in which we have ever stayed. It is very well equipped with loads of storage space for clothing, luggage and so on. The kitchen utensils are excellent and there was nothing that we were unable to cook because of lack of suitable equipment. Even the kitchen knives, unlike most others that we have experienced, were of excellent quality and actually cut effectively! And furthermore there is the means of maintaining them in that state! The chairs and settee are very comfortable as is also the one bed that we occupied.
It is beautifully situated just off a minor, very quiet road. Its immediate surroundings are a large orchard, a well maintained garden and the large garden of the owner’s own house. The more distant view is of fields and woods. It 'exudes' peace, quietness and relaxation. At the same time, however, access to main roads and to the lovely town of Loche and thence to the chateaux of the Loire and the many other places of interest, is quick and easy.
This is a gîte to which we shall return.
Andy G.
A Calm and Peaceful Place
Review submitted: 1 July 2013
Date of stay: June 2013
We certainly enjoyed our stay at St Hippolyte,or rather to be more precise Bourg Neuf a hamlet of 3 or 4 properties about a 5 min walk from the village. The small village has a restaurant and boulongerie which makes for an easier life. We had no difficulty finding the cottage. It was very clean and comfortable and the facilities were fine. English TV (with DVD) was a bonus.
Although the weather was mixed we were able to "eat out" a few times in the garden overlooking a small stream with uninterupted views over the fields to the horizon. It was great to relax over a meal and a glass of wine and then to catch up with our reading.
We have been to the Loire region on a number of occassions but never south of Tours. This region has many fine places to visit not least Loches and its castle as well as the La Brenne Parc Naturel ( a land of 1,000 lakes). We were able to visit some of the smaller less known places such as Montrichard and St Aignan which were a delight.
We can definitely recommend the cottage (and the region) to anyone wanting a calm and peaceful place to stay.
Harold and Rosemary
Lovely and Tranquil Cottage
Review Submitted: 29 March 2013
Date of Stay: April 2013
We had a lovely and relaxed break in this lovely peaceful and tranquil haven.
We arrived in the evening and the owners Katerina and John were so welcoming. When we had a few problems finding the exact location of the cottage they even offered to come and get us!
The cottage itself was lovely clean and the lovely fireplace gave us a welcoming and warm atmosphere. The beds were very comfortable and my 5 year old daughter would have happily spent all her time at the cottage. She named it the "Goldilocks Cottage" and was happy to throw stones into the stream every evening!
We spent a lovely week here and most of the time had good weather, some days could have been better but on the whole we were lucky.
There is plenty to see with several charming chateaus to see when you think you have seen a lovely one you move on to the next that takes you to a new dimension!
My daughter enjoyed the zoo which is not too far away and also the local markets were very entertaining with plenty of local produce to buy.
We ordered food from the restaurant near by. They were very accomodating and asked us to collect it at a certain time. It was all well prepared.
I would certainly recommend this lovely place to anyone wishing to get away from it all. It has so much to offer and we are looking forward to another break like this in the near future.
Greesha, Karl and Larissa
La Maison Des Amis
Review Submitted: 07 July 2012
Date of Stay: May 2012
We had the most amazing relaxing holiday in this property situated in the quiet village of Saint-Hippolyte in the Loire Valley.
We found the peace and tranquility to be superb. On a couple of occasions when we were sitting outside late afternoon reading all that could be heard was the buzzing of the bees and the gentle neighing sounds from the horses in the top paddock - BLISS !!!!! The weather was VERY GOOD to us too - which was a real bonus.
The property had all modern appliances fitted - dishwasher, washing machine, fridge freezer etc which we found invaluable.
The owner was very helpful with our many questions before our visit and provided excellent customer service.
We would not hesitate to recommend this property to other people if you are looking for somewhere to escape from the hustle and bustle of real life.
Jan and Alec Winsor
A perfect holiday location
Review Submitted: 02 July 2012
Date of Stay: June 2012
We had an excellent holiday in this very comfortable cottage. The weather was very mixed and we found the log burning stove a boon. The house was very clean and welcoming on our arrival.
The garden is perfect and very private, with very comfortable sunloungers and the only noises to be heard are the birds, neighing of the horses in the field and the honking of next door's donkey just bliss.
Ellen the housekeeper is extremely helpful.
The cottage is in an ideal situation just a short walk from a small village but within easy access to all the major Chateaux.
The availability of broadband was a useful extra.
Helen R.
Enchanting, relaxing get-away
Review Submitted: 25 April 2012
Date of Stay: April 2012
My daughter and I stayed in this lovely cottage for six nights and it exceeded all our expectations! The cottage is charming, roomy (large bathroom and bedroom!) and so cozy with a wood-burning fireplace.
Nestled in to the countryside, it provides all the comforts you can imagine yet it is steeped in French history. The property owner, Katerina, was a fabulous hostess and gave us a lot of ideas on places in the area to explore. Just a short walk away is a goat cheese farm run by a lovely young couple and the cheese is amazing! There are many chateau's within 30 - 45 minute drive - our favorite was Château de Chenonceau. Pick up some macaroons from the local boulangerie in St. Hippolyte, but go early as they sell out fast, and be sure to stop at several of the wineries. Loches is close by and has several shops and gas stations. Everyone is friendly, but many don't speak English. So be a gracious guest and learn at least a few basic French phrases.
I just can't say enough about how amazing our stay was at Maison de Amis. The property is immaculate and exactly as described. And the walnut farm and surrounding countryside is simply enchanting. The world seemed to stand still while we unplugged and explored. We can't wait to go back!
Donna B.
Great place to unwind
Review Submitted: 23 February 2012
Date of Stay: January 2012
Unlike the other reviews, our time spent at La Maison Des Amis was in Winter.
We stayed for the 1st week of January in 2012 after a week in Paris.
The weather was great except for one day. Our photos almost all have bright blue sky. A sprinkle of snow would have been nice but im not complaining.
What we found was the perfect place to unwind located just right to make trips in any direction. I won't list all the great places and attractions we visited because it would fill the page. We were astounded several times to have chateaus almost to ourselves. Be sure to drive on the backroads as they seem to have surprises around every corner.
The cottage was very clean and comfortable and the open fire made for some cosy nights with a glass or two of red. It soon feels like home away from home.
Booking couldn't have been easier and the caretaker who will warmly greet you lives nearby if you need any assistance or local knowledge.
We wouldn't hesitate recommending a visit to this holiday cottage.
Neil & Kerryn
Melbourne Australia
Owner's Response: We are very happy that you enjoyed your break at La Maison des Amis. Delighted also that you enjoyed the local vin rouge. We always try to make our visitors stay a memorable experience.
Katerina
Idyllic Family Holiday!
Review Submitted: 10 October 2011
Date of Stay: August 2011
We had the most wonderful holiday in this idyllic hide away in the beautiful Loire Valley. When we arrived the cottage was spotless and had all the 'mod cons' you could possibly wish for whilst maintaining its old world charm. Every morning we treated ourselves to the freshly baked bread and croissants from the local village bakery and spent the day relaxing in the sunshine drinking in the views of sunflowers and vineyards.
My 3 year old daughter loved watering the flowers everyday and my baby even took her first steps in the enclosed garden surrounding the cottage. We felt safe and contented at all times. As a family holiday, this is as good as it could possibly get; with home comforts, sunshine, culture and great food on your door step. Our girls loved visiting the beautiful park facing the Chateaux in Loches and I still got to indulge in my passion for art and culture, despite being a busy mum!
My husband, who is a real foodie, had nothing but good things to say about the food in the local markets and restaurants. Our daughters loved running around the various Chateaux gardens, while I enjoyed exploring the history and wine of the region, so we all got to do the things we loved! The beauty of this cottage is that it is so near all the cultural hotspots but is located in a quiet, peaceful region of the Loire. It was the perfect place for a family holiday and we would definitely recommend it to everyone!
Carmel
The Cavendish family from Scotland
Review Submitted: 01 September 2011
Date of Stay: July 2011
We would recommend this accomodation for so many reasons. The cottage has such a welcoming feel and was more lovely than we expected. It is very comfortable, homely and it's very cosy. The kitchen is well equiped and the bathroom/utility room is luxurious. The master bedroom is well sized and it's like a little apartment of it's own if you want time to yourself in the house. The twin room is comfortable and cosey. The gardens are very relaxing and the lavender bushes and geraniums add to the authentic French feel. The garden has plenty of room for children to run around and play.
This was our first family holiday in France and one we will always remember for all the right reasons. There is plently to do and see in the area. The tourist office in Loche is very helpfull and Loche itself is a beautiful town and only about 10 minutes from the cottage. There are plenty of swimming pools indoor/outdoor around and lots of parks and play areas for children. There are supermarkets 5-10 minutes from the cottage where you can get all your provisions.
We visited the nearby Goats Cheese farm which was about 5 minutes from the cottage. It was a very interesting visit and the owners are very friendly and helpful and you get to see the goats!
Katerina and John are such a lovely couple and we had the pleasure of meeting them when we were over. This would also be the ideal cottage for a romantic getaway or even a honeymoon!
Michelle C.
Peace and tranquility
Review Submitted: 29 August 2011
Date of Stay: July 2011
We have just returned from our 7th visit to the cottage and will definitely be returning next year. This is the perfect place if you enjoy peace and quiet with fantastic wildlife on the doorstep.
The cottage is well equipped with everything you would need and an excellent new kitchen has recently been installed.
The nearby village offers an excellent restaurant and there are many walks around the area to enjoy.
An excellent base for visiting the Loire Valley area.
Marie Devlin
Scotland
Royal cities and enchanted valleys
Review Submitted: 28 July 2011
Date of Stay: March 2011
I have visited La Maison des Amis twice in as many years and I should readily set sail across the Channel in that direction again tomorrow.
The cottage and its facilities, the surrounding area and the regional attractions, all of them described accurately on the web-site, provide such an array of holiday comforts and activities that any stay will almost certainly be filled with relaxation and amusement from beginning to end. I found the cottage immaculately presented, with modern facilities throughout, including a fully-equipped kitchen in which to practise locally-learnt cooking techniques, and wonderful fire-places for spring or cool-summer evenings. In addition, there is support when needed from people on the ground, so this lochoise experience comes worry-free. Nearby, the local village has everything one might need to supply feeding and watering requirements as well as a bar-restaurant run and patronised by welcoming local people.
Because La Maison des Amis proved such a tranquil and accommodating location, and because the region boasts so much to see and do, I should gladly recommend this to anybody eager to explore the provincial France in which it nestles. And, just south of the Loire, it has the ideal spring and summer climate too: hot, but not sizzling! Perfect.
Joseph T.
Visited June 2011
Review Submitted: 11 July 2011
Date of Stay: June 2011
We had a fantastic time. Booked villa online and it lived up to expections - clean, spacious and in a great location.
Suzi