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Review 3083: La Barauderie, Le Ferme du Petit Souper

www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=1619

Recommended. Review by Chris from CA

2bed/1bath house on a farm near Montrichard, Loire Valley

When

April 2007, 4 nights

Location

This is a lovely stone cottage out in the countryside between Montrichard and Amboise between the Loire River and the Cher River. It's only 10 minutes or so into Montrichard, but a very rural location surrounded by wheat fields and just a short walk from the edge of the Montrichard Forest.

It's very quiet and beautiful, and far enough from any large city that the stars at night are just breathtaking.

Nearby Amenities

You must drive. It's only about 10 minutes to Montrichard, where there are a couple of supermarkets, an outdoor market two days a week, and several cafes and restaurants.

The House/Apartment

This is a standalone cottage built from the local stone, the same stone used for the chateaus in the area. The owners dismantled the original old farm building and reconstructed the cottage using the original stone.

The cottage has one separate bedroom and a loft at the other end of the combination living room/kitchen. There's a huge bathroom with a large walk-in shower.

Garden

There are seating areas outside both in front and behind the cottage. The rear area overlooks the wheat field with the forest in the background. The front is more sheltered, a grassy area surrounded by trees and bushes that mostly shelter it from the road. The road is a one-lane road with almost no traffic.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

The cottage furnishings are simple but comfortable. The owners have an eye for nice simple antique pieces that I love. There was a sofa and a couple of chairs in the living room area and a table with four chairs for dining.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

We used only the main bedroom, a very pretty room with nice antique furniture pieces and a large armoire. The linens are very nice. The mattress on the bed felt to us as if it were about due for replacement, just a little lumpy.

Kitchen

There were plenty of pots and pans and dishes, in good shape, for the simple cooking we did. I didn't do anything more complicated than an omelet and salad, but I found everything I needed.

Problems or Bonuses

We'd seen this cottage a few years earlier when we stayed in a smaller cottage owned by the same people just down the road, so there were no surprises.

Agency and Representatives (and price)

Karen and Craig, Americans who have lived in France for years, own this cottage and a smaller one about 100 yards down the road. They are extremely nice people, great to deal with and a whole lot of fun to be around. They do a fabulous job of making the cottages a very special place to stay.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

I would absolutely stay again, and I've already recommended it to other friends.

Things to do in this area

This is a lovely area. Besides the famous chateaus in the area (Chenonceau, Amboise, Chambord, etc), there are beautiful villages, lovely markets and a lot of pretty countryside for beautiful drives or bike rides. We've been in the area three times and I'm sure we'll return many more times.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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