August visit to Troo

Guest: August visit to Troo (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 08/13/11 Review Submitted: 09/19/11

We enjoyed our stay in Troo, the patio out back and friendly neighbor kitty were two highlights for us. The owners did an excellent job of providing helpful information about the area, interesting things to do and see and went out of their way to ensure we had everything we needed for a good stay.

Owner response:Thank you for mentioning the lovely calico cat which visits our house. Not only do we have very friendly neighbors, we even have a friendly neighborhood cat that endears itself to all who love animals.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, age 55+.

Enchanting Place

Guest: Angela (Elkton, Marylanbd, USA)
Date of Stay: 07/25/10 Review Submitted: 07/23/11

Troo is a lovely little village. It's situated on a hill and there are many enchanting little stairs and pathways going all the way to the top where you will find an amazing church from the 12 century. There is also a restaurant right next to the church with reasonable prices. The rental house is also lovely. Much bigger than I thought it would be. It has two bedrooms upstairs, one of the bedrooms is huge. Downstairs is the kitchen and a living room with a sofa and a comfy chair. It also has an outdoor terrace where we had breakfast every morning and the occasional evening meal. The kitchen is well equipped with pots and pans and plates, etc, so it is no problem to cook a meal, but for the most part we liked to explore the surroundings and went to restaurants. The food was amazing everywhere we went, even in small places French people cook from scratch and give you the full treatment, appetizers, main course, cheeses, dessert, usually for one fixed price. The only thing that seems to have changed in Troo is that there is no longer a bakery. It went out of business. But there is a daily bread truck (except for Mondays) that comes to town between 9.45 and 10 AM. It stops at the little square at the entrance of town (if you are coming from Montoire), and you can buy your bread there. There is also a bakery and a large Carrefour supermarket.in Montoire which is only 10 minutes by car, There is also a walking trail that passes by at the back of the house and seems to go on forever. I walked on it for over an hour and there was no end in sight. It follows the Loir and goes through fields and woods and is extremely pretty. The location of Troo is perfect. There are many castles within under an hour driving distance. The house is very well taken care of, it was clean, plenty of linens and towels available, and also in the living room, in the drawer of the coffee table are tons of guide books and maps of the Loire valley. There is also a library of paper backs that people left behind and lots of brochures of the surrounding attractions. The owners are extremely helpful with any questions you might have. I can whole whole heartedly recommend this place. Angela and family

Owner response:We’re so happy to hear that Angela and her family with two children had a good time in our place in Trôo and thrilled to learn that the bread truck is once again delivering bread as it did when we first bought the house. It’s great to find out that renters are enjoying the walkway that runs behind our house. The village uses it as a “promenade” where one goes for a walk along the river in the cool of the evening but it also an extensive hiking trail as Angela discovered. In fact, it is part of a Grande Randonnée (long distance trail). One of these trails goes all the way to the Pyrenees. To get the most out of walks in the area, you can pick up a leaflet of walking and hiking trails at the Office de Tourisme in Montoire. Information about the area is also available at the “Syndicat d’Initiative” situated with the postal agency in Trôo. For those who want to know about the history of Trôo, go to La Presse, the bookstore in Montoire where you can buy “A Little Guide to Trôo” for just 2 euros. It’s a real bargain with maps of streets and pathways as well as pictures of new and old Trôo. Geraldine and Philip

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

village of Troo

Guest: Sue (NSW Australia)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/11

House was comfortable clean and spacious.well equipped with quality utensils and appliances. the small village of Troo was very quiet and sadly the boulangerie had closed so you had to drive to Montoire for everything.The highlight for us was the annual Fete de la musique,every June throughout France and we were lucky enough to be in Troo on the night!! A truly magical occasion and the troglodyte village of Troo was perfect for this special event.32 different musical events all free and within walking distance.Loved it and would love to return again for that occasion. Plenty of travel maps .guide books and tourist info in house.We were able to consult map of Paris and find out where we had to go when leaving. Very helpful. Thanks Geraldine and Philip. Sue and Bob Anderson Australia

Owner response:We were very sad to hear from our renters that the boulangerie had closed but it is happening all over that supermarkets are crowding out mom and pop businesses. Fortunately, Montoire can support small shops like artisan bakeries and charcuteries because it attracts people from miles around for its wonderful farmers’ market. Sue is not the only one to comment on our quality appliances. (She wrote to me that she went home and bought a vacuum cleaner just like the one we have in Trôo.) Another renter wrote that our washer/dryer is “a dream to use.” Sue and Bob were indeed lucky to be in Trôo for the fete de musique when the entire hillside is literally alive with music and all the troglodyte cave homes are lit up and open to the public. We are delighted to learn that our tourist info and maps are helpful. It is the next best thing to being there to help people find their way around. Thanks for the nice review Sue and Bob. Geraldine and Philip

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+.

We wanted quiet and calm and comfortable....and we got it!

Guest: Cliff & Marie (:Phoenix, AZ USA)
Date of Stay: 05/28/11 Review Submitted: 06/23/11

Although we were "early" in the season---late May--- the "Troo House" sure worked will for us. The descriptions from the owners of the house and of Troo were spot on. No surprises. Very comfortable. My wife and I loved it. Because of the early timing there were fewer amentities available in Troo---some places were not "up and running" as yet, but....Montoire is literally 5 minutes down the road. Troo is very quiet, the river is great, it's an extremely wonderful place to just relax. Be advised---Troo is very quiet early in the season. We had numerous chateaux to visit, so we set up an every-other-day travel schedule. The rest of the time we just relaxed, and cooked ourselves nice meals to eat out on the patio. Parking is not a problem. Geraldine anwsered all our questions before and during our visit. A good visit. Cliff & Marie Phoenix, AZ

Owner response:We are always delighted to advise people who enjoy our local food and wine from the open air market in Montoire as well as the beautiful setting of our house and access to chateaux of the Loire. Our town attracts more Europeans than Americans so the tourist hotels and restaurants in Trôo tend to be closed until mid-June when Europeans start going on vacation. The schools in France don’t close until the first week in July so the high tourist season gets in full swing at the end of July and lasts through August. Thank you Cliff and Marie, Geraldine

Recommended for:Sightseeing, age 55+.

Enjoyed the stay very much!

Guest: Peter (New York)
Date of Stay: 08/30/10 Review Submitted: 10/07/10

My family went to France to help our daughter settle in Paris in her host family for her study abroad year, so it was a "working" vacation. It was pure chance that I found this house in Troo, not too far from Paris, in the lovely Loire region, and it was still miraculously available in the last week of August/first week of September period, about 8 or 9 days before our departure date. We changed our travel plan and went to Troo first. Our stay was very pleasant, thanks in part to the owner of the house Geraldine's suggestions on how to get there, where to get provisions and what to see in the surrounding areas. We visited chateaux and neighboring villages and towns, did "degustation" at vineyards and was even serendipitously got invited into a beautiful troglodyte home, so our only regret was that we didn't stay in Troo as long as we would liked (our daughter was getting anxious to go to Paris) and to explore this part of the beautiful French countryside more and enjoy the peace and quiet. Thank you, Geraldine.

Owner response:We’re delighted to hear that Peter and his family enjoyed visiting neighboring villages and did "degustation" (wine tasting) at local vineyards. We think there is a lot to see and do around Trôo before even going to the royal chateaux along the Loire River, but don’t always get feedback about it. This is a great area for wine tasting as excellent wines cost much less than in the United States. The high quality of local wines such as Coteaux du Vendomois and Janieres is becoming recognized and written about by Robert Parker and other respected wine connoisseurs.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children.

A wonderful getaway!

Guest: Abbie (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 07/11/10 Review Submitted: 09/06/10

My husband and I spent a week at this property, and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The area is beautiful and people are very friendly. Some of the activities we enjoyed: cycling along the Loire, visiting the Chateau de Chenonceau, cooking at home, running and walking along the river right outside the house, buying fresh bread in the morning at the local bakery, and visiting some local wineries. The owners are also very easy to work with. This was my first experience renting a place on VRBO and I was very nervous. The owners answered all of my questions and put me at ease.

Owner response:I was surprised to get a request to prove that we owned the property we advertised on VRBO, but apparently these renters had had a bad experience with an advertisement somewhere else and had almost handed over money to a person who didn’t even own the property. I assured them that wouldn’t happen on VRBO and faxed them a copy of our electric bill to show our ownership. We’re happy to hear that they enjoyed our countryside setting.

Recommended for:Families with young children, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Great getaway

Guest: Chase, Liz & Luca (Strasbourg, France)
Date of Stay: 08/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/15/10

I can only confirm the most important points all of the previous reviews: 1. The house is centrally located for all chateaux, wineries, towns, etc. 2. There is more to do in the "local" area of the Loir than you might initially think. 3. Geraldine & Philip are extremely helpful in order to ensure that you get the most out of your trip. 4. The house is extremely well-furnished, meaning that even if you forget a few things, it's no big deal. The only thing I can add is that Tröo is an amazing little town. By the end of our week there we really felt like we were members of the community - everyone seemed to know us, and our son had already made several friends (as had we), with neighbors. We are really normally people who prefer to visit the "big cities" but this experience really changed our mind - it was so charming to be a part of the village for the week !!

Owner response:It is gratifying to know that even “big-city” people have discovered the fun our little village has to offer. One of the activities we suggest is to take a tour on the little 1950s train which initiates the visitor into local history, wines and food and gives the kids a great time. As in many European towns, the neighbors enjoy getting acquainted in evening walks on the promenade. Exploring small castles and art studios in neighboring towns is also fun for kids and adults alike. In our conversations with Chase and Liz they also mentioned the museum of musical instruments in Montoire as one of the highlights of their trip.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

An Unforgetable Experience in a Charming Home -- Convenient Location!

Guest: Bearle (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 07/19/10 Review Submitted: 07/29/10

Our family absolutely loved our stay at this charming house filled with character. Its location is perfect for day trips to the many surrounding castles and exquisite small towns. The house was spotless when we arrived and contained everything we could have wanted including a well- groomed private patio just a few steps away from the Loire River. The owners are very accommodating and more than willing to provide detailed information including maps,car rentals, tourist attractions, restaurants and much more -- very helpful indeed!! Thanks Geraldine and Philip for sharing your heavenly abode in Troo. We will have fond memories of our trip to Europe and staying at your home will be at the top of the list!

Owner response:We’re delighted that these renters with their two teenage daughters enjoyed our house in Trôo as a base for visiting chateaux and local attractions. I should mention that the small river on which our house is located, the Loir River (spelled without an E at the end), is a tributary of the big Loire River. In our conversations we shared our ideas about swimming in rivers as compared to swimming pools. I enjoy talking with prospective renters and sharing everything I know about getting around in France.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest: Sheila (Florida)
Date of Stay: 02/20/10 Review Submitted: 02/20/10

We loved our stay here! The owners are so wonderful and were so happy to help us out with whatever we wanted. I just loved the kitchen. Everything kitchen gadget that I use at home was already there- what fun!! The apartment is also so centrally located and you can travel in any direction and enjoy wonderful sights. The apartment is spotless and very well maintained..all in all, it made for a wonderful vacation and we would certainly return!!

Recommended for:

Guest: Lynn & Jeff (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 10/13/09 Review Submitted: 10/13/09

We (an American couple in our early 30s) spent most of July 2009 here, using the house as a home base for our travels around the Loir Valley. We had a fantastic time frequenting the local market, exploring the picturesque nearby towns, celebrating 14 Juliet, dancing in the squares, and walking everywhere! Trôo has remarkable history and engaging local color. We cooked often and were able to accommodate groups for dining outside on the terrace. The lifestyle is bucolic and convivial, with much to do within an hour drive: chateaux, wineries, gardens, churches, art exhibits and lovely villes fleurs. There's a great public pool 5 miles away for lap swimming with a separate play area for kids. Lessons are available. Stay awhile and get to know the community from your home away from home.

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