Location: Troo, Tours Area, Centre-Loire Valley, France, Europe (30 miles north of Tours, 15 minutes to TGV train)
Accommodations: Stone House, 2 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 1 Bath (Sleeps 4-5)
Gite, Self-Catering Home
DESCRIPTION:
An ideal base for visiting the Central Region without having to repack your bags or hunt for a laundry, this comfortable house is a delightful get-away in a pastoral setting. Trôo is conveniently located for visiting the chateaux of the Loire Valley from Orleans to Chinon as well as historical places of interest and beauty such as Le Mans and Chartres.
This remodeled authentic tufa-stone house is on the main thoroughfare in the village of Trôo. At the foot of the fascinating troglodyte hillside, it is a two-story village house with its own courtyard and a garden on the river in the back.
Upstairs has two bedrooms with double beds and a bathroom with shower, tub, toilet, bidet, sink, and an electric towel warmer. Downstairs consists of a large kitchen/dining area and a living room with French doors that open onto the flagstone patio. The décor of the living room features the original floor tiles and restored tufa stone walls. There is a charming stained glass window in the transom over the front door.
LOCATION:
It is easy to get to Trôo by car or by train and rental car. If you plan to rent a car, you can take the TGV (the bullet train—a 42 minute ride) from Paris Montparnasse station to the Vendôme/Villiers TGV station and prearrange with AVIS to have your rental car waiting for you. This way you get a relaxing ride on the train and avoid having to drive in and around Paris. Trôo is about a 20-minute drive from the train station.
If you are driving from Paris, you can take the autoroute A11 (also called E50) to Chartres, connect to national highway N10 south to Vendôme and then proceed to TRÔO going through Montoire (a 2-3 hour drive).
ACTIVITIES:
Exploring the troglodyte hillside is an experience unique to Trôo. Don’t miss the informative Cave Expo where you can get the Little History of Trôo guide to discover the ruins of the old fortress built in 1049. Visit the authentically furnished Yuccas Cave and the spooky Cafforts cave where stones for local houses were quarried out of the hill. You can even find an internet café on one of the winding paths that are called streets. Many of the residents open their cave homes to the public during the Trôo music festival in June.
You can fish in the Loir River from the edge of our garden and go swimming at the pool in Montoire or the lakes in nearby Lunay and Marçon.
Discover the countryside and local wines by taking the round-trip historical train with commentary from Thoré-la-Rochette to Trôo. It runs Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from July 1 through September 15.
This is a superb area for walking (“Petites Randonnées”). Get walking maps and brochures from the Tourist Office in Montoire.
EATING:
There are three restaurants in Trôo: the typical café across from our house, the gourmet restaurant, Cheval Blanc, a block away, and the child-friendly Auberge Sainte Cathérine. Picnics are easily put together from the market or from the Charcuteries (delicatessens) in Montoire. You can walk down the street in Trôo to get your croissants, bread, or pastries at the Trôo bakery or just cross the street for a soda or snack at the café opposite our house. The twice weekly farmers’ market in Montoire has wonderful cheeses and artisan produce as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.
TOURING INFORMATION:
In our house you will find brochures and maps on points of interest including the chateaux and surrounding area. We also send tips with suggested routes and maps by e-mail depending on your interests. The Montoire Tourist Office provides maps of walking and biking trails, locates local wineries and tourist sites, and gives dates of flea markets, concerts, museums, and historical monuments.
Checks accepted in dollars or euros.
PLEASE BOOK 2 MONTHS IN ADVANCE IF POSSIBLE. You can send an e-mail if interested or call us between noon and 9:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Extended rental is possible at a discounted rate.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer: This is a combination washer/dryer.
- Dryer: Washer/Dryer is in the house.
- Linens Provided
- Off Street Parking: Public parking lot 1/2 block down the street
- Wood Fireplace
- Beds
- Double Bed (2)
- Convertible Bed
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: Counter top oven with rotisserie
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Charcoal BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio
- View/Location
- Waterfront, not Lake/Oceanfront. Ask for details: Riverside garden
- Monument View: Troglodyte hillside, Medieval church and mill across the river
- Communications
- Telephone
- Other Amenities
- Towel warmer with room heater in bathroom Book swap shelf
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Boating
- Swimming
- Biking
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Antiquing
- Museums
- Other Activities
- Nearby outdoor market, Music festivals, Brocantes, Restaurant directly across the street
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$450/week March 1 through June 30 and September 1 through October31
$550/week July 1 through August 31
Full Rental Cost Due 1 Month In Advance
$100 Refundable Security & Key Deposit
Not available winter: November 1 through end of February
$50 Cancellation Fee
Extended Rental Possible At a Discount
Minimum rental: ONE week
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 1994
As an American student in France many years ago, the verdant Loire Valley with its rivers, undulating hills and beautiful chateaux was my favorite place in all of France. Upon my return to the United States I became a teacher of French language and culture. I was happy to have spent a year in the part of France where the purest French is spoken and history is so visible in its chateaux and cathedrals. My opportunity to go back to visit this alluring area came when my husband and I decided to visit our daughter in Paris where she was pursuing her studies for part of her college education.
Why the Owner Chose Troo
While visiting our daughter in Paris we thought it would be fun to look up some of my friends who had been students with me. We visited their home near the town of Montoire-sur-le-Loir on the northern edge of the Loire Valley and were so charmed by the scenery, delicious food and wine that we came back several years in a row, looking for a house to buy. My dream of someday living by a river came true when we found this fixer-upper right on the river in the middle of town in Trôo village. That was over fifteen years ago and since then we have renovated and made many improvements.
The Unique Benefits of this Stone House
It’s lovely to live in this maison ancienne in summer because the massive stone walls keep the house cool. We return every year to be delighted by the tranquil view of the river and to explore new restaurants and places to go in Trôo and the surrounding area. We are in town, and yet in the country. It’s fun to walk along the Loir River to the Brocantes (flea market) or to the outdoor café on the islands a little way upriver from us. Being in the middle of town has its advantages: we walk to the bakery every day for fresh bread and croissants and sometimes down the street to one of the restaurants for lunch or dinner. Being close to Montoire, just three miles away, provides all the benefits of a large town such as the farmers’ market, supermarkets, swimming pools and shops but we can return to our little village house after visiting the “big city.”
Property Photos
- Our slate roof & skylight with river & valley behind - Vacation House on the Loir River in Troglodyte Village in Troo, France
- Sitting Room with Fireplace - Vacation House on the Loir River in Troglodyte Village in Troo, France
- Riverside Garden - Vacation House on the Loir River in Troglodyte Village in Troo, France
- Entrance from Promenade
- Front Bedroom
- Back Bedroom with View on River
- Amazing Jade Green Bathroom
Guest Comments (6)
First (6) of (6). View all comments
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #180243
There have been 5303 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2008.
This listing was first published here in 2008.
Date last modified - November 12, 2009
Positive Rating
Lynn & Jeff , Portland, OR
Positive Rating
Homeowner Response:
We are delighted to learn that children as well as adults enjoy this place.
Positive Rating
Grant Fleming/Sue Mills , Calgary Alberta
Positive Rating
Dylan N , Oakland CA
Positive Rating
Ariana M. , Oakland, CA
Positive Rating
Ludmila , San Francisco,CA