Vacation Rentals by Owner

Guest house and main house guests 11-2011

Guest: Karen
Date of Stay: 11/18/11 Review Submitted: 11/30/11

Get away from it all in a French village Left on 11/29/2011 for a stay in November 2011 We stayed in both the main house and the guest house for a week in November. Having visited France several times before, we were ready for a different experience from the usual hotel in the middle of town--we wanted to experience a taste of village life. The directions provided from the Nice airport were very very very clear! There was no way to get lost. Both houses had lots of specifics provided about the amenities, wireless, telephone service, emergency numbers, etc, and were very comfortable. They were sparkling clean with spacious, modern bathrooms. Wish there had been an actual coffee maker, but we figured out how to use the French press pretty quickly. Wireless worked great in both houses. We loved the guitar and played almost every night, or played music on our Ipod. Stairs in the houses are steep and the streets of the town are rocky and uneven, so this is definitely not a place for tiny children or anyone with mobility issues. We loved the authenticity, gorgeous surroundings, and slow pace, but it would not be good for someone looking for lots of "action" (at least not in the late fall). There were one or two restaurants open and serving for a couple of hours on most days, and a big grocery store about a 15-minute drive away in Tourette. We took a couple of great daytrips to Nice/Antibes/Cannes which are easy drives, and there are some great local wineries that are worth a visit. On Saturdays most everything is open, and there are wonderful craftspeople selling handmade jewelry, clay tiles, and other local products. I would recommend this rental to a friend who is looking for this sort of experience. It's not for everyone, since it's very much an authentic French village and not a tourist haven. For us it was perfect!

Recommended for:

25th Wedding Anniversary

Guest: Pam
Date of Stay: 09/20/11 Review Submitted: 10/22/11

From a couple who stayed for a week in September 2011: "We were just talking about your home tonight over what was the most fabulous dinner at La Gloire de mon Pere. The home you have here is lovely and we are enjoying ourselves immensely. The problem is we should have added an extra week since we have such a hard time leaving the comfort of the place. We are not early risers, so by the time we get up, have breakfast on the roof, read the papers (over the Internet) in the sun, do some business, it is late morning! Than we just sit a little longer because we can. But, we have managed to visit some lovely places. But, we don't like to stray to far. For the record, the information you left is fabulous and it made our stay so much easier. Any questions we might have had have were all addressed in your notebook. So, in short, this was the best 25th wedding anniversary we could have had! We will be very sad when we turn the door key, twice, for the last time."

Recommended for:

Guest: Guests from London
Date of Stay: 06/06/11 Review Submitted: 06/14/11

"We had a wonderful stay at this house in Seillans! From the moment I picked up the phone to make the booking everything was perfect. From the meticulous details that the owners sent me, including driving directions and things to do in the area, to the wonderful condition of the house. The highlight for me was the roof terrace, the view is spectacular and we spent several evenings up there having a bbq and playing cards and enjoying a few drinks. The village itself is charming, there is plenty to explore and several restaurants to eat out in. 5 stars and highly recommended."

Recommended for:

Guest: Review from recent guests
Date of Stay: 05/02/11 Review Submitted: 05/14/11

"Going Back in Time but Having Modern Comforts" Our stay was wonderful here. It was my husband and me and our three young children, ages 9, 9, and 7. My kids loved it and pretended they were the characters from Harry Potter and it was number 12 Gimauld Place. I loved it because it felt like we had gone back in time but had all the comforts we needed. It was well supplied and perfectly clean. One night we had a huge rain storm and the rain filled the pathways with flowing streams. It was magical as my whole family went out to splash in the puddles and get drenched! And the church bells, I loved them! They would ring a few times a day and were beautiful to hear and watch from right outside our door. If up on the terrace, you could see them. We spent most meals on the beautiful terrace in order to soak in the view while feeling the sun or breeze on our faces. When we first booked this little place I was wondering how the walk from the car was going to be, especially with three kids, knowing that it was a little distance away. It was awesome! I loved walking into the village, especially at night! I would say that I preferred it. Being able to experience the village before you get to the house just made it that much more awesome. There was a little kitten that would greet the kids any time we were outside our door. The process of booking and arriving was made very easy with all the information that the owners provided! I highly recommend this for any vacation to Provence.

Recommended for:

Guest: Professional Chef and Sister
Date of Stay: 04/15/11 Review Submitted: 05/03/11

My sister and I stayed for a week in Seillans. The town is charming and a great jumping off point for visits to other villages. It is remarkably easy to get anywhere. The house is equipped with everything one could need(no big tv, but who needs that?). the Jespersen's have a wonderful library of maps and guidebooks for the area. We loved having morning coffee on the balcony and relaxing there in the early evenings after a day of travel. The beds are comfortable, kitchen well equipped. The living/dining area isn't large by american standards, but again , if you are out and about, or up on the balcony, it's all one needs. Great spot, great location and very well cared for the owners!

Recommended for:

Guest: From four recent guests June-July 2010
Date of Stay: 07/01/10 Review Submitted: 07/24/10

These comments were submitted to our other rental site but we wanted to include them here as well: We found the house and location exceeded our expectations. It was comfortable and well-equipped but most importantly it gave us the chance to stay in a beautiful and historic village. June 2010 We have rented many homes in France and their efforts to provide background information and the way in which their home is decorated and maintained was much better than most we've rented. June 2010 This was the perfect place to spend our vacation with our daughters. The place was comfortable with plenty of space, and we enjoyed many dinners on the rooftop deck as we admired the beautiful view. May 2010 Honestly I would not change anything about your house, everything was perfect. May 2010

Recommended for:

And a great time was had by all

Guest: Joe E. (Langdon, NH, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/15/10 Review Submitted: 04/27/10

We recently (April 15-22) returned from spending a week in this truly beautiful home. We started our days on the roof deck watching the morning mist burn off the valley and ended our days as well up there watching the sun set.The house was very well fitted with up to date appliances and even had wi-fi which really came in handy. The welcome packet prepared by the owners was an immense help. It included everything you needed to know from how to operate the washing machine to local restaurant reviews. Seillans is consdired to be one of the most beautiful villages in France and justifiably so. And not just in architecture or flowers. The people there are great. We went to a choral performance around the corner from the house in the village 11th century church that was spectacular. We found everyone there friendly and helpful. It also made a great base to explore the other surrounding villages and sights not to mention the proximity to the coast where there happens to be a newly built theater in Frejus with amazing proformances. The village tourist office has an incredible collection of Max Ernst work and the staff there are knowledgable and very friendly. They recommended the marche in Muy, the largest in the region and should not be missed. We highly recommend this home to anyone looking to enjoy this beautiful region of France. The home was spotless, had every amenity we needed and with the owners packet, really a huge bonus, we had a memorable vacation that we hope to repeat in the future.

Owner response:For people who are considering our property as a future rental, we are very interested in working with you to make sure our home is exactly what you need and has everything you think it should when you arrive. A 700-year-old village house in Seillans is not for everyone, but if it is, your trip will be quite memorable.

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

Guest: Unedited review from three recent guests
Date of Stay: 04/05/10 Review Submitted: 05/09/11

My husband and a very good friend spent 8 days at the village home of Mark and Kim Jespersen. My husband is French and the both of us had spent some time already in the south of France, but had never stayed in a village. Mark and Kim provide a great preview of what to expect upon arriving, giving detailed information from leaving the Nice airport to instructions on how to operate anything in the house. This is all extremely helpful in helping to make a vacation stress free. The village of Seillans is about an hour from the coast. It was so relaxing to get back to the house after a day of sightseeing, sit on the terrace with a glass of rose and watch the sun go down. Seillan in april is relatively quiet, not heavily touristy. Not too far away are more lively towns - I was very happy to have Seillans to return to each night. The house in in the very middle of the village. The house itself is a typical village home with a narrow circular staircase separating the two bedrooms in the main house. The master is off of the main living are and there is a small staircase leading to the terrace behind the chimney - almost like a companionway on a boat. It's absolutely charming! It's the perfect getaway. The southern views from the kitchen/living area and from the terrace are spectacular, and the kitchen is equipped with all the essentials and more... We all had such a great time in this location. My girlfriend and I ran each morning and my husband did the croissant run...then we hit the road and explored the Gorges du Verdon, Mons, Nice, Cannes, St.Tropez, Valbonne, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Bargemon, Antibes...nearby vineyards, the list goes on.

Recommended for:

Seillans Village House

Guest: ShadyRocks (Damariscotta, Maine)
Date of Stay: 02/25/10 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

I stayed in this village house for 10 days in February and March and found it as delightful as the owners describe. The property is exceptionally clean and well-maintained. It is nice to have a private salle de bain for each bedroom. The view from the rooftop terrace is breathtaking and it was a charming place to have a coffee in the morning (after a quick walk to the boulangerie for a croissant). The terrace gets lovely sunlight. The area has an abundance of markets for local wine, cheese, and produce and returning to this pied-a-terre in Seillans is the perfect place for a leisurely meal after a day of exploring the area. The owners have thoughtfully prepared a binder with suggestions for restaurants and sight-seeing. It was a nice touch to find a hottle of wine from the Chateau Selves upon arrival. Thank-you!

Owner response:There are several wineries in the immediate area, and even little Seillans has a Provencal Marche every Wednesday morning though it hardly compares to the Saturday market in nearby Fayence. And we have just added several other local restaurants to our suggested list. We try to find the best value matched to really outstanding food and service. There are many to choose from both in the village and a short drive away. We did install new shower heads this month, as the old ones were just not up to our standards. We also just installed a digital pipe organ, studio size, in the guest house, in case that appeals to any new potential renters.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great honeymoon destination

Guest: calimans (Boston, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 10/18/09 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

My husband and I stayed here in the main house for a week for our honeymoon in October 2009. We found the description of the house to be very accurate. The house is very charming, and we fell in love with the town of Seillans, where everyone was very friendly and welcoming. Walking through the town, you feel as though you are walking through history, with 400-year-old buildings surrounding you and cobblestone streets beneath you. As for the house, we did most of our living on the 3rd floor, where you have a great open living space. The kitchen has a great view of the countryside and is very cozy. But, carrying food and suitcases up the 2 flights of winding stairs can be tricky. The stairs are narrow and it's a tight circle. Going up to the terrace (up yet another flight of stairs) is equally tricky. It took some getting used to, but we didn't find it to be problematic and helped us burn off all the delicious food over there. In Seillans you don't need a car, but it would be a shame to come to this area and not explore other towns. The only easy way to do that is to rent a car. We rented a car for our week here and had a great time exploring the area on day trips each day. Definitely go for a small rental car--those roads are narrow and the French drive quickly and aggressively! We had a lot of fun just driving around. The sights are beautiful and breathtaking. Driving in this region is not for the faint-hearted, but once you get used to it, it's a lot of fun. This house was perfect for us. We were able to cook at home comfortably when we wanted, and there were great restaurants around when we wanted to eat out. We still speak longingly of the food at "La Gloire de Mon Pere". There wasn't a TV there when we went, so we spent a lot of time reading (Seillans is very quiet at night), which was the perfect way to recuperate after all the wedding craziness. We also enjoyed wine and cheese and other goodies up on the terrace, which was wonderful. (The food and wine of this region is amazing!) My only warning is that if you're super social people who love being around tons of other people, this might not be your best destination. People in town are friendly, but it's very quiet by 8PM. After a week here, we went to Paris where we were able to be a bit more social, which worked well for us (we're fairly social!) Both my husband and I loved being here. After one week here, we felt rested and rejuvenated, and we are excited to return in the very near future.

Owner response:Good advice about the vertical nature of our medieval village house. We typically drop about 3-4 pounds each time we stay because of the stair climbing and walking in the village. Might be one reason you don't see many heavy-set people around. And for those who want to enjoy the south of France in more quiet times, the fall and winter are best, as when you were there. By July and August, there is a big change, but Seillans never feels too busy or over run with tourists, as happens in many other places in Provence during peak summer months.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: N/A
Date of Stay: 04/16/09 Review Submitted: 04/15/09

We are the new owners of this home in Seillans. We purchased it from a woman who owned the property since 1986. She was sad to have to sell it. We look forward to renting our new home and the guest house in the coming years. Summer 08 guests: We had a great time in Seillans. The house had all we needed and plenty of room as well – a must with two active youngsters. From Seillans we managed a number of day trips (Cannes, Monaco, St Raphael, Grasse and even the Grand Canyon du Verdon). My kids especially loved getting to the lake (it was summer) to swim or hire a pedal boat. I don't know what more could be provided. The run-down sent to us for reprinting included where to buy the best bread, coffee, etc and also local medical contacts (not needed fortunately but a necessity when you are traveling with kids). Even now we talk about sitting on the rooftop patio having a glass of wine and watching the sun go down. Sept 2009 Guests: The house is great and so is the location - we thought it had practically everything one needed in the place. We will have happy memories for many years to come. Also absolute top meals at the local restaurants and even from the supermarket deli (Huit a 8) at the bottom of the hill.Sept 09 Guests: We had the vacation of a lifetime at your lovely home.Oct. 09 Guests: "Your home has great character and charm. It was perfect."

Recommended for: