La Bonne Etoile Guesthouse - Chez Kristina is a charming recently renovated cottage, located 65 miles southeast of Paris, in the small village of Fontaine-Forches, France. The village is nestled in a corner of the Ile de France on the edge of the Brie, Champagne and Burgundy regions.
The area is rich in historic towns and villages such as Provins, the medieval World Heritage Site by Unesco. Its medieval festivals and productions like "The Eagles of the Ramparts," "The Feast of Harvest" and "The Legend of the Knights " offer an adventure for the whole family and historians alike. Within eight miles the town of Nogent sur Seine hosts the museum Dubois-Boucher, which contains the largest private collection of sculptures by Camille Claudel. Here you can bike along the Seine and visit the Château de la Motte Tilly.
High on the list to visit are Sens with its cathedral and Gallo-Roman museum and Troyes, a pedestrian city with its timbered houses, churches, stained glass and its Museum of Fine Arts. Not far away is the Chateau of Fontainebleau and the forest featuring hiking, biking, rock climbing, and equestrian activities, The chateau of Vaux le Vicomte, the precursor of Versailles is a definite day trip.
The location is perfect for bike riding, fishing in the Seine, and horse back riding in the countryside. Tennis courts and a playground are in the village. Fountaine-Fourches also has a vegetable farm open to the public. Local weekly markets are abundant, located in Bray sur Seine, Nogent sur Seine, Pont sur Yonne and Sens. Antiquing comes in the form of weekend brocantes as well as permanent boutiques offering great treasure hunting.
The cottage has two bedrooms, each with private baths and sitting areas. The upper bedroom has a bathtub and dressing room; the ground floor bedroom has a large tiled walk-in shower. Each suite has two twin beds with the option on the ground floor to connect these to form a King size bed.
The common kitchen/sitting room opens into a courtyard with a small garden. The guesthouse is fully equipped for relaxed living, both inside and in the garden.
The house has a portable baby bed and high chair. There is no resident phone, but international guests may arrange for a prepaid portable telephone from the owner.