The photos are so beautiful...could the manor live up to our expectations? YES, it is every bit as beautiful as the photos. We were a group of 13 friends spending a week to relax, enjoy great meals on the patio, do some hiking, enjoy Bastille Day, and see a stage of Le Tour de France.
Surrounded by cheese-producing farms, the location is quite idyllic, with cows regularly wandering past the driveway. The day starts when you make yourself a double espresso, step onto the huge patio overlooking the mist-shrouded valley, and breath the crisp air. It ends when you enjoy an hours-long dinner by candlelight on the same patio under the stars. In between, maybe you'll do some hiking, shop in town at the market, buy some cheese at a nearby farm, see a local festival, or laze in the sun. It's all good, and it's all relaxing.
The kitchen was very well equipped, from the dishwashers and induction cooktop to the Nespresso and drip coffee machines. The outdoor grill worked wonders with some beef and salmon, the spare refrigerator came in handy for all the champagne we enjoyed, and the laundry machines onsite were a bonus. The bedrooms and baths are simply stunning, very comfortable, and the setting is wonderfully quiet (with the exception of one bedroom near the kitchen, depending on how loud the group is in the morning...put early risers in that room!). The wine cellar, prep kitchen, wifi access, and guides to the local area (not to mention the ease of getting help from our host, Dimitri) round out the features that made this property work so well for us.
Hiking is right outside the front door, the pool is small and sheltered, the adjacent patio is spacious and sunny. The nearby towns have everything you might want, including a major grocery store and the wonderful specialty shops and market days.
We were able to catch stage 18 of Le Tour - Alpe d'Huez - and saw the riders climb the mountain twice for the first time in the race's 100 year history. What a thrill!
I highly recommend this property for groups who want ensuite baths, space to spread out, a tranquil setting and elegant surroundings. I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in the winter.
Merci, Dimitri, for a wonderful week!