Characterful Farmhouse With Large Pool Set Amidst Sunflowers And Vineyards

Firstly, let me say 'thank you' for leaving Le Rusthe so clean and tidy for the next guests ... which happened to be our family ! I was still there when your review came in and I did find one of the panels by the pool was loose and would flip if the edge was trodden on - many apologies for this. It has now been fixed. No - the house does not have wifi. We are required by VRBO to list the assets of the house and we certainly didn't list wifi in the description. I understand that a wifi facility would be essential for some holidays but we prefer to do without it. The kitchen is a typical farmhouse kitchen with a dark, cool interior. We have 'up cycled' tiles from the old barn for the work surfaces, and most of the kitchen units are made from the ancient cattle mangers, and there is the rather dominating fireplace with an oak beam lintel, so it's certainly not modern ! The hornet issue is a bit of a mystery to me as we had guests the week before you who didn't report that problem, and nor did we have trouble the week after you. I have no idea why the neighbours, a good 50m away beyond our hedge, would have identified hornets as coming exclusively from us ! We do have our fair share of insects, though, especially when the figs are ripening on the tree in front of the terrace, and French 'guepes' do tend to be larger than UK wasps. The house does get damp when locked up for the winter and I think you are right - we do need to attend to some of the lower wall areas in a couple of the bedrooms, although I do not agree that the whole house is damp, especially during a 35 degree plus summer ! Re the BBQ - guilty as charged. The previous guests had not left it clean. You, however, left it looking immaculate - thank you ! Finally, once the VRBO commission and other associated charges have been deducted, your £2.5K is MUCH closer to your assessment of how much Le Rusthe should cost !

Many thanks for taking the trouble to write a review of your stay at Le Rusthe ! We have had a successful and enjoyable first season registered with "Owners Direct", and we intend to build on this by making the necessary adjustments to make 2015 even better ! We do have the kitchen set up for cooking and dining, and for post-prandial board games and cards, but we take note of your suggestion of a sofa area, so, for 2015, there will be a large leather sofa upstairs in the television/games room. The pool gate is the French regulation recommended 'child proof' item, but we will look in to making this more secure, although there is no substitute for vigilance in case someone props it open or doesn't close it properly. It may be that a guest from the week before you arrived put away the parasol that normally slots in to the 'aperitif' table by the pool, so I am sorry that wasn't where it should have been. We are considering wifi for 2015, although I must admit are torn between having all mod cons and instant communication with home, work etc. or enjoying the 'away from it all' tranquility of the French countryside !

Thank you very much for your review, Sanna ! I think you have summed up Le Rusthe perfectly, and I am very pleased your holiday went so well. The house responds very well to 'three generations' who need space to relax quietly, but with the opportunity for valuable family time around the kitchen table or by the pool at various more exciting times of the day ! And combining the privacy of the house and garden with the opportunity to visit the many vineyards and enjoy the local 'fetes' and 'soirees' is what makes a perfect 'Rusthe' holiday ! We look forward to hosting Family Kangasluoma again in the future !

Dear Madame Merand, thank you for your review and I am pleased that your weekend went (mostly !) well. We have tried to keep Le Rusthe characterful and charming, balanced with some nice, modern facilities like the pool and the twin shower rooms - but it is most definitely a farmhouse ! I do apologise for the misleading listing of the screen as a television. I have adjusted the description on the HomeAway pages to reflect the fact that it is for watching DVDs and playing Playstation games only. I can only hope that you got to the Cafe de Paris, in Eymet, in time for kick off …… and that you aren’t Tottenham fans ! Although HomeAway do allow owners to show that their pools are heated, our isn’t and, therefore, it’s just listed as ‘private’. Our most popular rental weeks are in late June, July and August when the call is for a cool water ! We would, of course, be delighted to see you again at Le Rusthe - perhaps when the football season is over, and the days are warmer !

Dear Phil, Thank you for your kind review ! Le Rusthe does respond well to lots of people and has always welcomed families ! We are pleased you enjoyed your holiday and look forward to hosting you again. Kind regards Nick

So glad you all had a wonderful stay at Le Rusthe. It is a glorious part of the world and perfect for family holidays. Thank you for your lovely comments and 5 stars!

Many thanks for you delightful review, Mr Giles ! With 2014 being our first year registered with Owners Direct, we have been very pleased with the feedback received directly from our guests this summer, but I do appreciate you taking the time to put together this 'formal' assessment. Your review has encapsulated all that Le Rusthe represents as a rural French holiday destination, and we are thrilled that you and your family have enjoyed the things that have drawn us back there for more than 20 years ! We aim to make further improvements to Le Rusthe for 2015, but it is great to hear that "Rooster" has retained it's farmhouse charm in combination with the modern comforts expected of a family holiday home. Thanks, again ! Nick & Sara.