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Loire Valley |
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We've noticed in recent years that clients request more
properties in the Loire Valley that are well located to tour
the big châteaux. So I went over in October and visited the
area. I selected several locations near Tours and was
delighted with what I found. This is a very central area as
you can easily visit the largest and most famous châteaux
within an hour's drive in any direction. In addition, there
are wonderful vineyards, charming villages, and terrific
restaurants all around. Here are a few highlights from my
trip:
Azay-le-Rideau is an absolutely lovely little village on the
river Indre. Its 14th chateau is remarkable for its
ornamental Italian style. It feels intimate and liveable at
the same time that it is stricking and beautiful. It's a nice
change from some of the more massive châteaux. Our charming
houses there, LV2&3 are just a walk into town. When I was
there in the fall the streets were blocked for the annual
apple fte with musicians, grilled andouillette,
fresh-pressed "wine" and lots of apple-related
crafts. Obviously, this is village that has lots of community
spirit.
Loches is a beautiful market town with several impressive
Renaissance gateways. The town is dominated by the chateau
and dungeon which are above the town and are surrounded by 3
kilometers of ramparts! I was there during the lively
Saturday market when streets were filled with merchants
selling everything from flowers to sausages to wine to
cheeses to clothing. A lively and pretty event! See LV14 for
our pretty offering within walking distance of the center of
town.
Saché is also located on the river Indre and the area all
around is lush and green with rolling hills. Balzac was a
frequent quest of M. Margonne who owned the chateau here.
While staying with them he wrote Le Lys dans la Vallée which
he set in this very valley. He also worked out the themes for
Pìre Goriot while staying here. The village, tiny as it is,
has a huge Calder mobile in the town square. The artist lived
and worked nearby. And that's just the beginning of the
charms this area holds. There is much more to discover:
hiking, biking, rowing, touring the châteaux and just
enjoying the charming villages and countryside. LV8 is a
charming country farmhouse in the countryside outside the
village.
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Ile de Re |
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I also visited once again my favorite French resort, the Ile
de Ré off of La Rochelle. This is a wonderful French secret.
The island is often described as a paradis by French
magazines. There are 9 little villages on a island that is
just 30 kms by 5 kms. The north side of the island has
charming ports filled with colorful small fishing vessels
that daily bring in fresh catch. The south side of the island
has broad sandy beaches borded by fragrant pine forests. The
entire island is flat and is totally accessible by bike
paths. Everyone rides a bicycle including grandparents,
children and even dogs in baskets! The north side of the
island has marshes where salt is still gathered by hand. The
villages are white washed with winding narrow streets
bordered by rose colored hollyhokes. That with the clear blue
skies, perfect weather and calm blue seas, makes for
beautiful scenery. We have 5 charming rentals with the codes
"RE". Look for them under the page for the Ile de
Ré. In the months of July and August, you need to reserve
early.
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Stay in a Châteaux |
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I was struck by the number of beautiful châteaux in the
Loire Valley and elsewhere which offer bed & breakfast
accommodation. As most of our clients appreciate the history
and architecture of their house rentals, I thought staying in
an historic chateau would offer a similar, but more flexible
accommodation as the minimum stay is only 2 days! Château
Accueil is group of individually owned châteaux whose owners
offer a small number of rooms on a B&B basis. None of the
châteaux offer more than 10 rooms. The delight of this is
that rather than a "hotel" environment, clients
feel like guests in a private château. There are many
offerings in the Loire Valley, but there are also others in
Normandy, Brittany, Burgundy and a few other areas. See the
Loire Valley section of our webpage for more information.
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Cancellation
Insurance |
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As a service to our customers, we're now able to offer trip
cancellation insurance. We've chosen CSA as our plan of
choice because of its advantages. If you purchase the policy
within 14 days of your initial deposit, pre-existing
conditions are covered. This is a great advantage. Once you
book, we automatically send you the brochure explaining the
progra
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Telephones...
or I must keep in touch |
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Each year we have more clients ask about the availabilities
of telephones at the property they are renting. In general,
we respond that telephones are not available at many
properties.
Some owners have no phones available thinking that clients
are on vacation and don't need a telephone. The cost of
putting in a line and paying monthly access charges can be
high. Some owners have a phone with a "systìme
restrainte" -- a phone for only local or incoming calls.
Unfortunately, sometimes with this system, you can't use a
toll-free number to access Sprint/MCI, etc. In Italy, many
owners have a telephone that is metered. You are charged for
what you use, and the fees are settled when you leave the
house. Lastly, some French owners offer a phone with
unrestricted use. In this case, we hold a telephone deposit
until the owner gets their bill which can take 60 days! Very
cumbersome for us all.
Cell phones are the answer. The Europeans have little need
for phones in the houses because they often bring their cell
phones with them. US cell phones have typically not worked in
Europe. In recent past years I used, and we recommended,
contacting the Parker Company to rent a cell phone that works
overseas. This is still a good option.
Things are now changing. However, the latest news is that
there are now cell phones you can buy in the US which have a
worldwide number. Three to consider are Nextel, Nokia and
Motorolla. These are very new, so I haven't yet used them.
However, they are another option to consider when you REALLY
want a telephone at your French or Italian country rental. As
I've just purchased one of these phones, the next newsletter
will give you an evaluation of how well they work.
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