Clients have said ....
Gite Mirabelle and Gite Cerise "Fantastic setting with fantastic owners who really made all of us feel at home."
Katy from Amsterdam - November 2008
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Gite Cerise "Very peaceful, our gite was overlooking the gardens with fruit trees and sounds of a nature. Gite was very clean and had all the essentials that we required. Owners are very friendly and helpfull, they have organized our trips to local champagne houses and a wonderfull trip to Disneyland Resort Paris. The location is perfect to do as much as you want or as little as you wish to. When visiting the Manoir dont forget to sample a wonderfull jams and fruit juices that , the owners are making from the own fruit trees. You can also order your breakfast or dinner which, Sandra prepares for you with passion.Highly recomended, good value for money, friendly and relaxing athmosphire. We will be back."
Beata and Adrian from London, UK - October 2008
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Gite Mirabelle "The Gite Mirabelle was clean and very comfortable. Grant and Sandra are excellent hosts, and Sandra's mastery of French cooking has to be tried to be believed! There were four of us and we all enjoyed our stay immensely. The location provided an ideal base for us to travel to Reims and Epernay, and also to Verdun. Well recommended."
Peter from Canberra, Australia - October 2008
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Gite Cerise "We have had such a wonderful holiday, the welcome has been warm and you have given us great tips and advice which has made our travels easy and stress-free!

Jack has loved the gardens and never wants to leave and Hector is now his new best friend! The Gite has been beautiful and our evenings of B-B-Q and the most wonderful sunsets have been fantastic.

The Champagne Tasting was a truly lovely evening and "Madame Cliquot" has been given a run for her money by the Count de Dampierre and we are looking forward to drinking more at home. Thank you so much for a wonderful week and we hope to return soon."
Heather, Simon & Chrissie & Jack (King of the Bathroom Boudoir) from UK - August 2008
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Gite Mirabelle "A beautifully appointed gite set in lovely gardens and surrounded by attractive countryside. The Manoir de Maffrecourt provided us with an ideal "chill-out" place. It is picturesque and peaceful and the tranquility is contagious. Even the kids caught the bug and forgot about their Nintedo games for some time. And to top it all Grant and Sandra are both excellent hosts and enthusiastic proponents of their new home patch. It is really nice to have their local knowledge to find the best places to shop, eat or visit. Finally there is Hector the dog. Everybody loves Hector!"
Gareth from Stourbridge UK - August 2008
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Gite Cerise "Grant and Sandra have thought of everything a family could want or need for relaxation and fun in the Champagne countryside. And, judging from our fellow guests (a group of friends) they've nailed it for non-families as well!

Gite Cerise was absolutely charming and perfect with views onto both the formal garden and expansive orchard. We loved having our own outdoor seating area where we enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals by Sandra and later an endless supply of tasty local beer, gorgeous Dampierre champagne and stars.

Our toddler had a treasure trove of stimulation and fun. From the toy chest full of toys to the swing in the orchard to the push toys, bike ride, gardens and the world's best dog and friend, Hector.

The gorgeous location, daily boulangerie delivery and attentive & gracious hosts made the perfect weekend complete. We simply can't think of anything they've not covered. It's the perfect place for a weekend and ideally longer! We'll definitely be visiting again! Thank you! ("Bon jour, Hector!") "
Amy & Sean - USA - May 2008
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Gite Cerise "We were unsure of where to stay when we went to France, but I stumbled across the Web Site for Manoir De Maffrecourt and pleased I did. On arrival Grant and Sandra were very helpful gave us a full tour around of the gite and gardens. Never having been to the Champagne Region, they were very helpful and gave us lots of tips of where to visit and what to do. We would definitely go again when the opportunity arises"
James from Worcester UK - February 2008
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Gite Mirabelle "Thank you so much for your knowledge & hospitality. We wouldn't have seen half as much if it wasn't for your willing assistance. We loved your Champagne tasting and learning all that you taught. We loved your enthusiasm!!! Thanks especially from Elly who loved all the toys!! Fantastic Gite, wonderful hosts. We will be back"
Families Higgins & Perkins, Australia - January 2008
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Gite Mirabelle "The standard of accommodation was exceptional. Lovely setting in a quiet location, with easy access to the autoroute. We were well catered for - a family extending from grandchildren through to grandmother, and all had a wonderful time."
Loretta from London, UK - December 2007
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Gite Mirabelle "Thoroughly enjoyed our stay - the champagne tasting evening was a great fun. Grant and Sandra are excellent hosts (Grant even acted as chauffeur into the nearest town when we were celebrating a birthday!). We would hope to go back one day."
Peter from Cheltenham, England - October 2007
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Gite Mirabelle “we booked a two bedroom gite over the internet for our 3 day visit to the champagne region; we were expecting something basic for the price but were pleasantly surprised to find a lovely 2 bed flat you would be happy to live in full time (maybe with a few less kids) packed with ammenities. Our daughter Natasha also got over her fear of Dogs too! Whilst the weather was inclement the welcome was warm and friendly and we can not recommend staying at the Manoir high enough”
Robert & Caroline Lamden and 4 children, Berkshire - August 2007
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Gite Cerise "A very beautiful house and gite. The rural setting and gardens are picture postcard. We have now fallen in love with this part of France. Excellent value for money. We couldnt have been looked after any better - Grant and his wife were friendly and always there to offer advice on where to go and things to do when the weather was not particularly brilliant. We enjoyed the gardens and helping to pick the mirabelle plums!! We would return again and would recommend it. Anyone who always travels to the coast should try this part odf france - its like bring in derbyshire without the traffic and on a much larger scale!! - lovely!!"
Mary from UK - August 2007
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Gite Cerise "Super holiday and again consistent with other reviewers we experienced first class hospitality from the proprietors. We took our young family and they loved playing in the orchard and running around with Hector. Even on wet days there are things to do with lots of advice from Grant and Sandra. Disney is only 90 mins away and again we had lots of help and advice on how to best use our time at the park. A very peaceful place. We stayed in Gite Cerise which enters onto the garden - great to relax in and sit and sip the champagne that is on hand. You feel that you are in rural France but with the comfort of having British hosts to guide you."
David from Barham, UK - August 2007
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Gite Cerise "I can't remember having a better holiday. The area, atmosphere, accommodation, welcome and peace were beyond compare and much needed. We are already planning our return. Looking forward to seeing you soon "
Jill from Llandudno - July 2007
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Gite Cerise "It's been just over 3 weeks since we got back from our holiday and we are already planning the next one! From the moment we arrived, Grant & Sandra made us feel welcome and relaxed and the beautiful setting of the Manoir de Maffrecourt was out of this world. Gite Cerise has been beautifully decorated and the whole setting far exceeded our expectations. We had the most fantastic holiday ever and Grant & Sandra's hospitality and knowledge of the champagne region was superb. The champagne tasting evening is not to be missed - what a great way to spend a warm summers evening! We have made a great friendship with Grant & Sandra (and we miss Hector!). This was a holiday that we will never forget and have already recommended it to many friends."
Louise & Cliff Meen - July 2007
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Gite Cerise "Our hopes & dreams for an "extra-special" holiday to celebrate our 50th birthdays were totally surpassed by the fabulous gite, friendly, helpful & welcoming hosts, an ambience of peace & relaxation and an oasis in which to unwind! Thankyou for all you have done to make our stay "the holiday of holidays"!!"
Linda and Simon - Leicestershire - June 2007
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Gite Cerise "We had a fantastic time at the Manoir. The gite itself was lovely with great pesonal touches and very baby friendly. Grant and Sandra were very welcoming and couldn't do enough to make our holiday fantastic. Have already recommended the gite to friends and am sure we'll be back again soon!"
Louise and Mathew - London - May 2007
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Gite Cerise "We have stayed at a few Gites and this one is deffinately the best! It was very clean and the attention to detail was excellent and made our stay a home from home experience. The bed was so comfy and the big white fluffy towels are 'to die for'! The kitchen was very well equipped and the owners had 'thought of everything' that one might need, when staying away from home in another country. Grant and Sandra were so welcoming and friendly and made you feel that you could call on them and ask for anything. Lastly but not least...... Hector was an added bonus!"
Rob and Shirley Sowray - York - May 2007
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Gite Mirabelle "I do not believe I have ever seen France in any other season as in winter. I find France to be more at peace in this particular season. Our visit to Champagne in January was an experience as all my experiences were in Burgundy, Alsace and Paris, how to say it simply "Fantastic". Our stay at the Manoir De Maffrecourt was greeted with a warm welcome from Sandra and Grant. They ensured that our stay would be comfortable and their hospitality was terrific. As there was three in our party Grant graciously upgraded us all to the larger suite. The greatest detail of all is the well stocked refrigerator and easy access of Champagne in case you were low on supply or just plain out. Well done Grant. The Manoir De Maffrecourt sits perched on a small hill looking over vast amounts of rolling hills. This makes for great walking and exploring for hours with the family pet . It must be just beautiful in the summer. Our gite was comfortable and allowed us to prepare our own meals and sit back to ponder the idea on which Champagne to pop. The one thing we did miss was the fireplace. But Grant mentioned he was working on this detail. Being a vacationer in Winter this is a must. I would definately return, but I think this time I would like to give it a go in Spring. Sandra and Grant, I would like to thank you once again. I hope you enjoyed the Blackforest Honey and I apologize for the lateness of this review. All the very best to both of you and a big hello to your dog (I forgot his name) sorry. "
Patrick from Berlin, Germany - review May 2007 for a stay in January 2007
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Gite Cerise "An excellent gite in the beautiful countryside. Well equipped and comfortable. Excellent hosts. Ideal for relaxing and exploring the Champagne region"
Janet and Ian - Kent - April 2007
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Gite Mirabelle "Beautifully located, this pristine gite was perfect. Exceptional in every way"
Nicky and Tony - Cheshire - April 2007
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Gite Mirabelle "Mirabelle is one of the best Gites we have stayed in. Grant and Sandra are fabulous hosts and the gite was brilliant for our toddler - everything you could possibly need. We would definitely visit again. Oh - the champagne tasting was not to be missed either"
Louise Harry - Berkshire - November 2006
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Gite Cerise "Loved the gite, great hosts and location."
Sarah Hill - Wiltshire - November 2006
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Gite Mirabelle Manoir de Maffrecourt exceeded all of our expectations. My wife, 18 month old son, and I visited the Gite in April, 2006. Grant and Sandra looked after all of our needs. I was particularly impressed by the preparations they made for our son's visit (crib, stuffed animals, toys, etc.). Plus, Grant and Sandra's children were absolutely delightful and our son, Patrick continues to speak about them fondly (apparently 18 month olds have a great memory!). The accomodations are superb ......
Ted Barry - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - April 2006
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Gite Cerise "It's got to be good - this was our THIRD visit, and what Sandra and Grant have set up provides us with a great mix of calm, exploration, friendliness, great local food and wine (hunt out the small and totally unadvertised lunchtime cafes in the middle of nowhere!) and the best reception you'll find anywhere. Meet the local Mayor, see the WWI trenches, taste Sandra's scrummy jam, grab a case or two of local wine or champagne, view the nesting Mirabelle Swallows (who've been returning to this site for generations) or just sit staring at the landscape as the sun goes down... Oh, and the Gites are wonderful, naturally. Lovely, as ever. See you soon!"
Steve, Pam & Charlie from London - August 2006
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Gite Cerise Very quiet and relaxing with very friendly hosts, the grounds that are available to you are outstanding, the addition of a splash pool was a pleasant surprise, will definately revisit in a couple of years.
David Corbett - Wales - August 2006
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Gite Mirabelle Our gite exceeded our expectations because we were looking for up-market accommodation in typical French countryside in a typical French village - with no commercialisation. The gite was furnished very stylishly and the crisp linen and white cotton towels contributed to the luxurious feel. The Manoir was very old and the children were fascinated with an escape tunnel built under the house where British airmen made their way to freedom in the First World War. We loved the three windows opening onto a beautiful rose garden, the orchard of fruit trees and the field of wild grasses and flowers. We also appreciated its proximity to Verdun and the Argonne Forest, site of First World War and Second World War battles. The champagne area of Epernay is an hour's drive from Maffrecourt and the area is famous for the apprehension of Louis XXVI when he fled from Paris during the French Revolution. Grant and Sandra were the perfect hosts and one really couldn't ask for more to make a perfect holiday."
Margot and Patrick Glyn -South Africa - July 2006
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Gite Cerise "We had a lovely week in Manoir de Maffrecourt in a wounderful gite and in the serene country setting of eastern Champagne. Being our first visit to Champagne and with a somewhat broken French we where delighted with all the help and advice we got from Grant and Sandra, a British couple who found a new home here some years ago. Setting up visits to Champagne houses, small and large was a breeze and we could focus on enjoying those visits. Epernay & Reims are both within comfortable reach while far away enough to avoid almost all other tourists. If you prefer, great Champagne can even be bought at the Manoir together with an assortment of local delis, bread being delivered to your front door!"
Anastasia & Peter from Sweden - July 2006
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Gite Mirabelle "Manoir de Maffrecourt exceeded all of our expectations. My wife, 18 month old son, and I visited the Gite in April, 2006. Grant and Sandra looked after all of our needs. I was particularly impressed by the preparations they made for our son's visit (crib, stuffed animals, toys, etc.). Plus, Grant and Sandra's children were absolutely delightful and our son, Patrick continues to speak about them fondly (apparently 18 month olds have a great memory!). The accommodations are superb. Our gite was on the second floor. The furnishings and appliances were first class. The kitchen is very cozy and well equipped. The bathroom is stupendous. We certainly felt like we had our own country estate, not a room in someone else's house. The grounds provide excellent walking, lounging, and relaxation opportunities. The surrounding farmland is stunning and the nearby town of Saint Menehould contains cute shops and an excellent supermarket called "Super-U". We actually cooked all of our meals in the gite. The selection at Super-U is as good, if not better, than the finest markets in the USA. The location is rural, although there is obviously much to do for the history buff (World War One sites are everywhere - we enjoyed Verdun) and the wine lover (Reims and Epernay - we preferred Epernay, Moet et Chandon specifically). The drive from Charles de Gaulle airport is about three hours. We had no problem finding the Gite. One day we drove to Euro Disney for the sole purpose of visiting Paris by train. The trains run constantly, are very reasonably priced, and the drive from Maffrecourt to the Euro Disney train station is about 90 minutes a vast majority of which is on the highway. After all is said and done, door to door, it took us about 2.5 hours to travel from the Manoir to Avenue de l'Opera in Paris. We were sipping cafe de creme shortly thereafter. Overall, our fondest memories of our trip involve the two days we spent doing absolutely "nothing" at the Manoir! "Nothing" included sleeping in late, doing laundry (and hanging it to dry!), eating (a lot), and getting to know Grant, Sandra, and their neighbor, the late, great Guy Francart, over glasses of wine and glasses of eau de vie. Watching the sunset with new friends, while our beautiful baby boy frolicked with the Endersby children is a memory that seems right out of a novel! I should also mention that we drove more than 700 miles during our week-long visit to Maffrecourt. If you are willing to spend some time in the car, you can visit many, many places in France. If you are considering the Manoir, please do not limit yourself to a long weekend. It is an excellent and reasonably priced base for a week's worth of adventures. To sum it up, a visit to Manoir de Maffrecourt enabled our family from the USA to get a great understanding of life in the Champagne region. If you are looking for a relaxing holiday that includes fun people, sites, and experiences, then you should try Manoir de Maffrecourt. Plus, if you have small children, please consider a trip like our trip. While lugging a stroller and everything else to France is a lot of effort, it is worth it, I assure you!" (note from Grant - Strollers now provided too!)
Ted Barry - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - April 2006
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Gite Mirabelle Wonderful gite. Very helpful owners. We would certainly come again
Ilona, Delft, Holland
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Gite Mirabelle Beautiful gite! The photos don't do it justice! Very wonderful hosts too - above and beyond, thank you very much. We had a fantastic time.
Harvey and Sonya, Durban, South Africa
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Gite Cerise The gîte was amazing, just the right size... excellent view and all appl. were there (handy with a son of 14months) The owners were most friendly! The surround system in the gîte and the dvd rental service... made the stay fantastic We recommended this to a lot of our friends and family. One of the best we had and just a 3hour drive AND champagne.. what else do you want :-)
Family De Bie- Adriaens, Antwerp, Belgium
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Gite Cerise Gite Cerise is in very good decorative order, recently restored. It retains character of the traditional building but has a light airy modern feel. The bathroom and kitchen are newly fitted and the kitchen is big enough to do a dinner party if you make efficient use of space. The Garden and location are beautiful. The view is across rolling countryside but the gite is still within easy striking distance of the town by car. This is proper rural France and doesn't feel too colonialised by tourists. The second gite at the Manoir de Maffrecourt is also beautifully decorated and Grant and Sandra are really nice people. They gave us a warm welcome and even helped us unpack the car. They had kindly put some bread butter, milk and other staple foods in the fridge for us. Overall they are genuinely hospitable and are well connected in the village so they can arrange excursions and recommend things to do. We particularly enjoyed visits to World War I sites nearby and would recommend visits to the Verdun memorials north of the town itself, the underground citadel at Verdun (great tour) and Vauquois if that sort of thing is of interest. Reims and Epernay are within driving distance (40 mins) for Champagne house tours and the area around the Argonne forest is generally very scenic."
Charles and Charlotte, London, UK
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Gite Mirabelle The property had been renovated to a high standard and we had an extremely comfortable stay. Finishing touches such as large shower, 2 sinks in bathroom, tv & dvd player etc made a big difference.
Ben and Abbe, Fleet, Hampshire UK
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Gite Mirabelle Sandra and Grant are perfect hosts - helpful, charming, not at all intrusive, but there if you need anything. The house and gardens are relaxed, spacious and elegant, and the accommodation is comfortable and well organised. Though the village itself is wonderfully peaceful (apart from the sometimes-accurate soft chimes of the old church bells) it is ideally situated - head out in just about any direction for various day trips to take in history, good food and, of course, great Champagne! We'll definitely be back - thank you!
Steve, London UK
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Gite Mirabelle We had a lovely, relaxing time. The only problem was that we weren't staying longer! We'll definately be coming back again and will recommend to friends. Very warm welcome, lovely decor, great garden and just perfect for switching off!
Thanks!
Hel and Christy, London, UK
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Gite Mirabelle We have had a very relaxing week at this wonderful gite and have enjoyed all the comforts of home in a tranquil rural setting. It has been a perfect place to return to at the end of busy days. We wish Sandra and Grant all the very best and our sincere thanks for being such hospitable hosts.
Genevive and Wayne, Melbourne, Australia
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Gite Cerise Thanks for all your hospitality and especially for making Lachlan's (18 months old) stay so enjoyable. We look forward to seeing Grant in his spandex firemens uniform in due course......This is a great place to be and we'll be back as soon as we can.All the best,
Stephen, Suzy and Lachlan Antwerp (via Glasgow)
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Gite Mirabelle Lovely gite. Great setting. A very "French" part of France. We hope things go from strength to strength in your french adventure (Grant and Sandra).Best wishes
Angela and David, East Yorkshire, UK
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Gite Mirabelle Le Manoir C'est Magnifique! We had a great week here and will definately return.The surroundings are truly beautiful only surpassed by the great welcome from sandra and Grant.Thank you both so much for a wonderful time. We will recomend "le Manoir" to our friends and any who ask.Once again many thanks for a great week
James Suffolk, UK
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Gite Mirabelle It was more like visiting friends,and we leave here with warm memories, and plans to return soon.Thank you so much for your open hospitality - we had a fabulous time.
Steve, Pam and Charlie Day (London UK)
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Gite Mirabelle It's wonderful indeed to spend a week in this fantastic French country manor house. I had never imagined such a beautiful and tranquil life in the french countryside. In the morning I enjoyed birds singing. At night, oh, how fantastic all the sky was with millions of stars. I'll never forget these days in French countryside.

Shukie Ishii (Japan)

Thank you very much for your heart warming hospitality. We fully enjoyed the beauty of this French country village and tasted wonderful food.
Miyuki Takino (Japan)

I especially liked the forest because I caught small blue beetles. Thank you very much

Shunta Takino (Japan)

Thank you for taking us in your house. It was really nice and clean and very enjoyable. Thank you for all your explanations as well in the forest. It must be very difficult to translate French into English. Finally I would like to thank you for all your hard work to get the tennis courts. I hope I can come back soon.

Mouri Takino (Japan)
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We've had a fantastic holiday. The gite was superb and contained everything we could have wanted. You've been great hosts and we look forward to coming back another time! Au Revoir
Chris + Marie (Nottingham UK)
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Had a lovely relaxing time. Gite was great, lakes fantastic for cooling down in the warm weather.Look forward to seeing you again.
Carole + Grant
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Had a fantastic few days, very relaxing, superb weather and fabulous gite.We will be back again! Amelie ( four month old baby) says a special thank you for the shutters!
Clare,Mark, Amelie (London UK)