I can't say enough good things about La Ruche B&B and hosts Jo and Robin. The rooms were beautiful,…read morethe backyard was lovely and they couldn't have been more welcoming and accommodating. I would go out of my way to stay here again, as we feel we have made real friends with the family. Our 5 year old daughter was so happy to make a friend with their son Edward, who shared his trampoline and kid pool. He even walked us around town in the afternoon and introduced us to his friends down at the swimming lake nearby. Jo was incredibly accommodating when we realized we did not have plans for dinner, and fed Charlotte like she was part of the family while serving us a lovely multi-course meal on the patio. Really, staying here was the highlight of our trip to France!

My little girl dream of living in a French country house on a gorgeous property with views of…read morerolling green pastures and a nearby river has finally come true! It only lasted three nights, but, hey, who's counting? After researching for nearly one month I finally chose to book our country cottage with Marie at her gorgeous chateau because our conversation on the phone was so incredibly natural and cool, as if chatting with a chic French aunt with perfect English who made everything about her region, her property, her services sound so lovely, accessible and totally made for us. Marie has been renting space in her chateau and surrounding cottages for a year now, but her place is still very much under the radar. It's probably because she's a bit of a drive from the famous chateaus in the Loire Valley. Her property, nestled in the quiet, dreamlike Indre "departement" is packed with medieval charm. Every couple of miles there's a turn off to visit one chateau or another, and there are many incredible Unesco-labeled villages that are worth visiting for their "frozen in time" architecture. Just ask Marie for the names, she knows the region like the back of her hand and will even give you daily recommendations for villages to visit, restaurants to try, festivals to see. Quite an amazing talent and patience for connecting her clients to the right place at the right time. I can't gush enough about Marie and her property. We felt totally at home and loved our little 2-story maison with a big garden out front for al fresco dining and playing at our leisure. Marie has around 4 different cottages on her property, most of them are a bit more modern that our rustic house was, and I'd love to try those out next time we come for a visit. Oh, she's also in the process of building a pool for the cottage guests (the bed and breakfast guests use the pool in front of the chateau, which was closed while were were there since the weather wasn't so warm). I highly recommend this spot for exploring a very quiet, green, chateau-filled region while living like a modern-day aristocrat at affordable prices. (we paid 350 for three nights). Distance to Paris is approx 3-4 hours by car, depending on traffic and whether you take the autoroute or the more bucolic routes. Enjoy!

Magical. Charming. My family rented one of the guest houses for a week last summer and I seriously…read morethought about renting my house out and coming here for a year. Marie has a true gift. My husband is an architect and can't fully relax most places because he's thinking about how to remodel/tweek the space but the Maison is a delight for the senses and every inch has been considered. It is a rare place of relaxation. Bring a book. If you expect to be waited on hand and foot go to a resort - here what they create is a beautiful space for you to unwind in. Can't wait to get back.

From the owner: l'Abbaye du Palais, petit domaine de vacances avec ses chambres d'hôtes, gîtes et roulottes, est…read moresituée dans la Creuse, au cœur du Limousin, dans un parc arboré et décoré par les restes d'une abbaye Cistercienne du 12ième siècle. Département rural par excellence, la Creuse possède un fort potentiel touristique, non seulement grâce à sa richesse architecturale et à son artisanat tapissier, mais aussi en raison de la diversité de ses paysages. De ses bocages à ses collines boisées, chaque parcelle porte la trace de l'activité humaine, notamment l'agriculture. La Creuse est un département dont l'environnement se prête donc aux activités de plein air : randonnées pédestres, équestres, VTT, etc. Les nombreux ruisseaux, rivières et plans d'eau offrent également des lieux propices à la pêche et aux sports nautiques. Sur place : wifi gratuit, piscine chauffée, pétanque, jeux d'enfants, karts et vélos, table pingpong, mini foot, trampolines, billard, information touristique.