Accommodations in France 2013

Le Moulin de la Fauvette
Located in the tiny village of La Fauvette, in a pastoral setting along the Glane River, just outside of  Oradour sur Glane, Le Moulin is a place to get away from your troubles and just relax.

The commons rooms were casual and friendly, what you'd expect from a bed & breakfast. Our bedroom was basic but comfortable and the bathroom was fine. The hosts were friendly, helpful and informative, and we enjoyed chatting with other visitors over a leisurely breakfast. Very reasonably priced. Easy to find, just 3kms or so from Oradour-sur-Glane.

Domaine Mournac - Antugnac
Located on a hillside just a couple of ams above Antugnac, this is one incredibly beautiful location with spectacular views of the Pyrenees to the south looking across the valley of the Aude. Our hosts, Arlett and her husband Claude were helpful, informative and eager to make our stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Breakfasts were simple but delicious. Sadly the weather prevented the four of us from either eating outdoors on the the patio or going for a swim in the large pool.

Parking is plentiful, grounds immaculate, and the accommodations spacious with a large bathroom and equally large shower. Moderately priced.

Be aware of is that the hosts speak very little English.

Les Maisons des Chanoines - Turenne
Perfectly located right inside one of France's most beautiful villages (plus beau village), with comfortable accommodations and a wonderful intimate restaurant in the hotel. Can be rather expensive, and parking might be an issue.

Parissharing - 22 rue de Sevigne 75004
Working with Carsten Sprotte of Parissharing was a real pleasure; he was helpful, informative and always there when we had any questions. The apartment on rue de Sevigne was ideally located for local explorations of the Marais and surrounding neighborhoods. For traveling farther afield in Paris, it's an easy two-block walk to the Metro number 1 train at Saint-Paul, or another three blocks or so toward the Seine and catch the number 7 at Pont Marie; or a 10-minute walk from the apartment to the Place Bastille for a wide variety of Metro connections.

We thought the apartment is perfect for two people.

It's well-designed and efficiently laid out, although entertaining for a larger group is not recommended. The kitchen is sleek and very well thought out but small: a two-burner cooktop with a combination microwave-conventional oven (also small). The bathroom is incredibly spacious and the large heated towel rack and shelf was a real help in drying clothes (there is a washer); and there is plenty of storage. We thought the bed a bit uncomfortable.

There is a heating system, although we never used it. I don't know if A/C is available or not so it would be wise to ask if you're planning on visiting in July or August.

The apartment is well-soundproofed and, in typical Parisian style, there are heavy drapes over the windows to keep you in nearly totally darkness if you need it.

Internet connection was quick and easy -- the wifi is ready to go with just the addition of the household password. Ethernet connection is also available but there is no cable for that.

Phone and TV were both available but we hardly used the former and didn't use the latter at all. After all, I don't come to Paris to watch television; do you?

May 18 To Turenne, a "Plus Beau Village"

After breakfast and paying our bill (something that seemed to be much-appreciated by our hosts) we bid adieu to Richard and Pauline. They were off to Mouchan to close up things in their home their before returning to the UK and we were returning back north with a brief stop in the Limousin region before dropping our car off at the Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris.

We had a grand time experiencing one of the more fascinatingly tragic chapters in the history of France. In some ways experiencing the Cathar lands in southern Languedoc was not unlike the last time we were with Richard and Pauline "feeling the power of the stones" in Brittany. Both were lands once inhabited by strange people now long gone leaving just stone and rock behind as mementoes of their existence.

Leaving Domaine Mournac we wound our way down the hillside, through Antugnac and Couzia. Once we reached Limoux we opted to forgo returning to Carcassonne and opted to take the back roads to Castelnaudry and pick up the A62 there. Driving north through light rain we again remarked on how this part o fFrance looked so much like Tuscany.

Bad weather couldn't spoil the views. By mid-afternoon we had reached our turnoff for Turenne just south of Brive la Gaillard, and before long we pulled in sight of one of the prettiest villages we've ever seen. This place has to be seen to be believed. Really, it's that cute.

We spent our one and only night here in LA Maison des Chanoines, which we found in a recent issue of France magazine.

The rain refused to let up but didn't hamper our efforts to explore the little village once we had checked into our hotel.  Before wandering up to the top of the hill and the roof of the tower, we stopped at two of the local shops (the only two open in fact). One was run by a local man and his wife where we purchased a delicious Gentian liqueur and the other operated by a young British woman who also runs a local gite in the village as well.

For dinner I had the veal cooked to perfection and Susie had the chicken; delicious food served in the quiet of a cosy, nearly subterranean dinning room.

Susie went with a delicate dessert while I sprang for the cheese plate:

The next morning we ate a scrumptious breakfast, packed ourselves in the car, paid the bill and hit the road north to Paris leaving the quiet of Turenne for the heady edginess of the City of Light.

Paris 2013 trip update - Turenne

So the last piece of the lodging puzzle has fallen into place.

 

Once we say arrivaderci to Richard and Pauline in Limoux we'll drive north to Turenne where we've booked a room at La Maison des Chanoines.

A recent issue of France magazine had a wonderful story on Turenne and it looked like the perfect place to say good by to the French countryside before plunging into the wilds of Paris (they also recommended La Maison des Chanoines as well).

Anyway, we hope to arrive early in the afternoon, explore the village and have dinner at Les Maison de Chanoines (only 6 tables so we had to book straightaway).