REVIEWS

Debbie Ladd 31-Aug 2010
5 Stars
We spent a very relaxing first 2 weeks of August 2010 at this beautiful traditional french house. There were 9 of us in our party (ages from 11 to 73) and the house had ample room for all of us in its generously large rooms. The indoor and outdoor tables also seated all of us comfortably. The grounds and pool are beautiful although definitely not suited to anyone disabled as most are set on slopes and there is a fairly steep but beautiful walk up to the pool through landscaped gardens. We were also blessed one morning to see 3 deer in the garden outside our bedroom window. The house and grounds are very private and yet situated within 1 minutes walk of the village centre which has lots of little tradtional french shops and well stocked mini supermarket. There is also a weekly market in the village which sold everything from fruit/veg to clothes, wine, gifts etc. Weather was a mixture of sun and cloud whilst we were there but always warm and there are so many beautiful places to visit that it didn't matter anyway. Strongly recommend a visit to the medieval hillside village of Limeuil which is only 15 mins drive away and also a must do is canoeing down the Dordogne which is suitable for all ages as it is so gentle and shallow. The market in nearby La Bugue is also weekly and huge ! Absolutely stunning countryside wherever you look and we didn't see a policemen for the whole 2 weeks as there is no need for them. We flew from Gatwick to Bergerac with Flybe.com and it was only a straightforward 30min drive from the Airport to the house. Highly recommended as a holiday destination - we all had a great time and would definitely go back..
Recommended for: Age 55+,  Girls Getaway,  Sightseeing,  Families with Teenagers,  Families with Young Children,  Romantic Getaway

Susan King 30 Aug 2010
5 Stars
11 people in one place together can be very stressful if the property doesn't cater for all tastes but we have had 2 fabulous weeks where everyone was blissfully happy. The rooms are large and airy with excellent fans on a timer switch in the bedrooms, plenty of seating outside and in with 2 sitting rooms including Tv and dvd in one and a mini pool table and hifi in the other. All towels were provided which saves a lot of packing space, and there is a good washing machine and loads of drying room too. There were a few characterful cobwebs but the place was clean and tidy and pretty easy to return to that condition at the end. Beds were excellent and all bedding provided. The village is within 5 mins walk and has plenty of small shops and a few bar/restaurants and a good weekly local market. We did several wine tasting sessions within the area and a long 21km canoe trip which nearly finished us off starting in Le Bugue , the nearest town with a large supermarket and loads of shops and restaurants. The area is lovely....lots of small towns and villages to explore, wine to taste and buy and river trips/canoes etc. We had a fabulous 2 weeks and would thoroughly recommend this property.Paula, the owner is delightful to deal with and couldn't have been more helpful organising beds for our large mixed party! Many thanks! Sue
Recommended for: Girls Getaway,  Tourists without a Car,  Families with Teenagers,  Families with Young Children

Regnery 18th August 2009
5 Stars
Die Villa hat eine excellente Ortsrandlage, sehr großes Gelände entlang einer ruhigen Strasse mit Hanglage. Einkäufe (Markt 1x pro Woche, Bäcker, kleiner Supermarkt) können in 5 Minuten zu Fuß erledigt werden. Es sind alle wünschenswerten Ausstattung im Haus vorhanden (neu renoviert 1/2009, sauber,..)! Mit der großzügigen Zimmeraufteilung, mehreren Sitzgelegenheiten in den Gartenanlagen auch für ca. 10 Personen bestens geeignet. Der Pool liegt sehr ruhig sowie mit schönem Blick auf St Alvere. Wir haben die Sommertage auch zu Fahrradausflügen in Umland (für sportliche Biker hervorragend geeignet, aber keine Fahrradwege und nur entlang der Flüsse Vezere und Dordogne viel Verkehr ab 10:00Uhr) und Kanufahrten auf der Dordogne (sehr guter Verleih in Tremolat) genutzt. Schwierig war die Restaurantauswahl (gute Lokalitäten waren wochenweise ausgebucht)! Für Urlauber, die Entspannung suchen, die Spezialitäten Frankreichs lieben und für einen Stadtbummel gerne auch mal 1 h Anfahrzeit in Kauf nehmen, eine sehr gute Wahl. Sehr empfehlenswert im August sind die kleinen Ortsfeste mit lokalen Spezialitäten.
Recommended for: Age 55+,  Sightseeing,  Families with Young Children

Lorna Dunne 9 Jul 2009
5 Stars
We stayed in this amazing villa and aptly named 'Maison Des Reves' ('House of Dreams') for a two-week holiday. The house and the grounds are incredible and are completely private. You can go for a nice long walk in the grounds, there is so much space. The swimming pool area is a suntrap with incredible views of the surrounding countryside. We had the most relaxing holiday that we have had in years. St Alvere is a quaint and typically French village and the people are very friendly. The weekly market is certainly worth a visit and you should try out each boulangerie for all the different tasting bread. The homegrown vegetable shop is the place to go for fresh fruit and veg. The restaurants in the village are worth a visit. St. Alvere is an ideal location for touring the Dordogne region. We would recommend a car to get around and there is plenty to do e.g. Chateaux’s, Vineyard visits, the Aquarium, Prehistoric Caves, tennis, cycling, foie grais farm visits and so much more. We would recommend this villa to anyone looking for some rest and relaxation and it’s suitable for all holiday makers including couples, groups and families with children etc. We came home rejuvenated and we will definitely be back!
Recommended for: Age 55+,  Adventure Seekers,  Girls Getaway,  Sightseeing,  Families with Teenagers,  Families with Young Children,  Romantic Getaway