August 2009

Villa Patrik is a well appointed property. The house was very clean and well-presented. The owners have taken great care to make their guests stay enjoyable. You could safely leave your Loire travel guides at home - information on local attractions was compiled in a file and a selection of books (including regional guides) to cater for everyone in the family is available. The owners were attentive and friendly.

Sanziers itself is really a satellite of nearby Le Puy Notre Dame. The downside of this is that there are no bakeries or shops there. However, Le Puy Notre Dame is only 5 minutes away by car and within easy cycling distance.

There is a good tourist office in Le Puy Notre Dame and walking and cycling trails around the village through the vineyards (a big hit with the children) so bring your bikes. If this is not an option, the owners have bikes available on the property for the use of guests, fine for local use.

The highlight of our stay was a visit to Domaine de la Reniere one of the best of the local winemakers. There we met the genial Rene whose family has been making wine in the area for over 300 years. We left much the wiser about Loire wines and having the children with us (6, 10 and 13 years old) made no difference to the warmth of the welcome. His white wines are particularly good - try the 'Parole' and the incomparable 'Authentique'.

We would have no hesitation in recommending this property to a friend.
Damian and Bernie

The Cottage was lovely. Beautifully furnished and decorated, very clean and contained all that you would need for an enjoyable stay. The location was excellent. Very close to many attractions but peaceful as in the countryside. The owners were very friendly and helpful and available for any questions or information. I would highly recommend this property and would stay there again if returning to the area.

With regard to the area. We were a little disappointed with Saumur. But found Chinon a lovely town to visit. Out of the many places to go, we would recommend Fontevraud and strongly suggest you pay for the audio-guide as it is very informative. The small town of Montsoreau was totally lovely. There is a waymarked walk through the town into the neighbouring town of Candes-St-Martin and back. This is definitely worth doing.

What a perfect place from which to discover the lovely area of the Loire Valley. The cottage was much larger than we expected and with so much character, very clean and well equipped for our needs. Sitting outside in the warm evenings for dinner was enjoyable. The gardens were lovely. We enjoyed the ping-pong table, and it was great being able to do our laundry and hang it in the warm French sun. Visiting the Troglodyte Caves near Doue La Fontaine was a great experience. Within two hours we also enjoyed some of the many Chateau along the Loire some of our favorites being Chonenceau and Villandry (the garden was incredible). Getting our baggettes and coissants delivered in the morning was an experience. Hearing the sounds of the country instead of the city was relaxing. We loved the little villages nearby and thoroughly enjoyed the Vintage Car Races in Puy-Notre-Dame. Montrieul Bellay was a good place to pick up something at the Boulangerie or use the bank machine, and for our Canadian way of doing things the Super U grocery store was perfect!
Our hosts were great and so ready to answer questions and help in any way they could. Thanks Peter and Margaret for a great stay.

We stayed in Villa Partick for a week. The property is spacious, very clean and fully equipped. Because of the heat we were unable to do much cycling (bikes were provided) which was a pity as the countryside is truly beautiful. The owners, who live nearby were welcoming and helpful and provided an extensive folder with local information. The colourful garden and patio areas were well maintained. Because of the steps up to the house it may not be suitable for very young children or people with disabilities but we hope to return as there is lots more to see and do in the area.

Comfortable and rustic home for a week. Nice gardens for alfresco dining. Relaxing holiday with lots to do locally. Troglodyte village a must as is the zoo.

Thank you both once again Regards Alice, Jayne & Mik

This is a lovely property, very well maintained and equipped with everything you could need for a holiday. The gardens are a delight, perfect for sitting outside relaxing with a good book & glass of wine! The village is small & quiet, nearby towns & villages have all the shops, bars and restaurants you could wish for.
The owners are absolutely lovely and very knowledgeable about the area.The surrounding countryside is beautiful and the towns & villages not as touristy as in the Loire Valley further east. There are lovely cycle rides and walks from the property and further afield. The area is a wine lovers paradise with vineyards all around. We have had four perfect holidays here!

We have just come back from a delightful holiday in Peter and Margaret's holiday home. The description was spot on and the location was brilliant for visting the area.
The facilities were what you would expect to find in your own home. The property was beautifully clean and tidy and was furnished with plenty of towels and bed linen. There were two toilets and a lovely shower room inside, as well as a fully equiped kitchen. (including welcome tray with tea making facilities, snacks and a complimentary bottle of wine from the local wine maker!)
There were two outside seating and dining areas separate from the other house; plus vast gardens in which to explore. We very much enjoyed barbequing in the sun on an evening. The owners also gave us a tour of the extensive network of caves to the back of the property which show it's rich past in village life. It was very reassuring to know the owners were close at hand in a nearby village if there were any queries about the house or local area.
We have visited quite a few of the local chateaux. been for wine tastings down the road and eaten out at several great restaurants nearby and in the delightful Saumur.
We had a wonderful time and have already recommended this house to friends.