We really enjoyed our stay at La Maison des Portraits. Philippe and the rest of his crew were very friendly and helpful, and do a great job of balancing being attentive and letting you have your space, depending on what you are looking for. The house has three full bedrooms and two full bathrooms with modern showers (great water pressure, no limit to hot water). The living room and kitchen are spacious and fully equipped, and there is a wonderful group level porch/terrace with great outdoor furniture; perfect for mornings or afternoons/evenings listening to the birds, taking in views of the Seine and downtown Vernon across the river, and perhaps enjoying some cheese, meats and wine (as we did every day we were there). The property backs up to the Seine, and there is a great walking/running path right along the river that you have access too. We took full advantage of this and the daily runs along the river were magic; peaceful and engaging at the same time, with herons, ducks and swans all throughout that portion of the river.

Vernon is great too, and it is only a very short 5 minute drive. I spent a lot of time in Vernon and Giverny about 10 years ago, and was very impressed by some of the local improvements in the area since then. The changes are not overly commercial either, more like distinct upgrades that make both places even more beautiful. We visited the Chateau Bizy in Vernon as well, which was pretty cool. They had an Easter egg hunt on the Chateau grounds on both days during Easter weekend, which was a great surprise. Giverny is, of course, amazing. We rented bikes in Vernon and rode along the bike path to Giverny to visit Monet's Gardens, which makes for a great day.

This is a great property and we had a spectacular stay. We would, and most likely will, come back and stay here again.