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Country house rental in Marne, Champagne-Ardennes, France |
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Manoir De Maffrecourt - Gite Cerise (Ref:
12950)
Self catering country house in Maffrecourt, France |
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Review submitted by Sarah
from London
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(Submitted:
19/08/2009) |
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| "A lovely end to a our two week trip in France and we wouldve loved to have stayed longer. Great location, lovely cottage, wonderful home cooked food, perfect grounds and excellent facilities for a toddler. Only complaint would be the weather but theres nothing anyone can do about that -)
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Review submitted by Sarah
from Paris
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(Submitted:
02/07/2009) |
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| "My husband and I just got back from 5 blissful days at the Manoir where we stayed in the Gite Cerise, which had a huge garden and all the modern amenities you could ever need.
The Manoir exceeded our expectations in many regards. Grant and Sandra stayed up late to personally welcome us and walk us around the grounds, which are immaculate and filled with apple, pear and cherry trees. The hammock and the pool were a real treat too! We took many long walks down the path from the Manoir across the stretches of fields (poppies, lavender, nothing but untouched greenery for miles). You feel like you have the whole place to yourself.
Our gite was very well equipped with a clean modern oven, microwave, washing machine, coffee machine, DVD player, TV, iron, hairdryer, kettle, many pots and pans, a variety of dishes (even a tart pan and mini creme brule pots! excellent!) and utensils you can think of, and most importantly – lots of champagne glasses! The bedroom was a decent size with a large armoire and a huge, gorgeous arch-shaped window that looks on the front garden, filled with flowers and has a very French-country charm feel that we loved.
The many small touches are what made it even more special: a rain-fall shower head, comfortable beds, nice quality towels, books to read, DVDs to rent, cupboards stocked with olive oil, coffee, sugar and other necessities. And the food! Croissants, pain au chocolate, breakfast crepes filled the most delicious mushrooms and ham you have ever tasted are delivered right to your door in the morning so you can relax from the time you get up and not worry about rushing about to make breakfast home-made apple juice (which we drank several large bottles of!) was chilled and ready for us when we arrived we were delighted to see Hagen Daz ice cream in a dozen flavors available in the freezer, which was a perfect treat after a sunny day as we watched the sunset and sipped champagne at night… speaking of champagne – there are bottles of local champagne and wine stocked for convenience.
We spent our mornings drinking coffee in the sun at the table outside our gite, or lounging on the lounge chairs, and then walked around out into the fields with our dog off-leash or drove to a nearby village to visit the Champagne caves. There are many supermarkets to choose from, and we bought excellent cheeses, charcuterie and salmon to enjoy at dinner with Champagnes we collected during the day.
The Manoir is in a tiny village but close to many other larger towns, which was exactly what we were looking for. The total calm and beauty of the countryside did our souls good! Yet, we spent no more than 30 minutes driving before we were able to see great wine houses. A bread truck comes by every day so you can take advantage of fresh goodies without having to drive anywhere.
Sandra and Grant are true professionals and excellent hosts! We will be back (the sooner, the better), and are thrilled to have found a piece of country paradise in Champagne to temporarily escape from our hectic Parisian life."
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Review submitted by Andrea
from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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(Submitted:
28/05/2009) |
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| "It was our first trip (we were 3 single friends) to the Champagne country and we could not have been any happier with this lucky find! Grant and Sandra were incredibly gracious & personable hosts, the home cooked meals were amazing, and the on-site champagne/wine/beer/apple juice bar was just perfect. The Manior is very charming – you can buy fresh bread from a delivery truck every morning! – and the garden on a nice, sunny day is particularly wonderful.
We were initially concerned with the location being 40 minutes from Epernay and the Les Routes du Champagne, but the tranquil setting and stunning views at Manior Maffrecourt could not be beat. A car hire is unavoidable in the region anyway, so to have even more beautiful scenery to enjoy on the way to the champagne houses was just fine for us. And if you want a break from the champagne, there are other very interesting sites nearby, like the largest WWI American Cemetery in Europe.
Just make sure you have a GPS or a really good map because those little country roads can be quite confusing.
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Review submitted by Lucy
from The Hague
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(Submitted:
30/03/2009) |
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| "Complete peace and quiet was what we were looking for and that is exactly what we got. We had the most lovely relaxing holiday. Sandras cooking was a godsend - delicious and meant very little time spent in the kitchen which is always welcome on holiday!"
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Review submitted by BEATA
from LONDON
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(Submitted:
04/11/2008) |
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| "Very peaceful, our gite was overlooking the gardens with fruit trees and sound of a nature.Gite was very clean and had all the essentials that we requireed.Owners are very friendly and helpfull, they have organized our trips to local champagne houses and a vonderfull trip to Euro-Disney.
The location is perfect to do as much as you want or as little if you wish to.
When visiting the Manoir dont forget to sample a vonderfull jams and fruit juices that , the owners are making from the own fruit trees. You can also order your breakfast or dinner which, Sandra prepares for you with passion.Highly recomended, good value for money, friendly and relaxing athmosphire. We will be back.
Bea. London"
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Review submitted by Pauline
from Sydney Australia
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(Submitted:
18/10/2008) |
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| "We really enjoyed our first trip to the Champagne region and found the gite very relaxing and welcoming. It was great to be able to cook and wash. The area is very close to many interesting areas. We visited Reims on a Sunday afternoon and were amazed we were able to park very close to the Cathedral. We loved driving through the many small villages and looking at the many war cemeteries in the area. We would definitely like to return and explore the area in more detail.
We would like to have had the option to pay our final bill by credit card.
We thought the apple juice and champagne for sale on site were great."
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Review submitted by Gareth
from Edinburgh
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(Submitted:
23/09/2008) |
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| "Superb week at the Manoir. A perfect place to relax, whether in the gorgeous big garden, or just in the peaceful countryside. Grant and Sandra were wonderful hosts, making sure we were catered for on arrival and giving us plenty of helpful tips during our stay.
Would definitely try and go back there."
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Review submitted by Guy & Sue
from .
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(Submitted:
22/09/2008) |
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"The property is in a nice area and there is plenty to see. Our problem with it was the standard of decor was poor and the gite was best described as shabby. The linen was clean but everything else was dirty and had not been cleaned.
Our first morning was spent trying to clean the place up.
There where dead flies everywhere and some broken glass on the floor (My foot discovered some) The kitchen was tiny and all the cupboards where at floor level making using it awkward. The loo flooded once and nearly did so again. It had been replaced recently and there was a large hole in the wall that showed its inner workings.
The gite was not cheap and then the security deposit was added on the top and this was non refundable. This is just a cheap way of charging more for the property. If I had paid £400 for the property for a week I wouldnt complain as you get what you pay for but this was £700 and it was not up to that standard. (The main house looked shabby as well and the garden unkempt)
Everything was extra and there was a €5 for hiring a DVD and although there was some wine left in the fridge you had to pay for it.
We went home early as it was not a pleasant place to be. The only positive was free internet access that was very useful and was not charged for."
Owner reply:
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We are very sorry you did not enjoy your stay in our gite, It’s a shame that you did not mention any of your concerns to us while you were here on the numerous occasions you were asked.
Our gites are cleaned thoroughly and we can not accept your comments that “everything was dirty”. Your gite had been clinically cleaned immediately prior to your arrival. You did not bring any housekeeping issues to our attention at any time. The gite is a 1 bedroom cottage and the kitchen is spacious and certainly in proportion with the building, is fully equipped and has more than ample cupboard space. We explained to you when you arrived that the toilet had recently been replaced and the new back panel was waiting to be fitted, this did not affect the working of the toilet. When making your booking there were a number of security deposit options and you chose the £25 non-refundable “waiver” option. Our 5 acre country garden is regularly maintained and the grass cut on a weekly basis. The price of your gite includes bed linen, towels, toiletries, electricity, heating, TV, direct dial telephone, wi-fi access, PC, hot water and for families cot and high chair and a range of other items. Unusually, we offer an extensive range of wines, beers, champagnes, cognacs a selection of over 300 DVDs for rental (revenue used to add new titles) and meals from our menu, all popular “optional” items with our guests and therefore obviously not included in the cost of your stay.
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Review submitted by Steve, Pam & Charlie
from London
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(Submitted:
07/09/2008) |
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| "Our 6th visit - speaks for itself really doesnt it? Sandra and Grant are the most accommodating and friendly people you could wish for as Gite owners.
We spent this time around buying candy-textured honey in the local market, watching and photographing the swallows as they prepared to return to Africa, whooshing round Thunder Mountain at Disneyland, eating in the wonderful workers cafes (no menu _ its whatevers cooking, but always delicious with 3/4 courses - better than most restaurants and much cheaper), and talking and drinking with our lovely hosts.
This time we left with the swallows. Well all be back shortly..."
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Review submitted by Mary
from London
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(Submitted:
31/05/2008) |
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| "Had a great time and Grant and Sandra were extremely helpful especially in circumstances where TGV were on strike and they picked us up and got us back to stations to get connections back to Paris."
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Review submitted by Amy & Sean
from London
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(Submitted:
10/05/2008) |
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| "Grant and Sandra have thought of everything a family could want or need for relaxation and fun in the Champagne countryside. And, judging from our fellow guests (a group of friends) they’ve nailed it for non-families as well!
Gite Cerise was absolutely charming and perfect with views onto both the formal garden and expansive orchard. We loved having our own outdoor seating area where we enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals by Sandra and later an endless supply of tasty local beer, gorgeous Dampierre champagne and stars.
Our toddler had a treasure trove of stimulation and fun. From the toy chest full of toys to the swing in the orchard to the push toys, bike ride, gardens and the world’s best dog and friend, Hector.
The gorgeous location, daily boulangerie delivery and attentive & gracious hosts made the perfect weekend complete. We simply can’t think of anything they’ve not covered. It’s the perfect place for a weekend and ideally longer! We’ll definitely be visiting again!
Thank you! ("Bon jour, Hector!")
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Review submitted by James
from Worcester
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(Submitted:
25/02/2008) |
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| "We were unsure of where to stay when we went to France, but I stumbled across the Web Site for Manior De Maffrecourt and pleased I did. On arrival Grant and Sandra were very helpful gave us a full tour around of the gite and gardens. Never having been to the Champagne Region, they were very helpful and gave us lots of tips of where to visit and what to do. We would definitely go again when the opportunity arises."
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Review submitted by Judy
from Toronto Canada
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(Submitted:
02/11/2007) |
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| "We enjoyed our stay at this property but felt that the description of the property as de luxe on the web site perhaps was misleading. Compared to other places we have stayed in France with similar amentiies, this was considerably more expensive especially for late October. The unit was very small and a bit unclean on our arrival. On the plus side, it was warm, the bed was comfortable and the bedroon furniture charming. The owners were friendly and helpful and recommended local stores and restaurants. The location was convenient for visiting Reims, the Champagne country and the WWI memorials and battlefields in and around Verdun."
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Review submitted by David
from Barham
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(Submitted:
26/08/2007) |
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| "Super holiday and again consistent with other reviewers we experienced first class hospitality from the proprietors. We took our young family and they loved playing in the orchid and running around with Hector. Even on wet days there are things to do with lots of advice from Grant and Sandra. Disney is only 90 mins away and again we had lots of help and advice on how to best use our time at the park. A very peaceful place. We stayed in Gite Cerise which enters onto the garden - great to relax in and sit and sip the champagne that is on hand. You feel that you are in rural France but with the comfort of having British hosts to guide you."
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Review submitted by MARY
from 3 ROBERTSON DRIVE
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(Submitted:
21/08/2007) |
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| "A VERY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE AND GITE. THE RURAL SETTING AND GARDENS ARE PICTURE POSTCARD.
WE HAVE NOW FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THIS PART OF FRANCE. EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY. WE COULDNT HAVE BEEN LOOKED AFTER ANY BETTER - GRANT AND HIS WIFE WERE FRIENDLY AND ALWAYS THERE TO OFFER ADVICE ON WHERE TO GO AND THINGS TO DO WHEN THE WEATHER WAS NOT PARTICULARLY BRILLIANT. WE ENJOYED THE GARDENS AND HELPING TO PICK THE MIRABELLE PLUMS!!
WE WOULG RETURN AGAIN AND WOULD RECOMMEND IT. ANYONE WHO ALWAYS TRAVELS TO THE COAST SHOULD TRY THIS PART ODF FRANCE - ITS LIKE BRING IN DERBYSHIRE WITHOUT THE TRAFFIC AND ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE!! - LOVELY!!"
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Review submitted by Jill
from Llandudno
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(Submitted:
31/07/2007) |
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| "I can't remember having a better holiday. The area, atmosphere, accommodation, welcome and peace were beyond compare and much needed.
We are already planning our return.
Looking forward to seeing you soon
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Review submitted by Louise & Cliff
from Kiln Green
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(Submitted:
06/07/2007) |
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| "It's been just over 3 weeks since we got back from our holiday and we are already planning the next one!
From the moment we arrived, Grant & Sandra made us feel welcome and relaxed and the beautiful setting of the Manoir de Maffrecourt was out of this world. Gite Cerise has been beautifully decorated and the whole setting far exceeded our expectations.
We had the most fantastic holiday ever and Grant & Sandra's hospitality and knowledge of the champagne region was superb. The champagne tasting evening is not to be missed - what a great way to spend a warm summers evening!
We have made a great friendship with Grant & Sandra (and we miss Hector!).
This was a holiday that we will never forget and have already recommended it to many friends.
Louise & Cliff Meen"
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Review submitted by Linda and Simon
from Leicestershire
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(Submitted:
14/06/2007) |
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| "Our hopes & dreams for an "extra-special" holiday to celebrate our 50th birthdays were totally surpassed by the fabulous gite, friendly, helpful & welcoming hosts, an ambience of peace & relaxation and an oasis in which to unwind!
Thankyou for all you have done to make our stay "the holiday of holidays"!!"
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Review submitted by Louise
from London
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(Submitted:
19/05/2007) |
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| "We had a fantastic time at the Manoir. The gite itself was lovely with great pesonal touches and very baby friendly. Grant and Sandra were very welcoming and couldn't do enough to make our holiday fantastic.
Have alreasdy recommended the gite to friends and am sure we'll be back again soon!"
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Review submitted by rob and shirley
from york
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(Submitted:
16/05/2007) |
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| "We have stayed at a few Gites and this one is deffinately the best!
It was very clean and the attention to detail was excellent and made our stay a home from home experience.
The bed was so comfy and the big white fluffy towels are 'to die for'!
The kitchen was very well equipped and the owners had 'thought of everything' that one might need, when staying away from home in another country.
Grant and Sandra were so welcoming and friendly and made you feel that you could call on them and ask for anything.
Lastly but not least...... Hector was an added bonus!"
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Review submitted by Patrick
from Berlin, Germany
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(Submitted:
01/05/2007) |
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| "I do not believe I have ever seen France in any other season as in winter. I find France to be more at peace in this particular season. Our visit to Champagne in January was an experience as all my experiences were in Burgundy, Alsace and Paris, how to say it simply "Fantastic". Our stay at the Manoir De Maffrecourt was greeted with a warm welcome from Sandra and Grant. They ensured that our stay would be comfortable and their hospitality was terrific. As there was three in our party Grant graciously upgraded us all to the larger suite. The greatest detail of all is the well stocked refrigerator and easy access of Champagne in case you were low on supply or just plain out. Well done Grant. The Manoir De Maffrecourt sits perched on a small hill looking over vast amounts of rolling hills. This makes for great walking and exploring for hours with the family pet . It must be just beautiful in the summer. Our room was comfortable and allowed us to prepare our own meals and sit back to ponder the idea on which Champagne to pop. The one thing we did miss was the fireplace. But Grant mentioned he was working on this detail. Being a vacationer in Winter this is a must.
I would definately return, but I think this time I would like to give a go in Spring. Sandra and Grant, I would like to thank you once again. I hope you enjoyed the Blackforest Honey and I apologize for the lateness of this review. All the very best to both of you and a big hello to your dog (I forgot his name) sorry.
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Review submitted by Janet and Ian
from Kent
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(Submitted:
13/04/2007) |
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| "An excellent gite in the beautiful countryside. Well equipped and comfortable.
Excellent hosts.
Ideal for relaxing and exploring the Champagne region."
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Review submitted by Sarah
from Wiltshire
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(Submitted:
15/11/2006) |
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| "Loved the gite, great hosts and location."
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Review submitted by Linda
from Northern Ireland
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(Submitted:
17/10/2006) |
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| "This was our first "gite" holiday and as such, we were more than pleased with the facilities offered at Manoir de Maffrecourt. The property is typical French style situated in a quiet village a few miles from the main town of St Menehould. This should not be viewed as a handicap as the location offers tranquility and an environment in which to just "chill out."
We used the gite as a centrally located base for exploring the Champagne region and accordingly were able to go out in a different direction daily.
The Manoir is very much a work in progress for the owners, grant and Sandra, who have embraced the local culture and are keen to restore the property in a sympatetic manner.
This adds to the charm. Grant and Sandra are also extremely approachable and keen to give advice and guidance to their guests.
From our point of view, we had an extremely enjoyable week at Maffrecourt and would seriously consider a return visit in the future."
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Review submitted by Sarah
from Brighton, United Kingdom
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(Submitted:
03/10/2006) |
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| "Lovely peacfull time, Grant and Sandra really made us feel at home and went out of their way to help us have a good time. They even roped one of their very french neighbours in to coming out with us on a tour of the trenches.
Lovely gite with beautiful views from everywhere of the gardens or church.
You definitley need a car with you for this holiday as you are really out in the country, but this was part of the fun, and the bigger towns are not too far.
The only thing that was wrong with the whole experience is that the bed was soft and small - fine if you are not too tall or don't have a bad back but I have a bad back and was in quite a lot of pain for the week and my husband is over 6ft and was cramped every night.
But that was the only thing that wasn't perfect, so thank you Sandra and Grant for a wonderful holiday!"
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Review submitted by audrey
from manoir de maffrecourt
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(Submitted:
26/09/2006) |
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| "Sandra and Grant were very friendly and helpful.The gite was fine and we had a lovely week.If I had to be picky,there was no rail in the wardrobe to hang the clothes and garden paths were a bit overgrown."
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Review submitted by lynne
from uk
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(Submitted:
17/08/2006) |
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| "Very welcoming and helpful hosts. A lovely peaceful setting, allowing total relaxation. Well equipped gite with the added bonus of the garden as another room.
Ideally suited for 2 people."
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Review submitted by Steve, Pam & Charlie
from London, UK
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(Submitted:
14/08/2006) |
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| "It's got to be good - this was our THIRD visit, and what Sandra and Grant have set up provides us with a great mix of calm, exploration, friendliness, great local food and wine (hunt out the small and totally unadvertised lunchtime cafes in the middle of nowhere!) and the best reception you'll find anywhere.
Meet the local Mayor, see the WWI trenches, taste Sandra's scrummy jam, grab a case or two of local wine or champagne, view the nesting Mirabelle Swallows (who've been returning to this site for generations) or just sit staring at the landscape as the sun goes down...
Oh, and the Gites are wonderful, naturally.
Lovely, as ever. See you soon!"
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Review submitted by Anastasia & Peter
from Sweden
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(Submitted:
13/08/2006) |
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| "We had a lovely week in Manoir de Maffrecourt in a wounderful gite and in the serene country setting of eastern Champagne. Being our first visit to Champagne and with a somewhat broken French we where delighted with all the help and advice we got from Grant and Sandra, a British couple who found a new home here some years ago. Setting up visits to Champagne houses, small and large was a breeze and we could focus on enjoying those visits. Epernay & Reims are both within comfortable reach while far away enough to avoid almost all other tourists. If you prefer, great Champagne can even be bought at the Manoir together with an assortment of local delis, bread being delivered to your front door!"
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Review submitted by David
from South Wales
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(Submitted:
07/08/2006) |
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| "Very quiet and relaxing with very friendly hosts, the grounds that are available to you are outstanding, the addition of a splash pool was a pleasant surprise, will definately revisit in a couple of years."
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Review submitted by Simon
from Warrington, UK
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(Submitted:
04/08/2006) |
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| "An excellent gite, situated in a very quiet village with easy access by car to local tourist centres. Superb cycling in the local area, both on quiet country lanes and off-road on farm and forest tracks. A great way to explore the local villages. Our hosts made us very welcome. Recommended."
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Review submitted by Wouter
from Antwerp
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(Submitted:
22/12/2005) |
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| "The gîte was amazing, just the right size... excellent view and all appl. were there (handy with a son of 14months)
The owners were most friendly!
The surround system in the gîte and the dvd rental service... made the stay fantastic
We recommended this to a lot of our friends and family.
One of the best we had and just a 3hour drive AND champagne.. what else do you want :-)
Fam De Bie- Adriaens"
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Review submitted by Charles
from London
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(Submitted:
13/10/2005) |
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| "Gite Cerise is in very good decorative order, recently restored. It retains character of the traditional building but has a light airy modern feel. The bathroom and kitchen are newly fitted and the kitchen is big enough to do a dinner party if you make efficient use of space. The Garden and location are beautiful. The view is across rolling countryside but the gite is still within easy striking distance of the town by car. This is proper rural France and doesn't feel too colonialised by tourists. The second gite at the Manoir de Maffrecourt is also beautifully decorated and Grant and Sandra are really nice people. They gave us a warm welcome and even helped us unpack the car. They had kindly put some bread butter, milk and other staple foods in the fridge for us. Overall they are genuinely hospitable and are well connected in the village so they can arrange excursions and recommend things to do. We particularly enjoyed visits to World War I sites nearby and would recommend visits to the Verdun memorials north of the town itself, the underground citadel at Verdun (great tour) and Vauquois if that sort of thing is of interest. Reims and Epernay are within driving distance (40 mins) for Champagne house tours and the area around the Argonne forest is generally very scenic."
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* Reviews with 'review not verified by RentalSystems' are testimonials that have been added by either the property manager or members of the public for bookings that have NOT been made via the RentalSystems booking engine.
Reviews with star ratings are customer reviews are reviews that
are from customers that have booked using the RentalSystems
booking system and are therefore verified that they are from
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