Archival
10/10 Excellent
Jenny L.
7 Dec 2016
Terres en Provence: Wonderful property and excellent hosts!
It was my first time to use VRBO/Homeaway/Abritel for outside the US. We rented this gite and had a great experience with the property and its owners. Veronique and Claude, the owners, started their venture (Terres en Provence) in August around the time of my research and booking. I was a little concerned that the property had no reviews here on VRBO/Homeaway and other websites where I found it. I am happy to report it was an excellent experience.
The place is brand new, thoughtfully furnished and spotless. Beds are comfortable and while the rooms were compact, it had ample closet space. The wifi was spotty but that was the same anywhere in Venasque. They had a unique arrangement for the gite where the front door is a big sliding glass plate door. While unusual, it was practical since it flooded the living area with light. It is also very secure with an automated shutter gate. The gite is located a couple of minutes drive from the Venasque town center, it is walkable but the path leading to the property is typical of the area which is winding (without sidewalks). The gite is high up and had a nice view if you were on the front patio. We stayed in the Fall so we were not able to use the pool.
Veronique and Claude, while new to renting a gite, were the most gracious of hosts. They welcomed us with their local wine and pate. They even provided a box of toys for our 5-year old and came by mid-visit on with some chocolate for her. Where they are still figuring out how to appoint starter supplies for guests typical in a rental (e.g., dishwasher detergent, trash bags), Veronique/Claude more than made up with their responsiveness and sincerity. While we were not expecting it, Veronique was quick to offer making us a reservation for dinner as she sensed we were trying to get bearings after a long international flight and two hour drive from Marseille. There was a bit of initial confusion since we do not speak French and they do not speak English, and we both were relatively new to Abritel/VRBO as owners and renters. Any miscommunication on deposit/payment was straightened out between Google Translate and a lot of empathy. This experience with Veronique and Claude reaffirmed our trust in the goodness and honesty of people.
Venasque is pristine and untouched. Terres en Provence made our stay complete and is a comfortable and private getaway. We highly recommend!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2016