This is an ideal rural location which exceeded our expectations. The views are stunning and it feels just like a family house. Justin and Natasha were highly responsive hosts. It is the perfect place from which to explore the local area and the relaxed French way of life.
Every other reviewer has said this but it bears repeating: this is such a beautiful house, fantastically well equipped, in a great location, with a lovely pool. Two weeks was not enough!
Our first week coincided with the end of the heat wave and so we were very grateful to be able to spend the afternoons in the pool after we'd braved the morning heat seeing the local sights - St-Antonin-Noble-Val's market on Sunday mornings is well worth getting up early for (wed recommend parking on the D19 road that leads in from Caylus - Avenue Capin on Google Maps - rather than trying the car parks), the PhosphatiĂšre du Cloup d'Aural (a former phosphate mine and now geological treasure trove) was fascinating, Bruniquel and Najac castles both awe inspiring, Peche Merle caves a little bit further away but with paintings and rock formations you'll not see anywhere else. Canoeing in St-Antonin was another highlight - the company we used, Nature Escapade, were great.
As well as a fantastic kitchen (plentiful utensils, pans, etc., and as keen cooks we know how rare it is to find such sharp knives in a self-catering property!) there are books and games that our 7-year-old lapped up. The house has been beautifully converted from the school it once was, keeping lovely features like the old stone bread oven in one of the bedrooms, whilst still providing all the mod cons you could want, and very tasteful decor.
This holiday was a long time coming as we were first due to travel just as the lockdown hit at the end of summer 2020, and a huge thank you to Justin and Natasha for being so accommodating and helpful throughout!
Ancienne Ecole is scruffy and run down but it could still be a charming, rustic place if it was just being looked after in the basics. It isn't though. The owners told us they weren't using a management company anymore and they were finding it difficult to deal with maintenance issues remotely. I'm sure it is tricky but it's no fun to rent it for your family holiday and have to deal with constant problems such the pool not working, and the stench of sewage from the drains in the ensuite bathroom making a bedroom unusable. It was uncomfortable and a bit sad. Especially when you have to drive past the neighbouring old houses that are being well looked after. We did have a few nice days in the second week when the pool was working again, but we really had to make an effort to be upbeat as I squashed into the kids' bedroom and more things fell apart due to lack of maintenance.
Nearby Saint Antonin is a lovely town and if you do rent this place I strongly recommend checking whether they've addressed these issues and hired a management company again. Here are some of the issues we had to deal with: 1. Pool didn't work for first week. Their pool guy told me the cleaning system was ancient and he had been telling the owners they needed to buy a new filter for ages. 2. The place hadn't been properly cleaned. Ant traps bursting full of dead ants were in every corner and doorway and the floor was dirty and sticky. 3. Sewage from the drains in ensuite bathroom filled the bedroom too. Horrible. Impossible to sleep there. The owners told me to run the taps in case the pipes were dry. I did. It got worse. They didn't get a plumber. 4. There were two dangerously loose steps on the stairs going down to the bedrooms. They weren't fixed. 5. The washingmachine didn't work when we arrived. When I messaged the owner and asked if there was a trick to it, maybe there was a switch I hadn't found, he didn't ask anything about it but delivered a new one. That was nice but also weird, it made me think he already knew it was broken. They dumped the old one in the garden. Then there were small things that made it uncomfortable or unsafe: There was only one fan working in one bedroom and it was so hot. There were no mosquito nets but tons of mosquitos. Where there should have been railings to stop anyone falling off the balcony there was chicken wire pinned up instead. All a bit...rubbish.
The house is a bit like "coming home", it has a lot of charm, and there are lots of different corners to it, all perfect for some part of the day. The kitchen is spacious and well equipped. Together with the (big) pool, and the nice surroundings (medieval villages, scenery) this is all you want to enjoy the south-of-france-feeling.
We spent a lovely holiday in this house, even though the weather was not with us.
The house has everything you need, and is in a very calm and lovely environment. The 3 bathrooms and the large pool are a plus. Thanks again!
Ein wunderschönes "Zu Hause" in einer traumhaften Umgebung, so liebevoll eingerichtet, dass man gar nicht mehr weg möchte. Ganz lieben Dank an Natasha und Justin!!
Located in Horsham England. We fell in love with this area after stumbling upon it several years ago with our first stay being in St Antonin Noble Val. We returned and returned again in search of our little âPiece of Peaceâ for our family to enjoy and escape to. We were very lucky to of found this gem and would like to open it up so that it can be enjoyed by many!