Gîte de la Maison de Jeanne d'Arc, au coeur des chateaux de la Loire

This is a lovely little house situated on the bank of the Indre river, at the bottom of a long lawned garden. Going in June we did not have a problem with mosquitoes. We were very sorry to leave and I am sure we will be going again.

We spent 4 night in May at this lovely and restful cottage. The patio outside was so nice and the wistaria was in bloom. We spent a lot of time in the late afternoon and evening sitting on the patio, relaxing with wine, cheese, and baguettes and enjoying the scenery. The owners are very nice and very accommodating. We had a brief problem with the hot water and they came over immediately and readjusted it. The cottage is in driving distance to the Chateau's in the area so we had some very pleasant day trips. We really enjoyed out stay!

This darling cottage is in a perfect spot by the river and just out of the beautiful town. The owners were so nice and we had a fun time trying to speak french. I would love to come back every year if I could. You will enjoy this very much.

Good - but room for improvement. Cleanliness: Good, although the washing machine left clothes with a musty smell. We tried airing the drum out but the smell persisted. The owners were fairly friendly. Unfortunately, we did not enjoy our stay as we were unable to get a good sleep because the temperature inside the gite was well above 30C (day and night). We had the choice to either cool the gite off during the night and let a plethora of bugs in, or keep the windows shut and die of heat. In fact, we had to check into a hotel for one night just to get a good sleep and we really could not wait to leave. The weather was unusually warm, so this is obviously not the fault of the owners. Location: The gite is located immediately beside stagnant water so expect a massive amount of bugs. Air conditioning units should seriously be considered for the comfort of guests to keep the temperature correct but also limit the amount of mosquitoes and moths. The gite is nicely decorated and the kitchen is well equipped.

You will wake to the sweet chirping of the birds who will continue to serenade you throughout the day and evening. A short stroll to the end of the lawn brings you to the banks of the beautiful Indre River. As the day warms, you will enjoy the patio for meals as the reflections of the trees along the river bank shimmer in the water.

Every meal can be prepared in the very large kitchen, well equipped, although you will need to bring all that you will need to cook. There are no spices, oils or other condiments we find in most of the gites where we stay throughout the world. Also be sure to bring napkins and plastic wrap for food storage. And only dish and washing machine soap is provided, no hand soap or shower soap.

As you retire to the upstairs bedroom, the quiet of the night is only interrupted by the soft hooting of an owl or maybe it is a quail. It is a delightful cottage, with a huge lawn that would be wonderful for children to run in and play lawn games.

This is a lovely cottage, renovated with detailed care and if we were to return to Azay de rideau, we would for sure stay there again.