Reviews

“Ultimate relaxation in a charming location”

My partner and I needed peace and quiet following a very stressful summer - we found exactly the right place at La Maillerie! October is hardly the height of the tourist season, which suited us very well. The weather was mild and we were able to explore the local area on foot. Every morning we visited the local boulangerie to choose amongst the variety of treats. The boulangerie also sells local honey which is incredibly tasty. We took many drives around the area, We visited the market in Piégut-Pluviers, then honed our cooking skills back at the gite with our foodie purchases: giant Madagascar Prawns, fresh fish, and a variety of lovely veggies and mushrooms. The hosts at La Maillerie are are friendly and helpful and the property provided all the amenities we required (parking, laundry facilities, garden furniture including a barbeque). We absolutely loved our time at La Maillerie and are already planning our next visit!

Travelled as a couple
Owners Direct 5/5 5 stars
Trip Advisor: 5/5

"Lovely village"

Lovely peaceful setting, nice and easy to keep clean with a dog around (after hiding the cream rug). We chose La Rive for it's proximity to the village and it was just perfect in that respect - fresh bread in the morning and a beer and a game of petanque in the evening. We even managed to get a couple of bottles of decent wine from the boulangerie for Sunday evening as we had forgotten that - we had food as we knew that the supermarkets close at noon on Sunday! The information book in the gite had everything we needed, although we didn't read it all before we needed it! (Vet's opening hours were in there - do make sure you take notice of them if you need them). We have friends who live about 15 minutes drive away and they recommended the Friday night fish and chips, and although we thought we should not be eating such a meal in France they were excellent. The "catchword" for the week was "Hoopoe" as it was one of the first birds my husband spotted when driving towards Nontron - it's not something we see here in Suffolk, he was also quite surprised at all the buzzards we saw. He was also very impressed with the Grotte Villars (I made him go alone as I have been before) and we both enjoyed the Wednesday market at Piegut.

Recommended for: Age 55+, pet friendly and sightseeing

Owners Direct Review 5/5 5 stars

"A dog's eye view"

Lovely big room so I could see both people at all times and therefore didn't have to lie in a doorway and trip people up! Floor nice and cool to lie on too. Lovely woodland walks right outside the door and my own personal river to cool off in (and drink from) - what more could a dog want from a holiday.

Recommended for: Age 55+, pet friendly and sightseeing

Owners Direct 5/5 5stars

United Kingdom

"Great family gite”

Stayed in La Cascade for a week....nice large 3 bedroom property with a veranda overlooking a natural amphitheatre.
Beautiful location.....kids loved the pool and the open play area....dog loved the stream !
Nice region to get out and explore.

Trip advisor: 5/5

Travelled with family

Berkshire United Kingdom

“Beautiful location! You won't want to leave!”

Stayed at La Maillerie over the May bank holiday in gite La Cascade. I was not disappointed!
The location is stunning and set in the picturesque village of Busseroles.The waterfall is a captivating backdrop and the river weaves around the gites and is lined by beautiful Irises.Its hard to put the camera down! The welcome from the gite owners was warm and friendly, they live onsite, so nearby if you needed any help.

The gite has lots of character and period features and is well equiped with everything you might need.Comfy beds decent shower and all mod cons.There is a large balcony that overlooks the waterfall, perfect for sitting out with a glass of wine or having a BBQ.

There are woods behind the gite to explore and lots of interesting walks in every direction.The village has a great restaurant- they were having a Paella and concert evening while I was there, a bakery selling fresh out of the oven baguettes and a pretty park with a lake and tennis courts.

The weather was typical of a bank holiday so I didnt try out the pool but it was a good size, looked newly built and was positioned just up the hill so you have a relaxing view of the scenery all around.There is lots to do in the area - cycling, watersports, markets or have a drive down to Bergerac wine country.

Can't wait to return for a longer break

Trip Advisor 5/5

Travelled with friends

Owners Direct Review: 5/5 5 stars

"Rural Relaxation"
If you are looking for rural relaxation in a typically French location look no further! A pub and restaurant two minutes away and a bakery open at 7-30am with all things French to eat and plenty of footpaths, small roads and countryside to enjoy this is really good. The photos do not do the pool justice because it is much better than it looks but still a bit cold at the end of May. The veiws from the terrace are a joy to sit and watch and we had most meals outside both mrning and evening. There are some nice towns locally such As Brantome, Rochefoucault and the little market town closest of all is Piegut-pluviers with a big market.
Recommended for: Pet friendly

We stayed in La Rive and Le Moulin for one week in early July 2015. We had a wonderful time. The children loved the freedom to be able to explore the stream and its abundant wildlife. The gites were lovely and well appointed and Rob and Sarah were fabulous hosts. Already trying to decide when we can return!

We have just stayed in one of the Gites for a two week summer holiday and had the most fantastic time. There was myself and my partner and between us 4 children ages ranging from 7 to 16.The gite was immaculate and had everything you needed in it. The area was beautiful with its natural surroundings.The facilities were excellent and the pool was a great hit with all the children. Best of all were the owners who live on site. Their knowledge of the local area and what was going on such as markets, best places to eat and visit made our holiday one of the best we have ever had. They were always on hand (even during a massive storm in the middle of the night) to help with any problems. If you are thinking of booking for your holiday then don't think, just book!

Peace and Relaxation

We have just got back from a wonderfully relaxing week at La Maillerie. It is such a peaceful and beautiful location and our hosts Robert and Sarah could not have been more accommodating. The view from the terrace is simply stunning and wildlife abounds. We spotted a deer, falcons and kingfishers just sitting out on our terrace. Between the pool, well equipped games room, hunting for frogs and crayfish in the stream, exploring the woods and building dens, our boys (age 8 and 5) were never short of things to do. There is a boulangerie and restaurant/bar (be sure to make a reservation for dinner) only a short stroll away. If you enjoy the outdoors and wildlife we would also strongly recommend a canoe trip with Maison de Canoe near Montbron, only 20mns away. We would like to thank Robert and Sarah for a most enjoyable stay and are already planning our next trip back.

Date of Stay : 1/8/15
Owners Direct 5/5 stars

Splendid oasis in Dordogne

It was the second week of our two gite stay in the Dordogne. From the moment we arrived, it was just delightful. Lovely hosts - Robert and Sarah - welcomed us and gave us a tour of the gite and the surrounding site - woods, paths, a river fit for scrambling and paddling, and adjacent village. The gite itself was perfectly equipped for our family of four; lovely high ceilings, spacious rooms and patio overlooking woods. More widely, there were lots of things to do nearby, including caves to explore, a "Go-Ape" style activity centre and great markets. We had a fantastic time and recommend it.

Owners Direct ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Date of stay 8/8/15

'Green getaway'
This was our first experience of a gite and what an experience it was.

The roads to the village got quieter and quieter. The lanes were narrower and narrower until we finally arrived in a beautiful old village square.
Robert and was on hand to give us a warm welcome on arrival and sorted out a few issue straight away.

The gite was bigger than we imagined and the brook was right next to the building. So our stay was made even more relaxing with the sounds of the water flowing past the window. Its secluded, tranquil,and has a great shower.

Plenty for kids to do once they have finished splashing in the water and exploring the woods. There is table tennis, table football, badminton, a sand pit and a swing

There are several nearby lakes with lots to do; great local markets and enough castles, caves and touristy stuff within an hours drive.

Stayed August 2015, travelled with family

We stayed August 2015 for two completely stress-free & relaxing weeks.

The accommodation is excellent, the welcome warm, and the environment enchanting.

Plenty to do and see in the area, we particularly enjoyed the swimming, fishing and food at St Estephe lake.

Highly recommended - Rich, Sue and Kids

We had a great week in La Rive gite. The gite was light and airy, very clean and perfectly equipped. Mallerie is an idyllic spot - for lounging around listening to the stream trickle past, playing in the meadow or splashing about in the pool.
If you can tear yourself away there's plenty to enjoy close by - pretty villages, markets, lake activities, canoeing and much more.
We felt that Rob and Sarah were perfect hosts, on hand if we had a question.
A great choice, highly recommend.

Rating: 10
Mijn gezin (2 jonge kinderen) heeft hier 2 heerlijke weken doorgebracht. de 'gite' is geweldig in ruimte, inrichting en licht. Het heeft een geweldig terras waar natuurlijk een BBQ aanwezig is en veel door ons is gebruikt. vanaf het terras kijk je direct uit op de bomen en het riviertje dat langs stroomt. in de zomer stroomt het wat langzamer maar je hoort het geluid van het water en naast de geluiden van vogels hoor je voor de rest eigenlijk helemaal niets en kun je genieten van de rust. waar je in Nederland altijd de snelweg hoort, is het hier stil. De eigenaren zijn vriendelijk en zeer behulpzaam en hebben goed nagedacht over verblijven met kinderen: er is veel speelgoed, er zijn traphekjes en een babystoel en bed beschikbaar. het spelen in de tuin en bos is voor de kinderen een walhalla; in het riviertje (nauwelijks 20 cm diep dus vrij veilig) zwemmen vissen, kikkers en rivierkreefjes. er is een schommel, etc etc. wat wil je nog meer als ouders? ;-): genieten van het zwembad bijvoorbeeld! Het is een rustige omgeving maar er is in de buurt genoeg te doen op niet al te ver weg: er zijn leuke steden en dorpjes, heerlijk wandelen, zwemmen en natuurlijk goed eten en lekkere wijnen. leven als god in Frankrijk...

Translated with Google Translate
My family (2 young children) here has two wonderful weeks spent. The "cottage" is amazing in space, décor and lighting. It has a great terrace where of course a BBQ is available and much used by us. from the terrace you look right out at the trees and the river that flows past. in summer it flows more slowly, but you hear the sound of the water and next to the sounds of birds you can hear basically for the rest nothing and you can enjoy the peace. you always hear the highway in the Netherlands, it is quiet here. The owners are friendly and very helpful and have good thinking about staying with children: there is a lot of toys, there are stair gates and a baby chair and bed available. playing in the garden and forest is a paradise for children; in the river (only 20 cm deep so pretty safe) swimming fish, frogs and rivierkreefjes. there is a swing, etc etc. What more could you want as parents? ;-): Enjoy the pool for example! It's a quiet area but is close enough to do in the not too far away there are nice towns and villages, hiking, swimming and of course good food and fine wines. living like a God in France...

“The perfect retreat in rural France...”
5 of 5 stars

Right from the outset the holiday cottage and owners were absolutely perfect.
We were greeted by Rob, who showed us to our ‘digs’ and went through the house rules. He left us to our own devices yet was always on hand as and when we needed him (restaurant recommendations, places to visit etc).
La Maillerie is absolutely stunning. A converted mill dating from the 18th Century (I think, if memory serves!), which now serves as 3 holiday cottages. We stayed in Le Moulin.
When you walk through the front door, you walk into the cavernous living and dining area (I’m sure the Red Arrows could use it to practice in!), which is served by a kitchen on a split level, mezzanine type floor. Whilst the area is huge, it still feels cozy and the mill still has a number of its original features. The kitchen is more than adequate and there are enough pots, pans, plates, knives and forks to cater for everybody.
All bedrooms are of a generous size and there are two bathrooms and two toilets……..so, no arguing on a morning!
All 3 holiday cottages have the use of a shared laundry room/games room too.
Outside there is a good sized patio area with plenty of tables and chairs and your own barbecue. Whilst you have neighbours, each patio area feels private.
The wooded garden is an absolute haven for wildlife stalkers and twitchers alike (not a euphemism!). A stream flows through the centre. We saw (amongst other things), Jays, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and a Kingfisher. The stream has frogs, freshwater mussels, crayfish, trout and a number of other smaller fish.
After the sun has set, the starry sky is yet another bonus.
There are two nearby towns (Montbron and Piegut) [pronounced Pee-ay-joo and not Pie-Gut!), to get stocked up on the essentials (Merguez sausages and Champagne). The baguettes can be purchased 6 days a week (not on a Wednesday), from the Boulangerie in Busserolles (quite literally a 2 minute walk from the cottage); the patisserie display is worth sampling too.
There is plenty to keep you occupied in the area. Whilst here we visited the market at Piegut (absolutely huge and can buy anything from an African drum to a bag of snails!), Grotte de Villars, Oradour-sur-Glane (an absolute must!), the food producers market at St Estephe (dont volunteer to drive and enjoy the Andouillettes and the vino!), and then there is the pool too!
All in all, I cant recommend this place enough. For rural Francophiles like myself, La Maillerie ticks all the boxes.

Stayed August 2016, travelled with family

Wonderful - a slice of paradise
5 of 5 stars

My husband and I stayed in La Rive for two weeks during Sept 18. We arrived late, at 10.30 pm, but Rob was on hand to welcome us and show us the ropes etc.

The Gite is really well equipped and has everything you could possibly need for two weeks of self catering. The living/kitchen/dining area has plenty of room to move around, the bedroom was a good size and the bathroom was bigger than ours back home with Instance hot water at the shower. As the walls were really thick, the gite was really cool to come back into at the end of a long hot day sightseeing.
It has a wonderful patio area, overlooking the woods and the stream, and you can watch the sun setting behind the trees, it's quite hard to believe that you are only a hundred or so yards from the village. A really peaceful and tranquil place to be. The photos on Tripadvisor show it just how it it - wonderful

There are plenty of signposted walks around the village, which also has a lake you can walk around, great for an evening stroll.

Others on here have mentioned St Estephe Lake, well worth a visit. My favourite place was the subterranean church at Aubeterre Sur Drone (and the pottery shop opposite, where I did go a little overboard and buy far too much - well what's a girl to do!)

Wouldn't recommend going to Angouleme (bit disappointed in that), but Brantome, Bourdeilles and Peregueux were well worth a visit. Oradour sur glane should be on the list of places to visit too. Piegut market on a Wednesday is one of the biggest in the area (spent far too much there as well!)

All in all, the gite is amazing and it's in a wonderful location with plenty to do - you won't be disappointed.

Stayed: September 2018, travelled as a couple

Rustic peace

5 out of 5 Stars - Tripadvisor

We stayed in ‘La Rive’ during August 2018. The gite has one double bedroom and a mezzanine bedroom with twin beds. The accommodation is simple, but excellent. Because the walls are extremely thick, the gite always provided cool respite when it was hot outside.

We made a lot of use of the swimming pool. It’s shared across the 3 gites, but this works well, it’s big enough for all and generally when you want it you get it to yourself.

It is difficult to describe just how wonderful this place is. The key for me were the gardens. They are not manicured in any way, but the combined effect of the stream and the surrounding ancient woodland makes it an incredibly peaceful place.

The hosts do a great job of maintaining a very relaxed atmosphere, while of course getting the job done.

I can’t wait to return.

By the way, you’ll need a car while you’re here. Busserolles has the Boulanger and a cafe in walking distance but that’s about it. The lake at Saint Estephe is an excellent day out for the beach, and the idyllic walking. Our kids (aged 4 and 6) loved the tree climbing at Nontron.

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Stayed: August 2018

Under sells the superb tranquility of the place!

5 out of 5 stars - Tripadvisor

We stayed for a week in Moulin and our friends had cascade. Worked very well since each had private areas for dining and sitting whilst all sharing communal gardens and facilities. The stream running through the garden was great and my kids (even the 16 year old) spent hours fishing various living creatures out of it. The pool, ping pong and badminton area went down well and there were loads of bats, balls etc.
Boulangerie at the end of the road was great for breakfast. A shame that the restaurant in the village was closed but Rob organised a taxi for us to go to the nearest restaurant for a break from the barbeques. Loved it and thanks Rob!

Wonderful retreat

5 out of 5 stars - Tripadvisor

We have just returned from La Maillerie and are already missing it. It is a very special place, so peaceful and such beautiful surroundings. The gite itself (we stayed in Le Moulin) was perfect, spacious and well equipped. But for us the highlight were the terrace, gardens, waterfall, river and surrounding woods. We saw so much wonderful wildlife, including kingfishers. I highly recommend a visit.

Stayed June 2018

Amazing 2 weeks in Busserolles!

5 out of 5 Stars - Tripadvisor

Overall a really nice place to stay with everything needed for a great family holiday. In summary:

Gite: (Le Moulin) very large, very clean, all the things you'd expect and in full working order - full fridge freezer, dishwasher, large bbq, plenty of pans/plates/glasses/cutlery

Pool: large, very clean, safe for little kids

Playroom/games/sandpit/zip wire: all great for kids

Garden: enormous, naturally very beautiful, some lovely natural features to explore

Hosts: Rob and his wife couldn't do enough for us - thank you!

Village - very quiet and pretty but boulangerie and pub/bistro open most days. Lake and little park in the village are very nice.

Thanks for a great stay!

Stayed: August 2017, travelled with family

An amazing place

We have just returned home after a fantastic stay at La Rive - it is difficult to think of a more relaxing and tranquil place to unwind in rural France. The Gite is well equipped, clean and comfortable, but it is the outside space that makes it such a wonderful place to stay. Our dogs spent pretty much the entire week in the stream, the outdoor pool has the sun all day and there are lovely walks on the doorstep. It really is the perfect place to relax as well as being a good base to explore northern Dordogne. We’ll definitely back and really can’t think of anything that would improve what was a wonderful holiday.

My husband, 4 kids and I stayed in La Cascade July 2019 during a record breaking heatwave in France. The pool was used loads, the house itself was lovely, spacious, well equipped (sharp knives which I often find rare in holiday accommodation!!). The upstairs bedrooms are large and we're great for the kids. The ground were great and the most was made of badminton, zip line and bamboo dens with the shade from being very welcome. It makes it very easy to meet other guests without being on top of each other so an excellent balance of social/private. My kids became great buddies with those staying in Le Moulin and the dogs staying in La Rive!
Day trips - Villars cave, Brantome, Nontron and St Estephe all being worthwhile.
Dat trips included.
The host are welcoming and attentive which of course adds the three amazing ambience and general happy feel to the place.

Absolutely beautiful. A slice of paradise to get away from it all. The gite and grounds are perfect, our 6 year old twin boys had days of adventure playing in the stream, bamboo forest and grounds, we all had fun in the pool and playing badminton and on the couple of rainy days we played table football and ping pong. A short walk into the village is the lovely patisserie and restaurant and also a lake, park and tennis courts. You need a car to get anywhere else but apart from shopping, a bigger lake and a couple of night markets we barely left the property as the kids were happy to play while we got the rest we needed! Rob and sarah are lovely, there if you need anything but otherwise leave you to it. Can't wait to return one day, loved it!

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Our boys particularly enjoyed playing cricket on the field. We enjoyed pizzas from the local boulangerie on the Sunday evening, and we had fish and chips on the Friday at the bistro. Boys really enjoyed swimming at the lake at St Estephe - though we got told off for swimming outside the designated area! We enjoyed the 1.5hr canoe with Maison du canoe - Montbron. Didn't book, but then had to wait for next family to go together.
Beautiful scenery!
Sad to be leaving!

Fantastic location - very, very relaxing.
Enjoyed just 'hanging around'.
Well signposted local walks. Roads empty - felt safe to cycle.
Thank you for having us!
The Dows

We've had a lovely fortnight here - thank you, Rob and Sarah. The children have thoroughly enjoyed the zip wire, sandpit and toys and have done plenty of climbing and exploring on the rocks. We have also made use of the lovely pool every day. We would recommend the Monday evening market at St Estephe.
Thanks too for your warm welcome and support throughout. We would love to return!

Our second visit to 'Le Moulin' and this time with our parents. A lovely week as before with even better weather. A super gite in a beautiful part of the country. Thanks for being so welcoming! Sam loved the pool so much!!

A totally relaxing peaceful place. We were able to totally 'chill out' and listen to the silence. Everything well organised, clean and comfortable.
Lovely pool and nice walks.
Thanks to Rob and Sarah for a lovely stay.
Best Wishes A and J