Comments from our Guests
October
9th
/ October 14th 2019
We had a wonderful 5 days using the 'Old Walnut Mill' as
our base to explore the villages and some of the chateaux of the area. Much of
the success of our stay is due to the warm and entertaining hospitality of Pauline & Jim.
We are very grateful for the invaluable personalised itinerates Jim prepared for
us each day on Googlemaps. without which we would not have discovered
some of the most 'treasured' sights. We especially enjoyed Angles-sur-l'Anglin
and the 'Art & Lard' day in Le Petit-Pressigny. Your cottage is a delight to
come home to after a long day out and we ended up preferring to stay in each
evening rather than going out to eat...apart from our special dinner at 'La
Promenade'.
Many thanks again,
Lesley & Peter,
Wellington,
New Zealand
August 31st / September 21st 2019
Thank you Pauline & Jim for your advice and information
pre-travel as well as once we arrived. The Old Walnut Mill is lovely and we felt
very much at home. Such hot sunny weather that we enjoyed many afternoons and
evenings in the courtyard. Our daytrip to Chaumont-sur-Loire was a definite
highlight ! Thanks also for the use of your bikes -- so many wonderful
quiet roads that allow for great exploration 'a velo '.
Paula & Hugh,
Vancouver,
Canada
17th
August 2019
Thank you Jim and Pauline for making our week in
Barrou so enjoyable and relaxing, We chose do do some
of the less touristy things as we had visited the
Loire before. We
enjoyed the troglodyte caves at Saint-Remay-sur-Creuse (get the audio
guide),river swimming at Lesigny and of course
Angles-sur-l'Anglin. We would recommend not going to
Loches on market day as
parking is a nightmare*. For food we had an excellent 'menu du jour' (€14) at
the bridge restaurant in Preuilly ('La
Claise') - the church there is worth a look!
Thanks again Pauline
& Jim
Kieran,Barbara & Sophie
Malloy
Bath,
UK
*Worth waiting for
parking
space in our opinion
3rd August 2019
We had a wonderful week exploring the area. The Old
Walnut Mill was extremely comfortable and way beyond our expectations of a
holiday home. Jim's suggestions, especially for restaurants were very
helpful. Jim and Pauline are fantastic hosts. Hopefully we will be able to
come and stay again.
Caroline Cottingham
Oscar de Sonza
Netherlands
Susan Cottingham
UK
20th
July 2019
Everything we needed to enjoy this idyllic part of the
world. With really helpful suggestions - there really wasn't enough time!
Alan & Angela
W. Lancs,
UK
13th
July 2019
Jim & Pauline have been the perfect hosts and thanks to
their knowledge and suggestions our holiday has been perfect.
They certainly go the
extra mile!
email 15/07 Just to say we have arrived back home safe and sound and now its
back to normal.
thank you both for a fantastic holiday and I am sure your next quests will be as
happy as we were
Chris & Janet
Newent, Gloucestershire,
UK
Also, via email:
Sat, 13 Jul, 13:20
Hi
Jim and Pauline.
Many thanks for allowing Phyl. and I to
stay at your lovely cottage last week. It was fortunate
that Janet and Chris were on holiday just a couple of
hours from our trip to Saumur.We also enjoyed the trip
out on Tuesday to the market, and village for lunch
that you suggested. we were both amazed at the beautiful
countryside that you live in.You never know, in a couple
of years we may see you both again, I'm sure there is
much more to see in the area If we had 135,00E I would
be tempted to buy No.33
https://www.experienceloire.com/le-bourg-for-sale.htm
All the best, and thanks again.
6th
July 2019
We cannot fault the gite, it has everything you could
want for your holiday.
As
others have said the advice from Jim on places to eat and visit has been
exemplary
The courtyard is a delight especially in the evenings.
Norma & Phil, Hampshire
Jane & David,Devon
UK
23rd
June 2019
Thank you again for a very pleasant stay and for the
messages with suggestions of things to see/do,
especially with the benefit of your "local knowledge".
While we certainly didn't manage everything, we
thoroughly enjoyed the sights we did get to see.
Dr.Erika Palin
UK
15th
June 2019
It was a great pleasure
for my partner and I to experience a week
before the Summer Solstice at The Old Walnut Mill. We like
the rustic
look – oak beams and suitably furnished, offering modern
comfort, from
wifi to good cooking facilities. Barrou is essentially
a quiet one-street village with a square, and has a
boulangerie, a boucherie, a grocery store and
a bar/restaurant , all designed to serve the locals
.The local people are very friendly (even tolerant) to
visitors who do not speak French. Other restaurants and
larger supermarkets,can be found
within 20 minutes-drive in neighbouring villages (Descartes
about 14km, Le Grand Pressigny 7km)
What made a big difference is the wonderful
and graceful hosts, Pauline
and Jim, who are Scot and have settled in the
area for 11 years or so.
Both are very artistic, and Jim seems to be a live wire at
all local
fetes and is a bit of a singer. He is also a treasure trove for
tourist
information with his own
internet site, just the help a clueless visitor
like me needs.
I highly recommend it for a short stay.
Prof.W.Y, Liang
Cambridge,
UK
18th
May 2019
Thank you Jim & Pauline for providing such a lovely cottage
for our stay - a real 'home away from home'. We appreciated
having a few essentials in the fridge on our arrival, the
outdoor area that was alive with blooms, a really comfy bed
( we'd like to take it home with us), a well equipped
kitchen and all the 'mod cons'. We have loved wandering the
Loire Valley and coming back each night to such a welcoming
home.
Your warm hospitality deserves a special welcome. Jim, you
are the best travel guide ever!
Your suggestions made all the difference in what we were
able to see and do. Pauline thank you for your kindness. It
was such a pleasure to get to know you both.
Jan & Richard Smith
Sydney
Australia
9th
May 2019
(review on Google)
Without a doubt the best vacation, ever!!!!!
Every time that we come and visit Jim and Pauline they
manage to make the trip as a trip of a life time. They are
exceptional hosts, they share their passion for France with
their guests, and they make you feel welcome. The property
and the gardens are immaculate and the house is spotless
with every accommodation your heart might desire. We have
made friends for life and will be back every chance we get.
Jim & Marina Hoggan,
Jackson Hole
Wyoming, USA
15th
April 2019
We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Jim's help with local
places and restaurant recommendations etc proved invaluable.
We have covered a lot of miles on seeing chateaux, beauty
spots etc.. The beds in the house are very comfortable and
the kitchen is well equipped, the local brochures are very
helpful. Your friendly approach was much appreciated...we
would have no hesitation on recommending you.
Best wishes
for the future,
Alison
&
Robin Walker,Cambridge,
Pam Wilkie,Woodbridge,
England
UK
4th October 2018
What can we say that hasn't already been said, lovely place
to stay, Jim's helpful emails and website etc..
Some places to eat that haven't been mentioned, 'Creperie le
Kerlouet' in Chatellerault, Chez Grand Ma in Le
Grand-Pressigny and
just a short walk over the bridge to Lesigny and the L'ere
de Temps.
Jim & Pauline were wonderfully welcoming and they even
managed to arrange for all but one day of blue skies - some
feat for late September, early October!
With thanks and very best wishes
Mike &
Helena,
Frome
Somerset
UK
22nd September 2018
We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Old Walnut Mill,
especially as the weather has been so good. All the villages
mentioned in previous pages are well worth visiting,
especially if you follow Jim's very helpful instructions in
his emails and on his website. (Particularly useful for
visiting the beautiful Angles-sur-l'Anglin.)
We enjoyed our shopping trip to Chambray-les-Tours at the
large shopping mall Ma Petit Madelaine including eating at
the new 'Holly's Dinner'
Many
thanks to Jim & Pauline for the lovely warm welcome and for
giving us such a lovely place to stay.
All best
wishes,
Allan &
Ann Slater,
Ashtead,
Surry
UK
15th September 2018
We have had a lovely week here at the Old Walnut Mill. A
super cottage & fantastic courtyard (lots of meals outside).
We have been blessed with wonderful weather. Lots of
suggestions from Jim for things to do and see; our
favourites have been the Musee
de la Prehistorie at Le
Grand-Pressigny,
the Lovely gardens at Descartes and a delicious meal at 'Le
Gout des Mets' at
Angles-sur-l'Anglin.
Many
thanks - best wishes!
Janine
& Phil Clarke,
Ampthill
Libby
Clarke,
London,
UK
7th September 2018
Dear Pauline & Jim what can I say
that hasn't been said already? The
Old Walnut Mill is fabulous! Barrou
is quaint with all the facilities we
have needed. The local people are
friendly but most
of all the friendship and help of
you two has been wonderful! The
emails that Jim sends with suggested
highlights were most helpful and
directed us to some of the
highs-spots of our holiday.
All in all a splendid gite run by
two splendid people . Many thanks
again!
Jean & Ian Thompson,
Kath & Barry Ashurst,
Sutton Coldfield,
UK
25th August 2018
Thank you so much Pauline and Jim for
your thoughtful welcome pack and the use
of your lovely cottage with its idyllic
enclosed courtyard. We have enjoyed our
second visit here every bit as much as
the first - last year and have felt
totally relaxed enjoying picnics by the
river and visiting local villages. A
favourite day out was to the Parc
Natural de La
Brenne with
its beautiful lakes, teeming with all
varieties of wildlife. We had a great
lunch at the 'Vieux Port' in Maire -
such good value and tasty food. Also
enjoyed a very good meal at Chez grand
Ma in Le
Grand-Pressigny.
We loved the musical night, it was so
nice to meet your musical friends. Sad
to leave Barrou but
we will return home felling refreshed
and hope to see you again before long xx
Gloria & Gary
Gravesend,Kent
UK
18th August 2018
We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay in your
comfortable cosy cottage. We only wish we
could have stayed longer! It was great to
find a supply of milk,juice,wine etc. on our
arrival and we also appreciated the tour and
explanation of everything in the house. We
enjoyed many meals in the lovely courtyard
and coffees in the sunny sheltered seating
area.
Jim's emails of ideas of places to visit was
greatly appreciated and we went out and saw
most of them. Our favourite was the chateau
and gardens at
Villandry,
the art fair and lovely villages of Montresor and Angles-surl'Anglin.
Thank you Pauline & Jim
Val & Andy
London
UK
Thanks to Pauline & Jim for letting us us
use your perfect home. It is a superb base
for discovering and exploring the local area
and further afield. Your extensive CD
collection became a wonderful soundtrack for
our holiday.
Liking the quieter places our highlights
were Montpoupon, Vespers at Notren Dame, the
wonderful small towns and villages, Le
Grand-Pressigny, Boussay,
Preuilly-sur-Claise to name but a few.
Richelieu is nice and Scorbe Clairvau is
worth a visit. Once we got our 'clock' in
order food was great, Grand Ma's (Le Grand-Pressigny)
definitely worth a go. Thanks again!
Phil & Julie Brook
Dorset
UK
Julie
& Phil were kind enough to follow this up
with this email...makes it all worthwhile!
Dear Jim and
Pauline
Just a quick email to say thank you very
much - we really enjoyed our stay in your
beautiful gite. The Old Walnut Mill had
everything you could possibly need,
spotlessly clean and so pretty. We enjoyed
sitting out in the courtyard garden with all
the beautiful flowers The welcome pack you
provided on our arrival on a Sunday was
greatly appreciated, including the lovely
bottle of bubbly! Thank you also for going
above and beyond by obtaining a different
size bike; had we been staying another week,
with the weather cooling down somewhat, I am
sure I would have found the confidence to
ride further afield. Your emails with
information on local events and places of
interest were also appreciated. Thank you
also for your kind invitation to join you
for an aperitif at your beautiful gite in Le
Grand Presigny - we had a lovely evening.
Again, what a lovely house! You certainly
have the magic touch for getting everything
'just so' for your guests.
We will certainly have no hesitation in
recommending your gites to friends and
family and wish you every success in your
future ventures (Barrou Canoe??? Ha ha!)
We have put feedback on TripAdvisor as well
and if there are any other sites you would
like us to put feedback on, please do not
hesitate to let us know and we will be happy
to do so. In the meantime, if you are ever
in the Wimborne Minster/Poole area and you
need to stop over, we would be only too
happy to see you again.
With best wishes
Kind Regards
Julie and Phil Brook
4th August 2018
Thanks to Pauline & Jim for settling us into
this lovely, quirky holiday home, it is full of
charm! We also found it very comfortable and
well equipped. The pool at Descartes was great
for children plus the local river 'beaches' were
good. It was a good jumping off point for
visiting Villandry (beautiful
gardens), Chenonceau (beautiful
architecture and lovely interior) and
Azay-le-Rideau. The local prehistory museum at Le
Grand-Pressigny was
well worth a visit - very extensive and well
thought out for children. Thank you for a
lovely sta
Mel, Mike & Lily
Gloucestershire / Scotland / Australia
28th July 2018
An amazing and enjoyable time had here in the 'Old
Walnut Mill', house excellent, so well equipped and
a real home from home! The weather - exceptionally
hot, 39 degrees! We enjoyed swimming in nearby
Lesigny in the river - lovely. Also enjoyed visiting
local villages and towns - sailed down the river to
Chenonceau - beautiful chateau. Also enjoyed Loches and
Chinon. Ate in 'Grand Ma' in Le
Grand-Pressigny and
had a wonderful lunch in 'Le Promenade' at Le Petit-Pressigny
- a real treat!!
A beautiful area which we will return to...and all
helped by Jim & Pauline who made our time extra
special.
Karen& Colin Harvie
Bath,UK
7th July 2018
Thank you Jim & Pauline, the 'Old Walnut Mill' has been
absolutely perfect for us. A perfect little house, well
equipped, comfortable beds, lovely bedding. The 'welcome
pack' was above and beyond. As for the courtyard - just
idyllic, plenty of room to move about in to catch (or
avoid!) the sun. Jim & Pauline were the ideal hosts and
their knowledge and advice was fantastic, although we
didn't venture far, as this was a well-deserved relaxing
trip for us but we did appreciate their help and advice.
Suzie & Billy Mitchell
Cullercoats, Tyne & Wear, England
Thank you so much for your hospitality and
recommendations on places to visit, We have
thoroughly enjoyed our week in the Loire and will
take home lots of happy memories. The 'Walnut Mill'
is well equipped, a home from home, it was so kind
of you to supply more than a welcome pack. You are
genuinely lovely people - we wish you every success
for the future, wherever it takes to you.
Best wishes,
Chris & Ian Shuttleworth
Cheshire,England
11th May 2018
Thank you for letting us stay in you little 'chateau' in
Barrou. It is delightful in every way - we thoroughly
enjoyed eating in the courtyard - dinner, cheese,
baguette and champagne and being sung to by the the
blackbirds. We enjoyed our first evening meal at the
local restaurant - recommend their pizzas. Your
wonderful hospitality and beautiful home is something we
will always remember. We dream to return one day, with
our best wishes."
Paul & Amanda Jenkins,Canberra, Australia
24th August 2017
We came away for a relaxing week and that is what the 'Old
Walnut Mill' gave us. It is extremely spacious and well
equipped .Pauline & Jim were the perfect hosts - so
infectiously enthusiastic about the region. We were
fortunate to have some glorious weather so enjoyed eating
our evening BBQs in the lovely, peaceful courtyard. We had
some great days out and planned our days around Jim &
Pauline's recommendations and also other guests comments.
The chateau at Villandry was
spectacular and the gardens were immaculate. Other visits
included Amboise, Chenonceau,
La Roche Posay,Angles-sur-l'Anglin,La
Guerche and
Le Grand-Pressigny.
We've enjoyed two superb lunches at 'Chez Grand Ma' in Le
Grand-Pressigny (€13 pp) the food was freshly prepaired and
of excellent quality and the sevice was very attentive. This
is indeed a beautiful area of the Loire Valley and well
worth exploring some more. If we are around this area again
we'd love to catch up with Jim and Pauline to see how all
there developments are progressing. Thank you again for the
welcome drinks in the fridge - much appreciated. Many thanks
for everything to make our stayso enjoyable
Glenys & Peter,
Nr. Burton on Trent,
Staffordshire,UK
05th August 2017
Thank you so much Pauline and Jim for your hospitality and
friendly service. We have absolutely loved our stay here at
the 'Old Walnut Mill'. The house is spotlessly clean, well
equipped and with the added bonus of a beautiful enclosed
courtyard/garden. We have eaten out every day and were
totally relaxed here in Barrou and the surrounding villages.
Thank you for the general welcome pack and the fab local
advice and recommendations. Lunch at 'Auberge du Vieux Port'
in Maire was amazing quality and value (great company too!).
Le Grand-Pressigny, the chateau and 'Chez Grand Ma' were
enjoyable, La Roche Posay, Angles-sur-l'Anglin, La Guerche -
so many lovely villages, we didn't need to stray too far. We
pushed the boat out one night and enjoyed a delicious meal
at 'Le Promenade' in Le Petit-Pressigny - a memorable
experience. The local walks are just beautiful , down by the
river and further afield behind Barrou. We found the locals
really friendly and welcoming including Willi and Sandra at
the local bar / restaurant.
We wish you well in all your projects and hope to return
sometime soon.
Gary, Gloria & Poppy,
Kent,
UK
28th July 2017
Dear Pauline & Jim, Tom and I so enjoyed our stay. Your home
is beautiful and so comfortable! By far the best bedroom I
have had since I arrived (in France) and your suggestions
for daily travel were spot on and very welcome. Thank you
for being the hands on hosts that you were so as to me you
seem more like friends than anything else. I wish you the
best of luck with all of your ventures. We will always
remember your warmth and hospitality.
Joyce & Tom Semmes
Frederick, Maryland,
USA
22nd June 2017
Dear Pauline & Jim, thank you
so much for your wonderful hospitality, your invaluable
guidance/advice on where to go, what to see, where to eat
etc and especially for your invitation to the 'moules frites'
night in the village which was an unforgettable
experience!!! We have gained a fabulous insight into the
beautiful rural France and will take home lots of happy
memories.
Many thanks and our very best wishes,
Jennifer & John
Forest of Bowland.
England,UK
16th June 2017
We have had a very enjoyable 2 week stay at this very
comfortable holiday home. Pauline and Jim were so welcoming
and made us feel they wanted us to love the house and area
as much as they do. The recommendations on restaurants and places
to visit were
perfect,unfortunately 2 weeks isn't long enough to do
everything It was love to be able to pick strawberries and
then cherries from the garden. The courtyard was great for
aperos or a meal. there was only one or two days when we
couldn't sit out.
We hope we will be able to visit again.
Thank you Jim & Pauline.
Dawn & David
North Lincolnshire,
UK
28th May 2017
We have had a very pleasant week in what has turned out to
be the hottest week of the year so far. The house is
comfortable and well equipped, thank you and after a couple
of weeks in much smaller places we enjoyed the space. Thanks
for the strawberries - what a crop you have! The cherries
will be ready to take over in a week or two. Trips to
Chenonceau and Villandry were long days but worth it to see
these two very spectacular places. More locally Loches,
Chedigny (with all its roses) La
Roche Posay, Angles-surl'Anglin all
had their attractions. We were grateful for the
recommendations to restaurants Le Gerbe d'Or (Loches) and
Chez Grand Ma (Le Grand-Pressigny) and are happy to commend
them to future travellers. It is pleasant to explore the
local area, the small roads, the villages and hamlets that
are so typically French. Thanks again Jim & Pauline.
Geoffrey & Margaret Grinton,
Melbourne, Australia
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years
