This property has a great number of excellent selling points that make it the best weekly rental I have ever undertaken. Here are a few of the salient features:
1) The property is set in 6 acres of private land on the top of a hill, with incredible views over the town of Loches.
2) Although the property feels private and remote when you are in it, it is less than 10 minutes walk to the very centre of Loches. A delightful bakery is 5 minutes walk away, and a huge supermarket is 5 minutes drive away on the outskirts of town. You could easily stay in this property without a car – the train station is also 10 walk as is the supermarket in town. You could live on plums from the trees about the house.
3) Loches is a wonderful town with great little restaurants and a lovely bi-weekly market. There were firework displays and festivals the week we were there. It is within 30-60 minutes’ drive of many of the highlights of the Loire Valley (e.g., we visited Chenonceau, Chaumontn, Villandry and vineyards with a 4-month old baby in the car)
4) There is a well-kept, state-of-the-art 15 meter swimming pool (with an automatic robot cleaner, cover to keep the warmth at night, lights) and pool house, with lots of deck chairs and mats.
5) There is a table-tennis table, darts, a grand piano, bikes you are free to borrow, numerous board games, a top-of-the-range outside grill and a kitchen with every piece of cooking equipment you could think of.
6) The house is majestic. The bedrooms comprise of two enormous double-rooms (one with a wrap-around private first floor terrace with the best views), one large double-room, two good-size twin rooms and a delightful turret room that would be magical to stay in as a child. All rooms have their own sinks. There are two large bathrooms with excellent showers, and one of the bathrooms has a huge tub.
7) There are multiple areas in the house to relax, so that two families can stay together and still have their own space if they want to. There is a dining table, an sitting areas by the fire, a sitting area inside by the conservatory windows, and two outdoor tables. All of these can easily seat 8-10 people.
8) Félix is a delightful host – he and his wife took an hour to introduce us to the house, and were easily reachable during our stay to answer questions. Check-out and deposit return was very efficient.
The photographs really do not do this house justice – they cannot convey the delightful atmosphere about the place!