Guestbook

We had a wonderful two week stay in Gardians Cottage this September. Mary & Sam are the perfect hosts and the cottage is spacious and very comfortable.
The whole area is so tranquil, set in the Perigord National Forest the views and countryside are stunning.
What more can I say, next year is already booked, it was so relaxing.

We have just spent a perfect 2 weeks at Guardian cottage. The cottage is so spacious, massive fireplace, beamed ceilings, really large rooms. The gardens are so spacious there is room for everyone to spread out and do their own thing. A swim in the heated pool, barbecue, relax under the trees or a gentle stroll down to the stream for a paddle or watching the wild life. The surrounding countryside is amazing and so tranquil Mary and Sam are on hand to help in any way they can and introduce you to the friendly chickens, sheep and pigs, what more could you want from a fantastic relaxing holiday. You wont be disappointed

We have just had a wonderful stay at Chez Bigot. As a family we booked both cottages each of which is absolutely lovely. The kitchens are well equipped and having our own pool was wonderful . Mary was the perfect host, on hand when you needed her and willing to offer help when required . Have not been to this part of France before and found it absolutely delightful.
Thank you to Mary and Sam for a wonderful holiday

Had an amazing time. House is lovely but outside area is fantastic. Had the best weather which enabled us to make full use of the terrace and pool. Mary give us lots of advice on restaurants and places to visit. Busserolles is a beautiful village and the surrounding area is extremely picturesque. Definitely recommend for a quiet, relaxing holiday in the Dordogne but plenty of options to sightsee.

Looking for a quiet place, a piece of countryside in Charente. You've found it! Mary is a wonderful, easy host, The cottage is fully furnished, with all equipment you might need.Our bed and the sofas were extremely comfortable, bags of space in the cottage. There are plenty of chairs, sun beds outside so you can enjoy the lovely garden and swimming pool. Thank you for a great stay!

We spent four weeks at Guardians and it was just wonderful. Beautiful, peaceful, tranquil. The cottage is lovely, comfortable, well equipped and cool in hot weather. Easily the most relaxing holiday I have had, ever.

Thank you Mary!

It is very tempting to leave a dreadful review so that no-one else ever books River View Cottage and it will be free whenever we want to go again. However, that would be grossly unfair; what a fabulous place to stay, in a delightful setting. Mary pitches the perfect combination of laid back 'I'm here if/when you need me', and thinking of everything that you might want; she was very accommodating of all our needs. Her guidebook is comprehensive, and we had a couple of lovely days out on the strength of her recommendations. There's plenty to do within an hour's drive, and the coast is just over 2 hours away for a longer day trip. Equally, we had a couple of splendidly relaxed days exploring the environs of the cottages. The river is a restful place to sit and contemplate the need to retire as soon as possible, and the dog is still in counselling for having to be dragged away from 'his' river. The pool is a bit chilly in early September, but we were slightly unlucky with the weather, and it is was still great fun to splash about in, and we were mostly in shorts and t-shirts, had several BBQs and enjoyed sitting outside. The enclosed garden was ideal both for the dog, and the toddler that was with us the first week. Although I was slightly worried that we were close to other properties, it didn't feel like it, it was rare to see or hear anyone else. Awful wrench to leave this idyll, and I'd love to go back sometime, so don't book it, please!

The Guardian's Cottage was absolutely perfect for our family. My son described it as "paradise". The house and garden are large and far more generous and homely than your average cottage. We spent a lot of time outside which had been really well thought through with dining tables, hammock, sun loungers, deck chairs and of course the amazing pool. There was the added bonus of the animals and the pigs were visited regularly by our kids. It is in a beautiful part of the world and we feel very lucky to have been able to stay there. Thank you.

We stayed in the River View cottage as a family of 4. The accommodation is a converted barn (and you can see how much conversion it needed from some of the photos on display!) Very well equipped - good kitchen facilities incl. dishwasher and washing machine, 2 en-suite king size bedrooms with lovely comfortable beds and decent hot showers, and a nice big lounge/dining area with UK FreeSat and wifi. Outside is the best bit though: a lovely eating and relaxing area with a variety of deck chairs, loungers, BBQ, etc. to wile away the hours doing nothing apart from going for a dip in your own pool. The pool was great for us and 2 kids (8 & 11) - big enough for a decent splash around, with the bonus of it being not heavily chlorinated (it's treated with salt and gets cleaned regularly).

The local village is within walking distance (a 15 min walk up the relatively quiet road, or 40 mins or so through the back roads which was a nice walk). Driving distance to various other villages and towns. Some excellent restaurants within an easy drive as well. Mary and family are fabulous hosts - on hand to sort any issues out quickly (not that there were any particularly) and with a wealth of knowledge around the best places to park for the local big market day, or the best restaurants around the area. Thoroughly recommended.

Wonderful setting & beautiful family friendly gite in rural Dordogne
We absolutely loved our week at Chez Bigot, the hosts were extremely knowledgeable about the area & helpful in giving us tips of things we would enjoy. They have renovated the Gites to an excellent standard with real charm & practicality. With a baby and toddler in tow they provided everything we needed and we had so much space to roam and explore.
We loved our week here (despite being a little unlucky with the weather) and wouldn't hesitate in rebooking. Perfectly set up for 2 small families, there was shade arranged outside when the sun did shine but the cottage remained cool. The pool was fab too, and extremely safe with young children.
A wonderful part of the rural Dordogne, but close enough to visit places such as Brantome.

Lovely gite and location
We stayed in Guardians Cottage. All the rooms are very generous in size and well equipped with everything you need for a relaxing holiday. Mary and Sam were so helpful and always there to offer advice on where to go if needed. Having our own pool was great and it was lovely and warm and clean. Evenings were spent walking down to the river to do a bit of fishing (we caught quite a few) and drink a couple of cool beers and then later, back at the gite sitting in the garden watching the little owls feed their young. There is so much wildlife to see, so many places to walk, rivers, lakes , some lovely old towns and villages and a really good market just down the road a few miles.

If you are looking for a quiet place, authentic piece of countryside in Dordogne. Well, it is the place to be. Cottage is fully furnished, with all equipment needed. Beds and sofa are extremely comfortable. All rooms are spacious. There are plenty of seats, chairs, sun beds outside so you can enjoy the lovely garden, bbq and swimming pool.

From arrival we were made to feel very welcome by the owner. She gave us lots of information about the area and helped us book a table at a charming farm restaurant nearby where we enjoyed an exceptional meal. The property is beautifully restored and was immaculate on arrival. The set up is ideal with a private garden and pool. The area flourishes with wildlife with a stream nearby and fields and woodland on the doorstep. The cottage was larger than expected and ideally suited to a family or two couples both bedrooms having en suites. V well equipped. Perfect for walking, cycling and canoeing with the local markets being exceptional and great for food lovers. We'd be very happy to come back possibly with a group of friends as there is another cottage over the way. Thank you Mary for a lovely stay!

Mary and her family were truly wonderful hosts. Very friendly and helpful whilst giving us total privacy. It was great to know they were near by if we needed any thing. My husband and I stayed at Mary's gite over the weekend of our wedding and it was completely perfect. A beautiful and comfortable slice of calm away from the chaos of the wedding and in laws! Mary and Sam had also left a bottle of champagne for us which was very kind. Everything worked perfectly. The pool outside was lovely, warm and clean, as were the showers. Very comfortable beds and wifi worked perfectly. There are fans in both bedrooms which is great as the weather was hot. The area is gorgeous with stunning views from the bed rooms. We didn't explore the local area though as we had a lot on but driving through, the nearest town/village looked lovely. We had everything we needed at Mary's gite and would definitely recommend this beautiful place. We hope to visit again in the future. Thanks Mary!

Mary was there to welcome us and the gite was very clean. Comfortable beds, lovely surrounding and the pool was great. Perfect all round. Will be telling our friends.

WOW! Loved this place. The weather was wonderful for this time of the year and the heated pool really made a difference - we were swimming very day. We found there was lots to do and the restaurant recommendations were fantastic. We had several memorable meals and have booked to return next year.

The Guardians Cottage was perfect – an idyllic setting for a relaxing holiday. The gite is beautifully restored, with loads of room, an excellent kitchen, fantastic bathrooms (two!) and a lovely peaceful garden with a wonderful pool. We quickly felt completely at home and really hated to leave. Our hosts were also perfect, providing everything we needed and giving us lots of tips on places to go in the area.

Our aim was to do some walking, cycling, gentle sightseeing and relaxing – and the Guardians Cottage was ideal for that

We had a lovely stay in this cottage. Mary gave us a very warm welcome and provided us not only with tips for visits nearby, but also spoiled us with fresh vegetables and potatoes from her garden. The cottage is very spacious, with clear open bedrooms and very nice bathrooms. The cottage has been renovated in style. The garden is very nice to sit in and for children there is the fantastic swimming pool, a little brook nearby to play in and they will also like feeding the pigs or visit the sheep and chickens nearby. The surrounding area is rather quiet, but you find nice walks and lakes nearby. I would certainly recommend this cottage to friends and family.

Being someone who likes to be on the move or bedded down in a good quality hotel, I was rather apprehensive about renting a Gite for a week. We were visiting our daughter’s family who have a small cottage in the area and sought a place that suited not only my wife and I but her elderly parents. We were made very welcome by Mary and her husband and found the Gite very spacious, which meant we weren’t tripping over each other all of the time. The property had been renovated to a high standard and the location whilst remote was ideal. For the first time ever I had no yearning to end my holiday and go home. I would heartily recommend staying here in the heart of France. I would certainly return and so would all of the family.

We had a lovely relaxed family holiday here. A lovely welcome from the owners, and everything needed by a family of 7 (children aged 9-16). Very comfortable beds, high spec accommodation and lovely rural surroundings. The salt water pool made a real difference with no red eyes after hours of swimming. We plan to return.

We had a really nice time at Guardians cottage. The site is situated in a wonderful area of natural and beautiful countryside with so much wildlife. The cottage is well equipped and clean. It provided everything we needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The accommodation was very comfortable and the owners made us feel very welcome. Ideal for everyone both young and old!
There are plenty of walks and if that’s too strenuous you can relax in the pretty cottage garden taking in the sun and surroundings. The pool is fantastic for all ages!
The cottage is about 2-3 kilometres from local villages with local shops that can supply fresh bread and general groceries. There are plenty of places of interest to visit not too far away and certainly not many cars on the road so driving around was a breeze!!
It was a pleasure to stay at Guardians Cottage and we hope to return again one day!

The property is perfectly presented, spacious and well equipped , all set in a stunning location. The owners are friendly and helpful; should you need any guidance of areas or places to visit during your stay then they are also extremely knowledgeable and have plenty of advice.
The pool is excellent and as it was heated, used by the adults as much as the children
There are endless options during your stay depending on what you want from your holiday; from relaxing in your own Garden, to visiting the numerous Chateaux’s and towns in the area; those with children will probably enjoy the local lake & beach at St Estephe ( refreshingly no charges for parking, or entry ) not forgetting those with a more active disposition with great cycling roads and numerous walking options.

We have stayed twice now, and would thoroughly recommend this property without hesitation”.

This is an amazing place to stay in France. The cottage is spacious with many rooms, great kitchen and in superb condition. Mary, the host, is excellent providing fresh products and seeing to our every needs. I highly recommend this cottage, it’s quiet and has everything you could require for a restful stay. If we stay in this part of France again, we will definitely be staying here.

We had a really nice time at Guardians cottage. The site is situated in a wonderful area of natural and beautiful countryside with so much wildlife. The cottage is well equipped and clean. It provided everything we needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The accommodation was very comfortable and the owners made us feel very welcome. Ideal for everyone both young and old!

There are plenty of walks and if that's too strenuous you can relax in the pretty cottage garden taking in the sun , surroundings and the amazing heated swimming pool. The cottage is about 2-3 kilometres from local villages with local shops that can supply fresh bread and general groceries. There are plenty of places of interest to visit not too far away and certainly not many cars on the road so driving around was a breeze!!

It was a pleasure to stay at Guardians Cottage and we hope to return again one day!

We arrived very late but the hosts kindly left lights on etc. so we could see what we were doing. Very welcoming and friendly. We were on holiday at lambing time and our children loved seeing the new born lambs in the field next to the house we staying in. The hosts children who live nearby were also delightful and often played with our small children. The area is in the delightful Dordogne countryside and quite rural. However we found plenty to entertain ourselves and the days were quite full. There is a beach at a large lake at the nearby St Estephe and a small lake at the nearer village of Busserolles. The house (Guardians Cottage) is well finished and well appointed and everything we needed was already supplied. There is plenty of space with generously sized rooms and also off road parking as the house is along a small country Lane. There are also several lovely shaded terraces outside for sitting quietly in the sun - the pool was a massive boon and very safe for the little ones. The house overlooks fields with rolling hills in the distance which lends a peaceful and rural character to the area. I'm confident we will return in the near future.

The Guardians Cottage was perfect - an idyllic setting for a relaxing holiday. The gite is beautifully restored, with loads of room, an excellent kitchen, fantastic bathrooms (two!) and a lovely peaceful garden. We quickly felt completely at home and really hated to leave. Our hosts were also perfect, providing everything we needed and giving us lots of tips on places to go in the area. Our aim was to do some walking, cycling, gentle sightseeing and relaxing - and the Guardians Cottage was ideal for that.

It's a beautiful corner of France - all I can say is, Go There!