We all had an amazingly relaxing time at Chez Brun. *****
Ian met us and we were impressed with the lengths they’d gone to to protect us, and the staff who looked after the changeovers between families in these strange covid times.
The house is beautiful with stylish touches and had new free standing aircon units on the top floor, which were much needed. Unusually for such a large house there was enough of everything for even the largest group. Great clothes washing facilities; en suite bathrooms, plenty of space at tables with enough crockery, glasses and cutlery and seating to offer all relaxed combinations. The fridge coped with our eating, ice and alcohol needs! The pool was big enough and the area around it perfect (we’d wondered if it would be) as long as you can do the pool type steps up to it.
There were bats to watch in the evenings, amazing starlit skies with no light pollution; red squirrels in the tree, beautiful sunrises; and a Hoopoe bird. In the surrounding area we saw pollen covered bees in the sunflower fields; a group of storks in a field (collective name a ‘leg’??) and a few sightings of a terrapin or similar in the more stagnant looking pool on the way into Aubeterre-sur-dronne
The location is great with easy drives to Saint- Emilion, Brantôme (with stupendous small cathedral like caves nearby) and we loved Bordeilles for its river and sculptures and tiny square.
We had great meals at Creperie De La Source, La Taverne Maison Pierre Very, and Cafe Prego (where cupcakes 16 used to be. The Trattoria no longer exists). Relais 24, in the opposite direction was also a good find. Ensure you book except for Sel et Sucre for a galettes or omelette lunch.
We all loved the bikes, canoes, table tennis, and tea light lit long meals outside in the choice of gardens.
Thank you
09/08/20
Janet Lombardelli
Perfect house for a family reunion, even in winter!! *****
Great location for this charming house, large enough to accommodate a big group, keeping the privacy for everyone. Confortable and well kept. Not only a house to stop to sleep but a house to enjoy, prepare meals and relax. Great communication with the owners, house information very helpful, but what really makes the difference is the details from the owners, these thoughtful touches that make you feel really welcome at their place. There is not a lot of activity in the village in winter, but it is beautiful anyway and there are a lot of places to visit around. Thanks to Ian and Moira, for making this end of the year a great experience for all my family. A recommander sans hésiter, très belle maison, bien équipée, propriétaires à l’écoute. Tout en anglais. Gran casa en un lugar ideal, perfectamente equipada. Los dueños cuidan todos los detalles y hacen todo lo posible para hacerte sentir bienvenido. Todo en inglés. Buen momento para practicarlo!
01/07/2020
Perfect for messing about on the river! ****
Good facilities for children and families inside and out. Well stocked kitchen. Location great for walking into Aubeterre and river access. Some issues with power tripping and boiler not coming on but overall enjoyable stay. Aubeterre Sue Dronne is beautiful.
05/09/2019 Emma Kelly
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Response
Hi Emma We are really pleased you had an enjoyable time. Sorry to hear that you had a problem with the power tripping and boiler. If you had let us know we would have had it checked out. The hot water boiler is programmed to come on twice a day but does have a boost button if it is need outside the programmed times.
Comfortable, relaxing, great location *****
The property was large enough to accommodate 12 of us comfortably with space for more. The location is great, Aubeterre very pretty town with everything you need. We enjoyed the small market and also buying veg from the local farmer. The house is lovely, welcoming and very comfortable with everything you need. The grounds are exceptional, really beautiful, with lots of space and comfy chairs to relax, a big table for group outdoor eating and of course access to the river. Our group enjoyed early morning cycling and kayaking and found a great spot nearby where a swing enables you to jump off into the river. It was exceptionally hot when we were there which was challenging , but despite the extreme weather a great time was had by all and we really felt we would like to come back here regularly, it is such a great house for large groups who enjoy being active.
08/08/2019 Susan Cragg
Chez Brun is very spacious but also feels homely and welcoming. *****
We were 12 adults, ages from 54 to 90. We all had very comfortable bedrooms and were delighted to find toiletries in the bathrooms - such a thoughtful touch. The comfortable sitting room, hall and very well equipped kitchen are all large, so that there was always somewhere to sit quietly if needed. The gardens are large and the barn contains all that one could wish for in the way of sunbeds etc. So delightful to be on the banks of the river, where full use was made of the canoes stored in the boathouse. The situation of Chez Brun is perfect, within walking distance of Aubeterre sur Dronne which is a 'Petite Cite de Caractere'.. The details supplied once our booking was completed were very informative and enabled us to fully enjoy Chez Brun and the surrounding lovely countryside.
25/04/2019 Jeremy Herivel
très bon séjour fin decembre ****
Le gîte est un peu magique, avec une ambiance so british dans la maison. Aubeterre est un village magnifique. Laissez vous tenter.
09/01/2019 Jean-Francois subra
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Lovely Spacious house great for families *****
Lovely house and garden, great to have a pool and river accesses in the garden. The house is only a short walk, bike ride or Canoe from Aubeterre-sur-Dronne it was great to have use off bikes and Canoes at the property for the morning trip to the Boulangerie or an evening beer in the square. We were a group of 5 couples with small children so didn't venture very far from the house but there was plenty to do and see within the area. The kitchen was very large and all the bedrooms were a very good size and great to have an on suit bathroom in everyone. The home owners were very good at getting back to me quickly with information about the house. It was a great trip.
25/09/2018 Georgia Shelton
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Lovely house with great facilities ****
We were 3 families holidaying together and had a lovely time. The house was large enough with great outdoor spaces. We very much enjoyed using the bikes and canoes/kayaks without which would have meant we would have to do more day trips. The river was relatively slow and calm and lovely to play on even for the inexperienced canoeists. The roads around were mostly flat with some hills which was great for cycling. Aubeterre Sur Dronne was pretty, with a nice river beach and some good restaurants. The food at the hotel restaurant up the road was fantastic, as was Le Taverne on the road to Laprade. The house is very well equipped for a large group. It has many charms but not without issues, none of which really affected our stay. The top floor bedrooms did get rather hot when we were there, even at night with the fan on, so made it slightly uncomfortable to sleep. Communication with the owner Ian was very easy and friendly, via emails before our stay with very helpful information, and via texts during our stay for any issues. Sean the maintenance man came to tend to the house regularly to tend to the pool but did so without being intrusive. Overall, we had a great time and made lovely memories. Thank you Ian & Moira for letting us stay at your lovely house!
26/08/2018 Mandy White
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Great 2 week family holiday at Chez Brun ****
Just returned from a wonderful 2 week holiday in Chez Brun. The house was very homely with lots of amenities. The kitchen was very well equipped and with the bbq outside we had some wonderful meals. The pool although being on th small side was adequate for us all to cool off in the hot weather, and the decking area was perfect for sunbathing. The canoes were also great fun for all paddling down to the river beach and spending the day there swimming in the river etc. With 8 adults and 6 children aged between 15 and 2 there was plenty to keep everyone occupied with games, videos etc. Great way for a whole family to relax.
19/08/2018 Alan Cooper
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Perfect for our family of 16 holiday! *****
We booked this holiday to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with all the family so there were 16 of us aged between 4 and 79! The house is not only beautiful but incredibly well equipped with everything you could think of and perfect for us to have all the rooms en-suite. Aubeterre sur Dronne is so picturesque and the perfect distance away to explore on foot or by bike or car. I have to admit we were all pretty lazy and didn't go much further afield but what with canoeing and trampolining, swimming, sunbathing and shopping we were kept busy in and around the house. We were lucky with fabulous weather but there are plenty of lovely shady spots for those that didn't want to sit in the sun and lunch and dinner under the trees was a treat almost every day. We met with more family who live fairly nearby at the local hotel in town where the food was fantastic and the service impeccable so definitely worth a visit if you want something a bit special. Set menu at 35euros each which bumps up considerably when you add copious amounts of wine! Ian could not have been more helpful and was on hand straight away if needed. None of us could find fault with anything and the whole family had an absolutely fantastic week. We would definitely think about going back again! Thank you Ian and Moira for sharing your beautiful home x
02/08/2018 Liz Sneddon
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You responded
Hi Liz Thank you for your lovely review. We are really pleased that your anniversary was a success and our house contributed in some small way. Best wishes Moira and Ian.
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A fabulous family & friends week! *****
We were a party of 13 adults and 3 babies and there was plenty of room to accommodate us all very comfortably. The house was extremely well equipped, with a large garden, a small but adequate pool with a very nice sun terrace. We also made lots of use of the barbeque, canoes, kayaks and bikes that were made available. There are some lovely cycling routes in the area from flat and easy to challenging and all on very quiet roads through some pretty villages and countryside. A leisurely 45 minute paddle in the canoes takes you to the beautiful man made beach in Aubeterre, which you can also walk to within 15 mins. The town of Aubeterre is just a few minutes further on from the beach where there are some lovely restaurants. All in all a superb house in a great location!
31/08/2017 Andy Knight
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great location, well equipped ****
Lovely house, well situated with lots of land around to enjoy. House very well equipped and lots of toys and kit in barns including canoes, bikes and swimming pool /sun deck. Local town of Aubeterre full of interest and colourful town, lots of places to visit within an hours drive. Electricity supply tripped out several times and en suite facilities occasionally disappointing with water flow, but overall we had a wonderful family holiday
22/08/2017 Geraldine Foster
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You responded
Hello, Many thanks for the review, we are pleased you had such a good holiday. Your points noted with regard to the electricity tripping out occasionally and poor water flow in one of the bathroom basin taps, we will certainly look into both issues. Best wishes Ian & Moira
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Nice mix of a French holiday with UK hospitality *****
Very nice property with a large, sunny garden in front and the river behind the house. Clearly not just for holiday rentals; personal touches make this an excellent place to stay. Example: not just a pool for the kids, but also enough floating toys to fool around for days. The home owners make sure that all functions well and that your stay is nice.
31/08/2017 Bram Van Driel
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Holiday at Chez Brun *****
What a fantastic house! We have had a great time staying in Chez Brun and will certainly be returning. The house is wonderfully well kept with bits of antique furniture combined with all the mod cons and everything you could ever need. The owners we're so friendly and welcoming and helped us find the local supermarkets and recommended things to do in the area. The grounds are beautiful with an idyllic river running behind the house - the older kids enjoyed kayaking down to the river beach in the village. Many an afternoon was spent playing table tennis and swimming in the pool and many more evenings were spent drinking wine and looking at the stars. The village itself was stunning - it was like something out of a film. Most of the restaurants spoke English or tolerated our French and sometimes we walked and sometimes took the car. There's a fantastic selection of restaurants to suit every palette and there's plenty to do around the area such as St Emillion - which was a fantastic day out with the bonus of wine tasting. I would certainly recommend this house to friends and I have done! Thanks to Moira and Ian for making us feel so welcome and making such a gem available to stay in.
08/11/2016 Alice Cadogan
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Perfect house with ideal riverside location. *****
This big beautiful house is so homely and tastefully furnished. We were a party of 8 and all had our own rooms with en suite. It is clean and well kept, with all facilities. We fished in the river, paddled canoes down to the beach at Aubeterre, swam in the pool and cycled beside fields of sunflowers to the bakers. Easy to relax in this peaceful setting. The town is within walking distance and has great atmospheric bars and restaurants. Try the Hotel Resturarant at the end of the road for a special meal. Highly recommended venue.
02/10/2016 John & Kitty Clark
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Hi Days and Holidays in France *****
The property was fabulous there were four of us and 10 Bedrooms so plenty of space and choice of beds. Everything you would need for your self catering holiday. Large kitchen, spacious lounge with free view TV a real home from home only in our case much bigger. Plenty of outside space including a river view to the back. Outdoor entertainment with canoes, table tennis, a variety of golf clubs and many more outdoor games to keep you amused. Outside seating modern and plentiful for us. We were also advised that a swimming pool is in the process of being constructed. Just a short way down the road towards the town there is a man made beach along side a wide part of the river where a roped of swimming section has been arranged. There is a pleasant cafe along side the river for snacks,soft, drinks and alcohol. There are many picnic tables in the same area. We visited the town (Aubeterre Sur Dronne.) where there are several restaurants and bars set in a pleasant town square. The town also has a small supermarket for basic supplies. There are larger supermarkets close by in Riberac. We had a wonderful time despite our inability to get very far in the canoes although we had a great time trying. Life jackets advised as the river current is quite strong. A car is recommended as this property is in the countryside, although for the able bodied you can walk to the beach and town. Would highly recommend this property.
05/09/2016 Lawrence Skinner
You responded
Many thanks and we are really pleased you enjoyed your stay so much. Just one correction the house only has eight bedrooms and not ten. You'll be pleased to note that the pool construction was completed and is as described on the website. Again many thanks
Moira & Ian