Testimonials

Self praise is no recommendation so we have collected the following from guests who have stayed at la Menantelierre, they are all happy to confirm their experience of their stay if you want to ask them.

We also invite our guests to post their comments and photos on our facebook page and also to leave a review on our Google Maps listing – you can also click the Facebook “like” button at the bottom of every page of our website.

Perfect Balance & Views 10/10 – Marijn B August 2023

We had a wonderful time at La Menantelierre. The gite is spacious and has a lovely atmosphere, so you can also feel very cozy indoors. The spacious terrace with a wide view and its own small pool is absolutely marvellous. The gite is very suitable for a family of 4 and we would have liked to stay longer than 2 weeks. Josie is a very warm hostess who finds a great balance between respecting the privacy of her guests and looking after them. She even baked extra gluten-free bread for our daughter, who has coeliac disease! In short, we felt very comfortable and can highly recommend Mon Petit Coeur!

A Happy Choice 10/10 – Yvelline G August 2023

We had an absolutely lovely time at Josie’s! The house is even bigger than you might think looking at the pictures. The shower is great and the beds are comfortable. We loved walking around the huge garden that has beautiful vegetables and fruits that you’re even welcome to take. The cute cats, piggies and chickens made it even more special. Josie is very willing to help you to anything you might need, but also manages to gives you lots of privacy. We were very happy we chose this place to spend our holiday this year!

We had an absolutely lovely time at Josie’s! The house is even bigger than you might think looking at the pictures. The shower is great and the beds are comfortable. We loved walking around the huge garden that has beautiful vegetables and fruits that you’re even welcome to take. The cute cats, piggies and chickens made it even more special. Josie is very willing to help you to anything you might need, but also manages to gives you lots of privacy. We were very happy we chose this place to spend our holiday this year!

Just Like Home 9/10 – Yvonne Van D July 2023

MonPetitCoeur is a nice fully equipped accommodation, it feels immediately like home. Good beds and very complete kitchen. Good garden furniture where you can sit in different places with a beautiful view.
Josie is a very warm and cheerful hostess. We enjoyed our stay and definitely recommend the gite.

Back for More! – The Irving Family August 2022

This was our second visit to this little piece of heaven! We never visit the same place twice but since our last holiday there, we couldn’t wait to go back! The gite is wonderful and so well equipped, the pool was perfect for our kids to play in and for a dip on a hot day and the gardens are just spectacular. We love the animals too! The welcome basket (including Josie’s delicious homemade bread and jam) was a great touch.
As a host, you can’t get better than Josie! Plenty of recommendations for things to do if you need advice, a brilliant yoga teacher and an all round wonderful human!
Book a holiday here, you won’t regret it.

Returning again – Marko en Nicole – July 2022

We waren in 2019 ook een week in de gite. Het voelde als thuiskomen. Alle faciliteiten zijn aanwezig voor een heerlijk verblijf, slaapkamer, badkamer en keuken met kookplaat, koelkast, vriezer en wasmachine (en kleine vaatwasser). Ook het zwembad is heerlijk op de warme dagen.
We werden heel hartelijk ontvangen door Josie.

Paul & Henny van der Schoor – July 2022

We’ve had a very pleasant stay at Josie’s gite. A very large gite and welk equipped. It felt like home and Josie’s service was excellent! A-bientot!

Paradise on Earth 10/10 – Jacqueline & Marcel August 2022

We are gone for a day and already miss this little paradise on earth! The cats, the pigs, a refreshing dip in the pool, the bench to look far ahead and watch the sun go down, see the full moon appear, the house with the nice beds and …. last but not least Josie a top hostess!
On the way home we enjoyed the wonderful scent of the lavender from her garden.
Practically we found it very nice that the windows could be opened at night because screens were placed everywhere. It was very hot during our week but bedroom cooled down well. A fan could possibly provide additional cooling. We had now brought these ourselves. We slept in the room with the separate beds (perfect mattresses) for us this was a quiet room. The bedroom with the double bed is closer to the goat farm, so you occasionally heard a generator. This is also mainly because it also passes again.
All in all, we recommend this vacation spot to everyone, although we don’t want to make it too known …….;)
We will definitely come back!


10 out of 10 from the Ruhe family, August 2021

We had a wonderful time at Mon Petit Coeur! The gite was fantastic, the views to die for and Josie & Dom’s hospitality made us feel right at home. When we communicated to Josie that we would be arriving quite late on the first night, she and Dom welcomed us (in addition to the thoughtful and delicious goodies of the welcome package) with home made lasagne and a salade freshly picked from the garden. How wonderful is that? We will thinking back with fond memories to our stay here and have already recommended it to several friends!! Thank you so much!!

Check out the “Memories from le Plage” blog entry related to this stay.

The Best Holiday ever! Famile Wouda July 2021. 10/10 Rating.

We had a wonderful stay in Mon Petit Coeur, at the residence of Josie Bounds in La Menantelliere. Josie is a wonderful hostess and she made sure that we had everything we needed. The gite, a former barn, is beautifully restored and very well equipped. When we arrived, there was a lovely basket with homemade bread and jam, to welcome us. The inside of the gite is beautiful, and the surroundings (especially the view from the deck) even more. The allotment, the cute pigs, the chickens, the cats and the pool added up to that, made our stay one of the best vacations ever.

Swimming with Mermaids – The Pauwels Family, Hoogstraten, July 2020 – 10 out of 10 Rating

We changed our plans to visit this gîte, and we were not disappointed! We had the best stay.

What a view, and beautiful garden! The kids loved the swimming-pool, the cats and pigs. A clean house, and cool during the summer.

Thank you Josie and Dominic for your generosity!

Check out Noe & Ona’s Mermaid picture in our blog!


The Perfect Combination – Ann & Rik September 2020, 10 out of 10 Rating

We have had a wonderfull stay in “Le Menantelierre ” , at the very lovely gite where we felt like home. A magnificent view from the terrace as well from the inside. The gite is very spacious, is nice and clean and has everything you need for a perfect holliday. A very beautiful garden with lots of cosy corners and decorations, the vegetable garden, the pigs, the cats, everything fits together, it is a nice match !

Josie is a very warm person and a perfect hostess. There was a welcome basket with things we needed for our first breakfast, also a bottle of rosé wine already chilled. Her home made bread is marvellous ! Almost everyday we could eat outside and we enjoyed the moments in the pool, on the sundeck and the little talks with Josie. We loved the region, lovely villages, many beautifull woods for walkings, nice little roads for cycling. We even went to see the Tour de France with destination Poitiers. We recommend this gite very much, and we hope to come back in 2021. Thank you for everything !
Ann & Rik (Belgium)


Happy Families – The Irvings 2018

Our stay here was just perfect. We all had the best holiday and were so sorry to have to leave! 

The Gite was fantastic and very well equipped. The welcome basket was such a lovely idea and gratefully received after a long journey. The homemade jam was delicious! All the little touches, such as having dishwasher tablets and washing detergent available meant we could just turn up and not have to worry about what to bring along with us. There was plenty of space in the Gite for the 4 of us and it was so much bigger than the photos had us believe. The outside area was just delightful. The children loved the pool and spent so much time in there. The gardens around the Gite were stunning. Our children spent so much time running around them, exploring and picking fruit and salad to eat as they went! 

I can’t speak highly enough of Josie our host. From the minute we arrived, we were welcomed so warmly and all throughout our stay, she was fantastic. She had the perfect balance of leaving us to have our privacy but also being on hand should we need anything or to offer advice on days out. She welcomed the children into her gardens and showed them all the things growing. She also let them feed the chickens and collect their own eggs. She even made a special birthday breakfast for my son on his birthday and gave us bunting to decorate the Gite with. 

I was also lucky enough to have a wonderful yoga lesson with her. It is not often our family return to the same place on holiday as we like new experiences, but we have all said this is one place we would make an exception for and it has given us very special memories. Thank you Josie!

The Irving Family August 2018


Fabulous Views and More Besides – The Boussarts, Zavantem, July 2020 10 out 10 Rating

We had a great time! The view is beautifull, we had everything we needed and Josie is the sweetest woman we have ever met. We recommand this vacation to everyone!


The Perfect Hostess – The Bosch Family, Cuijk, July 2020 – 10 out of 10 Rating

We all really enjoyed the week in this gîte during our summer vacation in Corona era. Josie is a warm person, helpful and a good hostess. During our stay our car broke down, she helped us with the communication with the garage and she brought us even to the garage (50 km) after it was repaired. Where can you find that! About the gite, there are only good things. The view is amazing, with a lovely garden. You will enjoy this from the pool, out- or even inside the house.


Phil & Sue Lake, Exmouth

We had a wonderful holiday, And we would certainly recommend la Menantelierre to anyone wanting a tranquil break in the fabulous French countryside


The Harley family, Rugeley, Staffordshire

We would like to thank Josie for a wonderful holiday. The house is beautiful and the views unbeatable. A visit to the Ile De Re is recommended. Many thanks once again for the opportunity to stay in this wonderful area of France


A little piece of heaven!

The pictures of this place just can’t convey how beautiful this place is. The Gite was fantastic had everything you need for the perfect holiday. It’s also bigger than it looks in the photos. Our host Josie was absolutely lovely she was there if you needed her but not at all intrusive. The views are breathtaking and the deck is the perfect place to sit and take in the the sunset. There are also barn owls! We had an amazing holiday here very relaxing and tranquil but also there are lots of things nearby to enjoy. It’s ideally situated for Puy du Fou and there are some lovely towns to visit not to mention the restaurants and markets! There was a really good selection of information available in the Gite , where to go, where to eat etc. This is a fabulous place to relax but also has wifi and a pool which kept our son who is 12 more than happy. Would definitely recommend this place without hesitation, you won’t be disappointed!

Karen S – August 2017


10 out 10 Home from Home, a little slice of Heaven

Mon petit coeur is a truly wonderful and relaxing place to stay. Having stayed in many gites across France this really is home from home. It is very comfortable and well equipped with everything you need including a lovely pool! It is very tastefully renovated maintaining the character but including comfort. The views from the terrace are amazing and it really is the perfect place to relax and escape from everyday life. Josie, our host was wonderful making sure we had all that we needed and the welcome basket really was most welcome,especially the wine! She had plenty of suggestions for things to do and was always available if we needed her but was also totally unobtrusive, the perfect owner in fact! There are lots of places to visit and things to see in the surrounding area and further afield. The sense of peace and tranquility is very welcoming. We all came home very relaxed and wishing we were still there. We will definitely be returning to what truly is a “little slice of heaven”.

The Tottle-Nugent family, London – August 2018


The perfect holiday home from home!

We all thoroughly enjoyed our week and felt much at home. Too many nice touches to mention and the house is a real credit to you Josie. Highly recommended.

The O’Neill family Bickley, Bromley UK


What a warm welcome!

A very warm welcome from Josie, and the warm hospitality continued throughout our stay. She gave very helpful tips on excursions, and kept our sons busy by getting them to help with watering the plants and feeding the pigs and chickens. The cottage is attractive and designed to match the local vernacular, well maintained, comfortable and perfect for 4. The gardens are large and very flexible i.e. you can immerse yourself in the organic, “Good Life” that Josie has cultivated, or instead sit on the large terrace to eat, drink, or just admire the great countryside views or untainted night sky. Lots of good local café / restaurant / shopping / market options, and various outdoor pursuits available either direct from the house or within a 15-20 minute drive. Thoroughly recommended.

Jonathan & Anja – September 2016


Soak up that view!

We were warmly met at the gate by Josie and shown around our gite. The gite was lovely and very well presented. Our hosts had provided a welcome pack, this is always very welcome. It had all the amenities you will need, from washing machine to powder and conditioner. Its the little things that makes a stay go beyond normal to be a delightfully enjoyable experience. The view from our decking was great, well worth getting up in the morning with a cup of something with a croissant or two and just sit back and watch the day unfurl. The above ground pool was greatly appreciated as the temperatures increased throughout our week.

Helen F – July 2016


Superb is not enough to describe MonPetitCoeur

We loved staying at la Menantelierre.  We arrived late in the evening to a lovely home-made lasagne from Josie which was a great welcome.  The Welcome basket was great and meant we did not need to shop on the Sunday at all.  

The Gite was beautifully designed and comfortably furnished.  It was modern but also had character as it was a barn conversion.  The Gite was also well equipped and we did not miss anything from the kitchen at home.  Everything was provided from tea bags to toilet rolls and washing powder.  The Gite was spacious and cool in the hot weather. Our teenage girls loved their bedroom.  The views from the decking were amazing and we all enjoyed the pool which meant many days were spent at the Gite just relaxing.  

We could really switch off here and enjoy the countryside especially as four excellent bikes were provided for us which meant no hiring costs.  There was WiFi when needed also.  We were able to lie outside in the evenings on the sunbeds star gazing as there was no light pollution.  Josie keeps lovely gardens with chickens, pigs and plenty of lavender.  It was not at all intrusive having the owners on site and next time I shall join in one of Josie’s yoga classes!

Thank you for a truly relaxing holiday with the right amount of peace and quiet but still only just over an hour to the beach at La Rochelle.  The town of Niort was interesting to visit and have lunch.  

This holiday was also exceptionally good value for money we could not fault it!!!!  Thanks Josie,

The Sanders family – Berkshire August 2015


When can we come back?

We arrived in the dark and awoke the next morning to pull back curtains and WOW what a view ! Fantastic base for exploring local places of interest. Peace and relaxation guaranteed, whilst enjoying a glass of wine on the decking, and having a dip in the pool. Plenty of lovely local restaurants to enjoy. Josie is always there for help and advice. The gite was spotless, everything you need at hand, and English TV. On one such occasion, we came across CafeBonBon in La Chapelle aux Lys, owned by a lovely English couple.  

Would highly recommend and return – Beautiful !

Stella & Nick, Rugby – September 2015 


The best holiday home, ever!

Many thanks for a lovely week at La Menantelliere.  We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and all agreed it is the best holiday cottage we’ve stayed at, at home or in France.  We loved the spacious, airy living area and the walk out onto the large deck with lovely views. The pool was a big hit with our daughter, and seeing the pigs and chickens were the highlight of her holiday! The Gite was perfectly equipped and as hosts, you were so welcoming. 
The Boot Family Hampshire – July 2015

5 out of 5 Stars


What a wonderful place!

Home now from our wonderful week at La Menantelierre. The Gite is gorgeous, with absolutely everything we needed for a relaxing stay. Josie is a wonderful host, and the welcome basket on arrival (including wine!) was a lovely touch. The Gite has the most fantastic views which no photos can do justice to. Miles and miles of tranquil French countryside was our view whilst sipping wine on the terrace – gorgeous. My husband enjoyed numerous local walks, maps provided by Josie! The local restaurants are superb for ‘Plat du Jour’ at €12 each. A visit to La Rochelle was lovely, and would recommend as less than an hour away. Thank you so much for a lovely, relaxing stay. We’ll definitely be back!

Angela Hewitt August 2014


Memories are made here!

Now back from our week at La Menantelierre and we are reminiscing at how lovely our stay was. Josie made us very welcome and was extremely accommodating. The Gite was beautifully kept and in an idyllic setting. We would recommend this as a perfect holiday location, set in beautiful rural France. Thanks again Josie!

Nigel Robinson July 2014


Views to soothe the Soul!

Delightful Gite with a fabulous view from the living room and terrace that is hard to beat (but we also recommend a walk up the lane for a 180 degree panoramic view of the wonderful countryside around). Thoughtfully and comfortably furnished and has the best equipped kitchen we have found in a holiday home. Josie provides a lovely welcome basket along with all the basics you need for the kitchen and bathroom. All in all a lovely gite in a tranquil location and we would thoroughly recommend it for a relaxing time away from it all.

Elizabeth Preston August 2014


Wonderful in every way!

We had a lovely holiday and would thoroughly recommend staying here. The gite is beautifully presented, spotlessly clean and is a real home from home. Josie the owner is very friendly and helpful, she even let our two year old boy help feed the chickens and pigs and pick some fresh raspberries and strawberries.

The gite has the most amazing view of the Vendee countryside, and is a great place to relax. We would recommend a trip to Parc Pierre Bruin if you have young children, the swimming lake about 15 mins away (which I can’t remember the name of but Josie will point you in the right direction), a walk around and lunch out in Vouvant, a visit to the River Mervent where you can hire boats and a lunch out at the Chateau La Citardiere.

David Hockridge July 2014


All you need for the perfect holiday.

Spent a week here and we really enjoyed the home. It was very comfortable, clean and well equipped and had all the facilities you could want. The owner, Josie was very helpful and made us so welcome. The pictures don’t relay how peaceful and tranquil the home really is and the views are lovely. Sat on the patio with a glass of wine watching the sun go down brings fond memories. The only blot was the weather which could have been better but it did not spoil our week. Thanks Josie.  

Recommended for: Pet friendly, sightseeing, families with teenagers and families with young children

Keith & Sharon Millington, Rochdale


Friendly, helpful and generous!

“La Menantelierre is a wonderful place to spend your holiday. The gite is perfectly lovely (comfortable and cosy) and it offers beautiful views of the lush green countryside. The owner Josie lives next door in the main house, and she couldn’t have been more friendly or more helpful; providing us with fresh produce from her garden, toys for the children, tips for activities any-time we wanted.

We loved eating the figs and cherries directly from the trees in the garden, and very gladly helped ourselves to fresh herbs, onions and zucchinis for our supper. Josie, thank you for your very generous hospitality: we had a fantastic holiday!

PS We also recommend renting a boat in Marais Poitevin, the Green Venice.” 

The Gerritsen Family, Holland, July 2013


See this place for real, photos will never do!

The view from the Balcony Terrace is fabulous and much better than the photographs suggest, the Gite is perfect and again far more impressive than the photos suggest”

Carmen Scott, Canada – June 2013


Rocks that Wobble!

‘Spectacular views and all the comforts of home. We recommend ‘Wobbly Rock’and The Parc du Pierre Brune. Thank you for an enjoyable holiday’ – 

The Butler family West Haddon, UK 2011


Tranquil setting for the perfect holiday home.

We had a wonderful holiday, And we would certainly recommend la Menantelierre to anyone wanting a tranquil break in the fabulous French countryside.”

The Millars, Uckfield, UK.