I have a good feeling about this week We seem to have some really lovely guests. Two families are from last year, so it has been wonderful to catch up over a glass of rose. They have already broken the ice with the other guests who are newcomers to La Roultiere so already it feels friendly and inclusive. The new guests are chatty and open and seem to get what a holiday at La Roultiere is about. It has been interesting to find out how guests find us cyberly and make the choice to come here. One family this week has holidayed at CountryKids and Chateau Ribenac but further south, but appauled to their child friendliness. It is nice to know we can hold our own with such holiday providers, and are competing in a similar market.
And of course I have been absolutely thrilled to have been accepted as one of Alistair Sawdays Special Places for the guide Self catering France. There is just over 400 self catering special places in this highly reputable guides so I feel it is a true accreditation! The nice thing is that they dont just look at the aspect of the accommodation, but at what the owners offer too. We were interviewed and visited before we found our way into the book and website. Definately one for the CV !!!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tidy at last...
Its been a while....
May is always frantic, with gite preperations and a never ending list of snagging jobs. My winter list of things that needed doing has been worked through, the problem being I kept adding to it much to Mr LR frustration. There are a few whimsical ideas that have been shelved (fire pit patio just dosnt seem important when the nights are incredibly warm for the time of year). We have though relocated the tennis court sized veggie garden to a small manageable raised bed by the lounge doors. Phew no more bind weed choking the leeks and lettuces, but a reduced but hopefully productive patch of mud (if we can stop the dogs from thinking its a great resting perch for their chase games.
It has been unseasonably hot for May. Fortunatley, touch wood the well is still working (thanks to Mr LR's determination to fix the pompe puis as opposed to buying another new one), but I fear that the early blooming flowers will not last the season and by the end of July we will have shrivled and crispy flower beds, regardless of our watering attempts. The hot sun has also put pay to putting a coat of varnish on the window frames (a normal May job) as the lasure would just blister in this heat.
One the upside of the heat though, the pool is lovely, and as much as we love our guests, it is nice to have a period of time when we can use it alone! (I know selfish....am working on Mr LR's love of digging holes to dig me a new pool). One pool problem though, Meg our collie has taken to free dipping. Will have to discourage her with an old bath in the digger yard.
My new cleaner is working out a treat too. Turns out she is also a registered child carer and WANTS to take on my customers children, day or night for child care and babysitting...so if La Roultiere's guests wish to vineyard crawl, child free, they can, know full well that the lovely Ruth is taking the kids on a nature trail, or bought her fancy dress box over (childrens fancy dress only!!) Crayons at the ready!!!!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Winter blues.
Sometimes I wonder whether I suffer from SAD. I do hate the winter and love my bed so much more in January and February than any other time of year. But when the sun shines here and we have beautiful but crisp cold days, it is definitely re-energising. Like today. Gorgeous blue sky, a early morning glistening off frost, and actually day I say it, a touch of warmth in the day as it progresses.
The problem is when the days get longer and warmer again,, it a sure sign that we must concentrate on starting to get the gites ready for May.
List of things that have broken and need replacing:
pompe chaleur for the pool which is less than 2 years old
pompe de puis which is less than 8 months old (yes and it 11 metres down the well)
my bosch washing machine 10 years old poor thing (again)
bath in Veranda (replaced but not yet finished the fitting of)
velux window Veranda replaced and fitted last week
Cooker Fermette (over zealous usage)
Toilet Ecurie
Things to order/buy
New beds & mattresses
Pompe Chaleur
Pompe Puis
Bed linens and pillows
Carpet for Veranda bedroom
New Bathroom suite for Veranda
List of gardening and landscaping tasks:
Patio for the boules pitch
Patio for the communal barbeque
Replanting 40 metres of hedges
Replanting and tidying up front of house where the re pointing work will be carried out.
Ploughing over old veg patch
Spring pruning
Still raking leaves
Chase up Monsieur Robin to see if we can buy his abandoned field. If successful to extend the lawn.
Jobs on our house:
Finish plastering utility
Finish porch
Repaint kids room
Varnish windows again
the lists seem to be endless.
Maybe I am just procrastinating with list writing and actually go and make a start.
Where's my wellies.
The problem is when the days get longer and warmer again,, it a sure sign that we must concentrate on starting to get the gites ready for May.
List of things that have broken and need replacing:
pompe chaleur for the pool which is less than 2 years old
pompe de puis which is less than 8 months old (yes and it 11 metres down the well)
my bosch washing machine 10 years old poor thing (again)
bath in Veranda (replaced but not yet finished the fitting of)
velux window Veranda replaced and fitted last week
Cooker Fermette (over zealous usage)
Toilet Ecurie
Things to order/buy
New beds & mattresses
Pompe Chaleur
Pompe Puis
Bed linens and pillows
Carpet for Veranda bedroom
New Bathroom suite for Veranda
List of gardening and landscaping tasks:
Patio for the boules pitch
Patio for the communal barbeque
Replanting 40 metres of hedges
Replanting and tidying up front of house where the re pointing work will be carried out.
Ploughing over old veg patch
Spring pruning
Still raking leaves
Chase up Monsieur Robin to see if we can buy his abandoned field. If successful to extend the lawn.
Jobs on our house:
Finish plastering utility
Finish porch
Repaint kids room
Varnish windows again
the lists seem to be endless.
Maybe I am just procrastinating with list writing and actually go and make a start.
Where's my wellies.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Holidays
Phil and I always find it very difficult to take holidays. Not only are we very restricted in the time of year we can get away but knowing what type of holiday always causes us grieve! (gite holidays dont appeal!)
We have just come back from a few very chilly days camping in the Dordogne. I was desperate to let the kids have a few days away in warm weather before our guests arrive. It didn't work out to be warm and whilst the campsite was lovely, I don't think they really got the benefit of being there.
As a child, my family holiday memories of french campsites were of course always warm but secondly, having lots of other families around with children with whom we could kick around with. Our days would be filled by unhurriedly going between the tents of various families nearby, heading to the pool, buying icecream, visiting the campsite shop and generally not having parents watching our every move. Rebecca and Thomas certainly could have this freedom at the campsite where we were this week, but because it was out of season there were few children around, certainly not school age.
Our tent was on the corner of an intersection in the campsite, which every vehicle had to go past to get in and out. Normally not a problem, but there was a coach party on site, who went out at 7.30am every morning in their coach. I found it suprising that the campsite management let the coach beyond the reception carpark and onto the narrow lanes of the site, going past tents very noisily everytime it moved. On the other side of us was some nutty caravan owner who every morning turned his car engine over and the got step ladders out to clean the top of the caravan! I think because it was cold everyone was getting up early and going out to find things to do.
It certainly wasnt a haven of tranquility and a tent offers no sound insulation from snoring neighbours, or clattering scooter wheels.
One thing I really enjoyed thought was making a little fire to sit by one evening (I was deteremined not to sit in the tent!). I think I want to make a fire pit patio at La Roultiere now. There is something just glorious about sitting around a camp fire having a glass of wine. It seem the flames entice conversation and general well being. I am afraid that it wont be in place for 2010 guests, but I have added to my list of things to acheive next winter for my 2011 guests. It should take to much persuading to get Phil to do it as it will involve a digger and earth movement!
So we feel a little rested and certainly pleased to get back to our own house! La Roultiere is a good noose around our necks. In trying to make it the perfect holiday spot for families, we have created a situation where it is very hard to find a place I would rather be.
(suggestions for future holidays always welcome)
We have just come back from a few very chilly days camping in the Dordogne. I was desperate to let the kids have a few days away in warm weather before our guests arrive. It didn't work out to be warm and whilst the campsite was lovely, I don't think they really got the benefit of being there.
As a child, my family holiday memories of french campsites were of course always warm but secondly, having lots of other families around with children with whom we could kick around with. Our days would be filled by unhurriedly going between the tents of various families nearby, heading to the pool, buying icecream, visiting the campsite shop and generally not having parents watching our every move. Rebecca and Thomas certainly could have this freedom at the campsite where we were this week, but because it was out of season there were few children around, certainly not school age.
Our tent was on the corner of an intersection in the campsite, which every vehicle had to go past to get in and out. Normally not a problem, but there was a coach party on site, who went out at 7.30am every morning in their coach. I found it suprising that the campsite management let the coach beyond the reception carpark and onto the narrow lanes of the site, going past tents very noisily everytime it moved. On the other side of us was some nutty caravan owner who every morning turned his car engine over and the got step ladders out to clean the top of the caravan! I think because it was cold everyone was getting up early and going out to find things to do.
It certainly wasnt a haven of tranquility and a tent offers no sound insulation from snoring neighbours, or clattering scooter wheels.
One thing I really enjoyed thought was making a little fire to sit by one evening (I was deteremined not to sit in the tent!). I think I want to make a fire pit patio at La Roultiere now. There is something just glorious about sitting around a camp fire having a glass of wine. It seem the flames entice conversation and general well being. I am afraid that it wont be in place for 2010 guests, but I have added to my list of things to acheive next winter for my 2011 guests. It should take to much persuading to get Phil to do it as it will involve a digger and earth movement!
So we feel a little rested and certainly pleased to get back to our own house! La Roultiere is a good noose around our necks. In trying to make it the perfect holiday spot for families, we have created a situation where it is very hard to find a place I would rather be.
(suggestions for future holidays always welcome)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Bring on the battle!!
The smell of warm rain is a good sign. We seem to be out of the cold and long winter and getting southerly air at last. There's something very musty about rain falling on warm ground. However we will have to watch and wait (not long I feel) for all the weeds to spring back into life, and the battle will commence. We will fight them on the terrasses, we will fight them in the veggie patch, we will fight them in the sand pit...etc etc. However the new growing season also means we have another job on the agenda; getting the vegetables planted and sown. Why does March, April and May always turn in to some frantic frenzy of activity.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Brushing down the cobwebs
Time to emerge from the winter. Well thats how I feel even if the weather is trying to persuade me otherwise. By the end of February I always feel like the clock it ticking. I get very twitchy going into March the the gites "undone". Oh well, Phil has started to work again on the new bathroom facilities in three of our gites, with the promise that one will be ready to re-paint in a week! Goody, must get the paint rollers out (actually I probably need new ones!)
The major talking point amoungst fellow gite owners at the moment is Chez Nous, and some of the other major advertisers which we use to promote our gites. Chez Nous has recently re-launched their website, however we all feel that it has totally lost its way. The main search focus is map based, and when you request gites in the Loire on the search facility, gites from the entire middle of France are displayed in price order from lowest to highest. For us professional gite owners, who charge a realistic price (ie one that we can make a living on) our gites are not ranking high on there search. The reason being is that the many hobby gite owners who are able to charge an unrealistically low price just for a bit of pocket money, are getting priority. Normally these gite owners do not declare their earning from letting, and are therefore illegal. These gites basically have the power to put the professionals out of buisness. And there are more and more of them as the Euro is so strong and buying power of the second home owners in France has been greatly reduced. So I am somewhat miffed. The proof in the pudding is that I and my colleagues have had no hits from Chez Nous since the day they swapped over to there new "improved" site. Chez Nous seem to have forgotten who their customers are...its the advertisers who pay for advertising space! Grrrrrrrr.....
Anyhow back to thoughts of the summer and more importantly food. Whilst remembering past holidays (and there hasnt been many ...ahhhh) food has played a major part in whether I and Phil have enjoyed ourselves. So whilst musing on this for a while and wondering how my guests could have a better food experience (without having to pay to eat out all the time) I decided to buy French recipe books for all my gites and a barbeque manual! I know when I am away, I often think....oh I wish I know how to make pancakes off by heart, or how did that chef make that Ile Flottant, or wow....how do I make that special sauce that goes so well with sandre. So now the gites all have books to help us eat well on holiday and inspire regional cooking, bought with ingredients from the local markets. I hope the guests like the idea!
Right back to pursuing Chez Nous.......
The major talking point amoungst fellow gite owners at the moment is Chez Nous, and some of the other major advertisers which we use to promote our gites. Chez Nous has recently re-launched their website, however we all feel that it has totally lost its way. The main search focus is map based, and when you request gites in the Loire on the search facility, gites from the entire middle of France are displayed in price order from lowest to highest. For us professional gite owners, who charge a realistic price (ie one that we can make a living on) our gites are not ranking high on there search. The reason being is that the many hobby gite owners who are able to charge an unrealistically low price just for a bit of pocket money, are getting priority. Normally these gite owners do not declare their earning from letting, and are therefore illegal. These gites basically have the power to put the professionals out of buisness. And there are more and more of them as the Euro is so strong and buying power of the second home owners in France has been greatly reduced. So I am somewhat miffed. The proof in the pudding is that I and my colleagues have had no hits from Chez Nous since the day they swapped over to there new "improved" site. Chez Nous seem to have forgotten who their customers are...its the advertisers who pay for advertising space! Grrrrrrrr.....
Anyhow back to thoughts of the summer and more importantly food. Whilst remembering past holidays (and there hasnt been many ...ahhhh) food has played a major part in whether I and Phil have enjoyed ourselves. So whilst musing on this for a while and wondering how my guests could have a better food experience (without having to pay to eat out all the time) I decided to buy French recipe books for all my gites and a barbeque manual! I know when I am away, I often think....oh I wish I know how to make pancakes off by heart, or how did that chef make that Ile Flottant, or wow....how do I make that special sauce that goes so well with sandre. So now the gites all have books to help us eat well on holiday and inspire regional cooking, bought with ingredients from the local markets. I hope the guests like the idea!
Right back to pursuing Chez Nous.......
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Winter Lull - January 2010
Its pretty quiet here at La Roultiere in January. The ground is frozen and the gites are bitterly cold. To cold to do progress with our planned refurbishments. The remodelling of the bathrooms in Grenier, Fermette and Veranda of course will be done for May...its just hard to get motivated when its SO COLD!. The new suites sit, vacuum wrapped in black plastic along with Phil's diggers in the shed. Mustn't forget to order the taps!.
January does tend to be a month to hibernate but plan ahead. The new 3 piece suite for Ecurie is ordered and the new beds for Fermette have arrived at our depot in the UK so are ready to be shipped. Also need to look through the seed catalogues and plan the veggie patch for the year. Hopefully Nigel in Cheshire has put aside our cheshire potatoes for chitting. The thought of light summer salads with freshly picked cherry tomatos helps me get through the winter!!
The police were about in Breil this morning, checking drivers for insurance. I noticed they had pulled over "NoNo" (our stone mason) when I went passed on my way to Guy de Ray to meet Alison. I hope he is up to date with his insurance...he's the kind of French gentleman who bends the rules at times. He's due to start work on the facade of the gites again in February. Might have to be picking him up every morning!!!
Reservations have come in fast and furious since Christmas, with a healthy smattering of returning guests which I just love having. There certainly is no science to the booking patterns of our guests. Last year we were worried in April because we had so few reservations; this year its all happening much earlier, which is a huge weight of my mind. Hope its something to do with the new website that my brother and I worked so hard on, not just the fact that the UK has been covered in snow for 2 weeks!
Debating with myself whether to do a barbeque evening every Sunday with our guests. Can't decide yet. Perhaps I'll get some feed back through this!
January does tend to be a month to hibernate but plan ahead. The new 3 piece suite for Ecurie is ordered and the new beds for Fermette have arrived at our depot in the UK so are ready to be shipped. Also need to look through the seed catalogues and plan the veggie patch for the year. Hopefully Nigel in Cheshire has put aside our cheshire potatoes for chitting. The thought of light summer salads with freshly picked cherry tomatos helps me get through the winter!!
The police were about in Breil this morning, checking drivers for insurance. I noticed they had pulled over "NoNo" (our stone mason) when I went passed on my way to Guy de Ray to meet Alison. I hope he is up to date with his insurance...he's the kind of French gentleman who bends the rules at times. He's due to start work on the facade of the gites again in February. Might have to be picking him up every morning!!!
Reservations have come in fast and furious since Christmas, with a healthy smattering of returning guests which I just love having. There certainly is no science to the booking patterns of our guests. Last year we were worried in April because we had so few reservations; this year its all happening much earlier, which is a huge weight of my mind. Hope its something to do with the new website that my brother and I worked so hard on, not just the fact that the UK has been covered in snow for 2 weeks!
Debating with myself whether to do a barbeque evening every Sunday with our guests. Can't decide yet. Perhaps I'll get some feed back through this!
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