We have just returned from a family holiday to Eclance.
The location was great - the Champagne trail for adults, Nigloland for our teenage daughters. Temperatures were perfect and the accommodation was too. Made full use of the pool and BBQ facilities and Sarah gave good advice and information on the local attractions and visits.
Would definitely return.
Stayed with other adult family members and had a great week. Sarah and James the friendly helpful owners were very welcoming from arrival to departure. They provided helpful tips and guidance about local attractions and slightly further afield. The gite was perfect for our intention to visit the wine regions of Champagne, Burgundy and Chablis and so much was tasted and collected. Local town supermarkets provided ample supplies for barbecues and lunches, whilst local restaurants did not disappoint.
The accommodation itself was a cut above many other places we have previously used. It had a large spacious well equipped kitchen including microwave and dishwasher with plenty of varied crockery. (So many places have the bare minimum but not here). The large spacious lounge diner had plenty of sitting room with a table large enough for 10. There is a large flatscreen TV with the majority of free view channels available.
We had no use for it but in addition to central heating there is a large woodburner. Upstairs, were 3 large double/twin bedrooms each en-suite with really comfortable beds.
Outside, the property has its own terrace with table and chairs for alfresco meals, whilst there is an even larger communal terrace with barbecues and fire pit that is open to all tenants. The property has a large pool shared with the other gites at the property but there are more than enough sunbeds and parasols for everyone. There is a very large grassed area with swings and boules area for all to enjoy.
The only drawback is that you do need a vehicle as the nearest shops and restaurants are too far to walk to but there is plenty of undercover parking on site. This meant that our vehicle was always cool despite the heat.
A great venue with great hosts what more could you want.
Stayed here for the May bank holiday. What a find. A peaceful rural farming community of just 124 souls. The village boats a church with a memorial to the 10 fallen villagers in the Great War, a school (now the village hall) and a pond. Nestled in rolling farmland this village is close to Nigoland, on the edge of a national park and minutes away from three massive lakes boasting all sorts of activities from water skiing to sailing. The accommodation offered by the owners who live on site is perfect. Everything is spotless, accommodation ridiculously spacious and every amenity with a well stocked kitchen. The weather was
warm enough for us to use the heated pool on site. The owners ordered our bread daily from the bakery and organised a visit to a champagne producer about 20 minutes away where more than a little bubbly was consumed. A lovely stay in a great location with great service, thank you
We stayed at Les Tourterelles for a week in mid July and would certainly recommend it to anyone wanting a holiday to recharge their batteries. The facilities are great with everything you need in the farmhouses, and the pool area is really well maintained and pleasant to use. There are several large supermarkets about 15 minutes drive away, and the morning fresh bread and pastry delivery service is a real treat. Plenty of champagne houses in the area to visit and the supermarkets have a lot to choose from also. For champagne lovers a trip to Eperney to visit Moet or one of the other famous houses is recommended - only two hours drive from Eclance.
Sarah is very welcoming and our inclusion in the village's Bastille Day celebrations was a real highlight of our week. Don't expect to spend your time at Les Tourterelles on your phones or iPads, internet access is limited due to the isolation of the property, however there are lots of books there to read if required - our technology detox helped us relax and enjoy our surroundings even more. Great place to take bicycles - the roads are very quiet and the countryside is beautiful.
How helpful were the directions to the property? | Overall condition of the property |
Bedding & mattresses | Kitchen & utensils |
Bathroom cleanliness | Other facilities & amenities |
Service |
Friends getaway | Families with young children |
Large groups |
I am sorry that I have not written this review sooner...a sign of a busy year I guess!
A group of friends and I stayed here last Autumn when we went on a little tour of the champagne region, Les Tourterelles are in a perfect location for touring the Southern part of the Champagne trail. We stayed for three nights and were a group of seven.
Sarah and James have done such a beautiful and sympathetic conversion of the farm buildings, the whole place looks great on the inside and out. Everything is finished to a high standard and is really well maintained. When we arrived the place was spotless and there was a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge for us. The main dining living space downstairs is really large, absolutely perfect for a group, perfect size dining table and enough lounge furniture. The kitchen is very well equipped from white goods to crockery to pans (again great for a group!). Everything is there for you to have evenings in after a day out driving and exploring. Upstairs all the bedrooms were spacious and had very comfortable beds and bedding. Each room had its own bathroom (two are ensuite) all of which were finished beautifully and worked (again great/essential for a group!) As we were there when it was a little colder we didn't use the pool but we did use the barbecues, Sarah and James kindly sorted us out with some outside lighting and charcoal.
Sarah and James were just so welcoming, kind and accommodating from the moment of my enquiry. Booking was easy and all my communication with Sarah before our stay was prompt and helpful. We were sent information about the area and the Champagne trail along with really good recommendations of which houses to visit. We arrived late but Sarah and James were there to welcome us and the directions they had sent meant we found there place quite easily (it would only have been easier in the light!). They went out of their way to make our stay as enjoyable and easy as possible from calling us when the bread van arrived (having placed an order for us the day before) to picking us up from a near by restaurant (another good recommendation) so that the drivers in our party could have an evening off. All of Sarah and James' suggestions and everything they did for us made our stay and holiday in general a wonderfully enjoyable success! There is so much I have not said but hopefully this gives you an idea of this great place and its great hosts.
Unfortunately our group can't all get the time off to go again this year, but we are all keen for a second trip to the champagne region and we would only be staying again at Sarah and James' wonderful place.
Thank you both so much and again I am sorry for my tardiness in writing this.
How easy was it to book the property? | How helpful were the directions to the property? |
How easy was key pickup/access to the property? | Overall condition of the property |
Bedding & mattresses | Kitchen & utensils |
Bathroom cleanliness | Other facilities & amenities |
Service |
Friends getaway | Older travelers |
Families with young children | Large groups |
We had a wonderful week at Les Tourterelles! The hosts couldn't have done more to make us comfortable, from the warm, personal welcome when we arrived, to delivering bread to our door in the mornings; from offering to light us a fire when it got chilly, to putting up with my children's infinite questions and 'help' with amazing patience; from a free bottle of champagne, to organising a shared barby with the 3 other gites. The gite was clean, comfortable, and stylish, with a generously fitted out kitchen and white cotton linen on the beds. This area of France is quiet, and often overlooked, yet is in the heart of champagne region and has France's third largest fun park (Nigloland) a stones throw away.
How easy was it to book the property? | How helpful were the directions to the property? |
How easy was key pickup/access to the property? | Overall condition of the property |
Bedding & mattresses | Kitchen & utensils |
Bathroom cleanliness | Other facilities & amenities |
Service |
Friends getaway | Older travelers |
Families with young children | Large groups |
This is our second stay with Sarah and James (the most relaxed and friendly people you could ask to meet) and we'll be booking for next year.
Les Tourterelles is a beautifully presented 3 bed barn conversion in the grounds of a converted farm. The Garden is perfect for young children and the pool is large and very very well maintained. We really can't say how relaxing this place it - there are 4 properties and even with all of them full, it never feels busy or hectic. BBQ's are available to borrow and there are plenty of different seating areas around the large garden allowing you to be as social or private as you desire.
The location is very rural (just how we like it) but there is plenty to do in the local area. A particular highlight is Nigloland, a family owned theme park which is simply fantastic. Clean, very green and with very small wait times for the rides - highly recommended. The local towns are beautiful and the lakes of the Foret de Orient offer plenty of bike trails, beaches and water sports.
There are a few good restaurants in the local area and some very good ones within roughly a 30/40 min drive, but we tended to eat in most nights with 2 young children. The marina at Dienville (15mins drive) has a beach and a few restaurants, with live music in the summer evenings.
Sarah and James encourage you to make this place your home, so as long as you look after their beautiful property you have the freedom to pretty much do what you like.
Please go there with a relaxed attitude otherwise you'll spoil it for the rest of us.........