Loire Valley: A Place to Stay

When I am considering a stay abroad, I always think of renting an apartment or home when it is possible. I can choose the neighborhood or town that I want to stay in and I have many of the creatures comforts that I would enjoy at home. While they may be popular locations, often they are quieter residential areas that are well served by local merchants compared to the strings of hotels along the busy tourist/business avenues. The best part is the money I save and the value I get over staying in a hotel. I personally do no need the concierge or maid service of a hotel, so making my own plans and cleaning up after myself isn’t such a chore.

Above all other matters when staying in France or other popular vacation destinations, expect to book your rental approximately 9 months in advance to secure the property of your dreams. This is especially true if you are traveling from June – August in summer vacation destinations such as the Loire Valley and Provence.

If I am considering a rental anywhere in the world, my first stop is always Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO). The listings on the site are direct from the owner, cover a wide geographic area, and have selections in many price points. But, how do you know that the listing represents the reality of the property? Slowtalk (the community travel discussion board for Slow Travel) has this conversation about Vacation Rental Website Warning Signs from early last year. There is fantastic advice about the types of questions to ask and what to expect from individual or agency run websites presenting properties.

Then, there is always what previous renters think. Don’t hesitate to ask for letters of reference! VRBO has a guestbook feature that the owners can choose to activate. Others post recommendations from previous renters directly on their website. Websites like Slow Travel have extensive reviews by experienced rental travelers and classified listings from reputable participants on their discussion boards.

As I considered where to stay in the Loire Valley, I first drew a mental triangle from Chartres to Orleans to Tours. This triangle captures a significant portion of the western Loire Valley region and make most sites within 1-2 hours driving. I then began to consider staying in a town vs. a village. A town provides more services and potentially has a train station for easy access. Since we would be renting a car for our stay and our goal was to get away from it all, I decided that a rural village was our best choice. With that knowledge in hand, I started to look at VRBO for likely rentals.

At VRBO, I require that the listing has a few key elements for me to even consider the rental.

• There must be a link to the owner’s website for the property that provides more detailed information about the property.
• The listing must have at least three good photos that include one of the living area, bedroom area, and kitchen
• Specific and current rate details
• Exhaustive list of amenities
• Accurate availability calendar (if an established property, availability calendar should reflect stays of other guests and recently updated)
• Accurate phone number and email contact for the owners

After an exhaustive VRBO search, as well on Google, and looking at what felt like hundreds of rental properties the matter was settled. I decided upon Les Souliers Enchantées in Pontlevoy, France. Their VRBO listing and the property website provide a detailed and current view of the property and its availability. Since I booked the property in September 2008, the owner has happily and promptly answered any and all of my communications. Working with Les Souliers Enchantées has been a pleasure and added to the pleasant anticipation for this vacation.