La Rabouillère

La Rabouillère, has a wonderful ambiance of old, with 400 year old woods and beams incorporated into its construction. The home was designed by the owner, Jean Marie, who actually built it himself on weekends. There is a storybook quality to this brick-and-timbered bed and breakfast with its steeply pitched roof accentuated by perky gables. You enter into a large family room where guests gather before the open fire in the winter. Antiques abound, and with the beamed ceiling, timber, and exposed brick walls, the mood is certainly old-world. This family/living room is where Martine serves breakfast on chilly mornings, although when the days are balmy guests frequently prefer to eat outside. Martine lovingly decorated each bedroom with Laura-Ashley-type fabrics and antique accent pieces. The rooms are all named after flowers. My favorite, Les Jonquilles, is decorated in soft yellows. All of the bathrooms are spacious and offer special amenities such as built-in hairdryers. In addition to the five bedrooms, there is a two-bedroom apartment. The setting too is superb: a 17-acre wooded estate with a small pond in front. For those who are château-sightseeing, La Rabouillère offers a great base right in the heart of the Loire Valley.