Exceptional Riverside Location,Holiday Apartment, Private Island. Moulin de la Ronde, Bonnes, Vienne Reviews

Having been keen independent travellers for many years (from Australia), we have been fortunate to stay in many delightful places, however we agree that Moulin de la Ronde took first prize. It is a timeless and magical place and Gill and Brian are the most charming hosts. Our communications with them were very helpful from when we made our booking, then when we arrived the four of us had an excellent consultation over a large map about places we might like to visit. As we followed their advice we found that it was spot on. In the pretty town of Chauvigny we especially loved the old city on the hill and the market. Food shopping at the Super U and the bakery across the road was excellent. Bonnes, with its riverside setting and little church and mairie, is a lovely village. We enjoyed walking there several times and the bread and other products from the bakery were excellent. Our weekend visit to Chateau de Touffou was interesting and the garden exceptional. One of us saw otters in the river at the Moulin, however we were both able to watch a pair of otters swim and play from a bird hide at Reserve Ornithologique de Saint Cyr 20 km away. We loved the Abbey Church at Saint Savin sur Gartempe with its 11th and 12th century murals and our walk amongst the spring wildflowers in La Brenne National Park. In our two week stay, as well as exploring the area by car and on foot, we were fortunate to have plenty of time to spend sitting and relaxing - on the riverbank, on the island, in the courtyard and at our window - watching the river and the busy birdlife. One highlight was watching the grey heron fishing early one morning. Brian told us that the river islands are an official LPO sanctuary and there is a brochure in The Old Grainstore information folder listing 40 bird species that have been observed there. A great tit was a frequent visitor coming and going feeding its offspring in a cavity in the stone wall of the courtyard. We enjoyed several walks in the nearby forests. One good walk went off the Chauvigny road to the right not far past the back gate. Another took us from the Chateau de Touffou parking area along the river, through the forest and then returned along the road past farmhouses and wheatfields. Last but not least, The Old Grainstore apartment itself was attractive, comfortable, spacious and filled with beautiful and interesting items from Gill’s and Brian’s period working in Asia. We felt very happy and at home there.