GUEST REVIEWS
Michelle B (Toronto, Canada) – July 2019
Spent a wonderful week in Nérac recently with friends and would highly recommend Maison de la Fontaine as a base for anyone looking for an authentic experience living in a small French town. Easily accessible from Agen by bus with a stop at the end of the street. The house is very well appointed and your hosts have thought of everything…and I mean EVERYTHING…you could possibly need for a relaxing stay! From a well stocked picnic basket to umbrellas to plastic wine glasses for the weekly night market to welcome goodies in the fridge upon arrival and more. We felt immediately at home! And if that isn’t enough — we really appreciated Mardi’s wealth of knowledge of the area before and during our stay. She was always quick with a recommendation or suggestion and never steered us wrong! I can’t say enough about this lovely home away from home. It was definitely the highlight of my holiday in France!
Kevin P (Toronto, Canada) – June 2019
We very much enjoyed our stay! The house was fantastic. The house was fully equipped, clean and well maintained. It was centrally located and we had a very relaxing time riding bikes around Nerac and walking through the town and along the river. We enjoyed the cafes, restaurants, small town stores and la cigale chocolates. The house is next to a square where locals play boule and there is a boule set in the house. We took a boat cruise along the river and also enjoyed day trips to Agen and Bourdeaux through the French countryside. The owners checked in on us during our stay and their book in the house full with information and recommendations for everything was very helpful. A perfect week in Nerac!
Rena and Richard W (Canada) – May 2019
If you’re looking for a home away from home, then this place is for you. Live like a local and experience all the hidden gems that surround the beautiful area of south-western France. Mardi, our attentive host, makes everyone feel special and has made sure that you have everything you need during your stay. She is very quick to reply to questions. Our family of 5 adults were very comfortable for our week in La Maison de la Fontaine. Clean and well-appointed, this charming home is steps from bakeries, restaurants, a museum and walking/biking paths. We had a short drive to get our main groceries. WiFi Service was excellent, even on the cozy patio. We found this neighbourhood to be friendly and cheerful which helped to make wonderful memories for all of us. Cheers!
Joan and Ron M (Cobourg, Canada) – September 2018
We thoroughly enjoyed our home away from home for one week. All the comforts of a well equipped kitchen , best sleeps and safe neighbourhood! The location was within walking distance to the shops, restaurants and markets and the most beautiful canopied park. It was was so nice to go off and explore the Gascony region for the day and to return to a lovely accommodation. We will hopefully be returning!
Donna-Marie and Lawrence P (Canada) – September 2018
Did you watch Chocolat and wish you could live somewhere as authentic as that? Well maison de la fontaine will allow you to live out all those fantasies and more! We were two couples celebrating our 30th Wedding anniversaries and decided to spend it in Nerac. We completely fell in love with the town and everything about this little gem. Opening the shutters each morning to bright blue skies, white fluffy clouds over head, church bells ringing and water running from a nearby fountain was what greeted us every day. We walked to all the shops, enjoyed time at the water, sipping on a late afternoon beer or rose. We loved chatting to the people tying up their boats for the evening. We enjoyed moonlight walks at night where it was just us and the local cats wandering. The house was perfect for the two couples. We loved the owner’s collection of cookbooks (in English) as we spent most dinners in and loved to cook.The kitchen was well equipped – even a few cooking essentials were provided. The neighbours next door were delightful and we even had a challenging game of Petanque in the square one evening. The owners provided a great book so every question you might have had was answered. We also enjoyed country walks and hikes that we could do just from the front door of Maison de la fontaine without having to get in the car. If you are looking for a “live like a local” experience, then this house is the place to be!
Robert B (UK) – August 2018
We thoroughly enjoyed our recent stay in this beautiful house in Nerac, The house is so well equipped, they have really thought of everything. I really enjoyed the sound of the fountain outside one of the bedroom windows and eating breakfast in the sun on the patio every morning. There was enough parking at the top of the street for both our cars. It is less than 5 minutes walk into the center of the lovely town of Nerac, which has some really nice restaurants. The pictures and description of the accommodation is really accurate and I would highly recommend staying here if in Nerac.
Joe B (California, USA) – June 2018
This home was straight out of a movie. We woke up each morning to the sounds of water rushing from a nearby fountain, church bells ringing from the old town center, and flocks of swallows rushing overhead. Seize the day and amble toward the banks of the Baïse (where you can rent boats, have the most delicious Italian-inspired sorbet, eat and drink); or up the steps into the heart of Nérac for its quaint cafes, shops and friendly people; or use this as home base for adventures to nearby towns. This maison affords you the ability to live like a native, enjoying that slow-paced French lifestyle of great food, wine and friendship. Be careful, you will slip comfortably into this little corner of the world and never want to leave. maison de la fontaine is ideal, the pictures are entirely accurate, and the owners more than accommodating. We will definitely be back again. Au Revoir, Nérac.
Bev and Michael B (U.K.) – June 2018
Nice and quiet, plenty of parking. The house, very well equipped, the upstairs bedroom has a sloping roof, mind your head ! The small patio area was lovely and had the sun nearly all day. Nerac was a beautiful place with several very good restaurants and bars and the people were very friendly.
Beth S and Barry V (Cobourg, Canada) – May 2018
Nerac is located halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse. It is south of Agen, off the A62. It is an historic royal town that houses the remains of French KIng Henry IV’s castle. A car rental is a must. The region is very pastoral , filled with many small villages and towns dating from medieval times, no one centre exceeding a population of 100,000. The people are warm and welcoming. Foi Gras, Armagnac, Floc and Red Wine are just a few of the local products. The house, built beside a public fountain has been completely renovated with modern appliances and conveniences including dishwasher, fridge, stove, microwave and washer and dryer. It comfortably accommodated our party of 3 adults. The upstairs bedroom and bathroom area is fine, but one must mind the low ceiling at the top of the spiral staircase. The delightful patio is perfect for resting up with a glass of wine after a day of touring the countryside. The owners have collected a number of books and guides to help visitors. We hope to return for a 2 week stay in the future to experience the markets, and overnight stays in places like San Sebastian in Spain, and/or Barritz both near the extreme south west coast of France. The cities of Bordeaux, Toulouse and Carcassone are not that far from Nerac either, We lunched at Auberge le Prieure Le Bourg in Moirax, a 1 Star Michelin restaurant, and dined at L’Art de Vivre in Nerac, near the castle.This region of southern France is often overlooked, but it is a gem! The owners were most helpful with our arrangements to get to and from the property, and with our stay in their beautiful house.
Katherine A (Toronto, Canada) – September 2017
The drive from Bayonne to our accommodations at the Maison de la Fontaine was lovely thanks to the directions we received to plan our fabulous vacation in the south of France. The home, located in the quaint historical village of Nérac was located within easy walking distance to the restaurants and shops in the area and we felt we could experience being part of the local culture. The central location was perfect for day adventures to wineries, foie gras and armagnac tasting tours, lunches at Michelin star restaurants, exploring both historic and modern architecture, and pre-historic caves and taking in the beautiful landscape. The well-equipped modern kitchen and comfortable living space allowed us to enjoy breakfasts and dinners at home. The attention to the detail in the home, lists of recommended restaurants and sites, the availability of local books and maps and wi-fi made this a fabulous vacation to the not-to-miss Saint Emilion, the Cite du Vin museum in Bordeaux, Condom and Toulouse.
Karen and Peter G (Toronto, Canada) – September 2017
We knew nothing about this often-overlooked corner of France and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the region by car, visiting wineries, bastide towns and some top-notch regional restaurants. Maison de la Fontaine was a perfect base for our discovery of Le Gascogne. It is lovingly restored, with a great kitchen, a cozy sitting room, cable TV, WIFI and a comfortable bedroom that gets restoratively dark at night. The town of Nerac is charming and the house is within walking distance to all the shops, restaurants and cafes. The shopkeepers in Nerac were charming and welcoming and we even met some expat English speakers at the Taverne d’Henri on a beautiful sunny afternoon. A highly recommended experience.
Katherine W and family (Australia) – May 2017
Beautiful location, very central to all Nerac and the local area has to offer. A nice quiet tranquil place to come home to after a day of sightseeing.
Alison and Paul F (Toronto, Canada) – May 2016
maison de la fontaine is perfectly situated to explore all the region has to offer. We even did a day trip to the Pyrenees. If you feel inspired to cook your own meals the fabulously well-appointed kitchen is at the ready. We sat on the patio sipping rosé, eating local cheese and charcuterie with the wafting scent of the climbing roses under a blue, blue sky; it really doesn’t get any better.
We were totally relaxed within hours of arriving. Clean, spacious, with modern bathrooms, reliable internet, tv and such comfortable beds we unintentionally slept in every day! Also an added bonus to have a modern washer and dryer. In addition, we used the very helpful suggestion kits put together by Neil and Mardi, for touring the area, whether vineyards, historic towns, farmers’ markets. We spent hours at the Nérac farmers’ market on Saturday morning.
We would go back in a heartbeat to explore all the things we couldn’t get to the first time mainly because life slowed down and we felt so at home. One suggestion, if you’re there when Fêtes de Nérac are on in early May we highly recommend going to the Course Landaise, an ancient form of bullfighting which involves no bloodshed and is unique to SW France.
All in all our whole stay was memorable.
Barbara and Frank S (Tuscon, Arizona) – April 2016
A Gascogne Dream ! Maison de la Fontaine is a lovingly restored home on a quiet street in the enchanting town of Nerac. The owners, who use it as their vacation home, spared no expense in making it a delightful place to stay. Tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean, the home has modern bathrooms, comfortable beds, fluffy towels, fast reliable internet, plenty of hot water and a washer and separate tumble dryer. The fully equipped kitchen is a cook’s dream. This is not your typical vacation rental with scratchy sheets, dull knives and four jelly glasses. You feel as if you are a guest in someone’s home. We spent five days at Maison de la Fontaine in mid-April and we wished that we had booked it for a longer time. Although it was too cool to sit on the pretty front patio, it was easy to imagine how relaxing it would be in warmer weather. It was a perfect vacation stay. We will be back.
Eve C (Toronto, Canada), April 2016
We visited the Nerac house in mid April 2016. What a precious spot we had come to! The town was fascinating and we highly recommend the walking tour. The house is a five minute walk to a wonderful bakery where we got our daily ‘pain au chocolat’ and shops for groceries etc. The countryside was lovely and we enjoyed exploring the towns and vineyards. We appreciated the binder in the house which was full of great recommendations. The house itself is very comfortable with a great kitchen. We felt right at home. We only wish the weather had cooperated a bit more so we could have sat outside more often. Mardi was wonderful to work with. She was both kind and patient with our many excited questions. All in all we had a wonderful trip and recommend both the house and the area.