Gîtes de Valon

5 stars

We loved out stay in Gite Rita. It was fabulously well equipped - even staple food supplies and a medical kit. And it is soooo beautiful! And there is so much to do in the area. We kayaked and explored and walked and just loved it. And Chris left us fantastic goodies - including a wonderful lemon cake and fresh bread!

Kate (Australia)

Chris was a very friendly and welcoming host, who left some lovely homemade goodies, vegetables and some great wine. The setting is almost unbelievable as you approach down the steep road in to a fairytale place, ideal for a very restful weeks holiday. Thanks Chris

Alan

Staying at the Gite was just amazing. It is one of the places you instantely Fell in love with. The surrounding is breathtaking and the beautifully renovated house provides everything you can dream of. We had many cozy nights in front of the fireplace with a great glass of wine. However, Chris was the best host, having a basket with selfmade cake and bread to welcome us, providing great tips for restaurants and tours, he made our stay even more a pleasure. Both our dog and cat enjoyed the house as much as we did and we'd love to come back. Thanks Chris. And all you people out there, visit the Gite, you won't regret it!!!

Felix and Isabell, (Germany)

This is a beautiful house in a truly amazing location high on a mountain in a very old village complete with 12th century chateau. We loved lounging in the sun in the garden and watching the huge orange butterflies, or listening to the owls hooting down in the woods at night. Chris was a perfect host, welcoming and helpful but unobtrusive. There was so much of interest to do nearby too -from waterfall walks to night food markets to medieval villages. Wifi good.

Ronnie, (Uk)

Thanks for hosting us for a wonderful couple of weeks here is valon and for your genrous hospitality. We have particularly enjoyed eating out on the verranda and spending time in the gardens, as well as your excellent selection of beers and juices, vegetables, jams, etc. which gone down very well indeed. valon is a characterful and scenically stunning village, and an excellent base from which to explore the varied riches of the surrounding area. All in all a fantastic stay and we wish you well with your future places, and huge thanks once again.

Andy, Yo and Aaron, (Uk)

What a fabulous host! But then you'd need to be specail cor this place ...... its been said by previous guests but truly this is a magical place on earth; and we were blessed with blue sky. If the heat becomes too great head North East to Lac de Sarrans great place to swim or catch the rays. Equally as good was Lac de St Gervais. You have to visit Conques! Its a trek and you're best parking at the bottom of the hill if you can cope with the walk upwards, stunning. Its been a wonderful week of twisted roads and markets (mur de Barrez Thursday), and sunshine!! Can't thank you enough, good luck for the future.

Richard and Jane, (Chesterfield, Uk)

Thank you for your hospitlity and the opportunity to stay in your charming and comfortable gite. We had a fabulous week. We wish you well in the furture and all the good things that are yet to come.

Len and Caroyn (Yorkshire, Uk)

What a wonderful place to spend a week. It was like living in a film set, high on a ridge overlooking river gorges and forests. You could walk to a 12th century castle keep and take yourself back in time. The gite had everything you could need and was even spectacular in a thunderstorm. It has been restored in keeping with a French country style. All of which adds up to a peaceful and relaxing place to stay.

Gary and Sara (Uk)

We spent 2 marvellous weeks (a couple + a 10 months baby) in Chris' house. The "Gite Rita" is a beautiful traditional home, with a nice and comfortable interior (modern bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, 2 living rooms with sofas to relax, etc.) and a beautiful terraced garden with view on the river from one side, the castle on the other side. Chris is a friendly host (and a great bread & lemon cake cooker!), and so is the population of the little village of Valon. You will discover a small but dynamic and welcoming community, a romantic castle, and a shop to drink local beer while watching the village. In a few words: if you want to relax a in great home and use this spot to discover Aveyron, this is a perfect place. There are nice villages around (Estaing, Entraygues, and of course Mur-de-Barrez, 10 minutes by car), there are some great treks around (including from the village), and the Saint-Gervais lake is 20 minutes by car. Definitely a 5 stars location.

Anne, Guillaume and Viotette. (France)

We stayed at Chris's house for 2 nights. What an absolutely breathtaking location! Its truly like living in a fairytale village. Chris was wonderful to deal with. When we walked into the village we found him across the street baking bread in and outdoor oven. He brought us a loaf (email hidden)licious! There was a bottle of wine waiting for us as well. His home has everything you could possibly need. We were able to do some laundry and we had access to a garden with fresh herbs and lettuce. The house is a great base to explore the area. We would highly recommend it and would gladly return.

Dave (Saint Albert, Canada)

Super séjour. Total dépaysement et idéal pour se ressourcer. Le paysage est magnifique et le château vallon mérite de se visiter. La maison est magnifique et l'hôte très gentil et respectueux de l'intimité de ses locataires. Un séjour à ne pas négliger. Encore merci Chris de nous avoir permis de découvrir cet endroit. Amicalement.

Patrick (Augerolles, France)

The location and the.home itself are simply astonishing. Lovely gardens going down the terraced hill. The large home is a good value. I recommend you take the time to meet your fascinating host as well. We had an unexpectedly good time in conversations, walks and drives, fires in the stoves, etc. Note that it is off the beaten track, and there is a large well-equipped kitchen for you to use, you will want to come prepared to cook

Cheri (Seattle, Usa)

My husband and I have stayed at more than 30 AirBnBs around the world and this one topped the chart as our favorite so far. Chris did an amazing job of turning his corner of this little mountaintop village into a magical place. The cottage is gorgeous, with beautiful golden light coming in through the windows. The views are superb, the gardens and seating areas charming, and the hiking possibilities exhilarating. Chris was easy to communicate with and super friendly. I will dream of returning some day

Eliza (Usa)

Endroit extraordinaire (le site et la région). Le gite est confortable (bien qu'un peu sombre). Chris est sympathique et arrangeant. J'espère revenir.

Guiliaume (Paris, France)

Chris is an amazing host, very welcoming. He did a wonderful job renovating the houses and created a little paradise in this gorgeous medieval village overlooking the Truyère gorges. Once you are there, you never want to leave.

Bruno (Vancouver, Canada)

Super week-end dans le joli gîte ! A bientöt !

Fabienne et Matthieu (France)

Excellent séjour au calme. La région est magnifique et le chalet est un "point fixe" très confortable!!! Chris a été extrêmement accueillant et arrangeant. très bonne expérience!!

Lysiane (France)

Nous avons réservé au dernier moment et Chris a été très réactif; nous avons été très chaleureusement accueillis ! Chris est charmant, de très bon conseil, il connaît très bien la région, les bonnes adresses et propose de très bons produits "maison". La maison est très agréable, le village très joli et très bien situé pour visiter et se balader. Un séjour très agréable, dépaysant et trop court... Merci beaucoup.

Stephane et Laurence (France)

Nous avons passé un très bon week-end dans un lieu reposant et calme. Maison très bien aménagée. Les photos sont à l'image de celle-ci.

Nicolas (France)

Malheureusement Chris n'était pas présent durant notre séjour, il était en vacances de son côté. Mais malgré tout il a su rester présent via internet en répondant très rapidement à nos questions. Le gîte était bien sympa et nous y avons passé un bon séjour. La région est très belle, mais début octobre c'est peut-être un peu tard dans la saison, le château, par exemple, était fermé, pas de visite possible.

Alain (France)

Hôte sensible, discret et chaleureux.

Accueil généreux et familial.

Chris possède un grand talent ainsi que du goût et une connaissance approfondie dans la restauration de bâtiment.

Site exceptionnel, spacieux et ressourçant où l'on se sent tout de suite serein.

Sophie (France)

Chris's house in Valon is perched high on a finger of rock that plummets down to the Truyere River; an eagle's view of the stunning and ever-changing valley that swirls with mist in the morning and has welcoming breezes in the evening.

Its like living in a medieval village with refined architecture that is both stylish and traditonal and dates back 800 or more years. It's sort of humbling knowing that people have lived their lives there for so many generations.

A comfortable house, made welcoming by Chris's attention that included a basket of freshly picked chantereles and a freshly baked cake. Chris was friendly and unobtrusive and gave us the wealth of his knowledge of the local area which made our exploration of the Averyon more pleasurable.

It is a truly incredible area so rich in history and beauty, not to mention food and wine tempting at every turn.

Kim (Tasmania)

Short of Spectacular

This accommodation is nothing short of spectacular. The views of the surrounding forests and valleys are amazing. Inside it feels very cosy and well equipped. An added bonus was being able to pick some salad and herbs from the garden for cooking. Chris is a fantastic host and we would not hesitate to recommend.

Mike (London, UK)

Un merveilleux voyage dans le temps sur "cet îlot" au milieu de la forêt aveyronnaise... Un cadre enchanteur qui régale les yeux et apaise les oreilles dans un gîte où Chris a su tirer le meilleur avec brio!

Merci pour ce beau séjour...

Thank you very much and all my best wishes to you Chris !

Eric François (France)

Super location, relais du silence, cosy & well equipped.

The owner Chris Taylor is a perfect host, alert, friendly & available. (my dog wanted to stay forever)

We will come back one day.

Thanks Chris.

Jo (Belgium)

Peaceful & serene - a glorius place to stay

We stayed here on the occasion of our 1st wedding anniversary & we couldn't have hoped for a more beautiful place to celebrate it. The area is stunning with beautiful vistas of the surrounding valleys, & the delightful terraced garden offers many a quiet retreat - from the outdoor cooking & dining facilities with their panoramic view to the nooks and crannies of the wonderfully playful lower gardens. The gite was extremely comfortable, full of character & charm, with all the necessary equipment & home comforts to make for a very comfortable stay. The gite matches the garden with its very playful layout, different rooms on different levels, with a very cosy snug to watch tv or movies on the cold autumn/winter nights! We couldn't fault the accommodation at all.Chris, the landlord, is a very hospitable host. He showed us photos of the gite taken whilst he was restoring it & the amount of work that has gone into the place shows his attention to detail. This comes across in the hospitality as well. Fresh bread can be ordered the night before along with homemade chutneys & cakes that can be purchased at the little shop. Fruit & veg is grown in the garden that can be used straight from the ground (or the tree!) Nothing was too much trouble & he made our stay very welcoming.The local area is very quiet with lots of good walking in the surrounding forests down to the river, and with the local town only twenty minutes drive away, all local amenities are easy to get to. It would have been nice for there to be an inn or bar within walking distance but to be honest with the views & facilities at the gite you're better off getting a few beers or opening a bottle of wine & drinking in the views!The further area has some larger towns with plenty to see & do if that's what you're looking for. It is a stunning part of France with some great history & beautiful architecture.I can't really fault the place, & can't wait to go back! Many thanks!

Thank you for a wonderful stay ! Valon and the gite are absolutely stunning. One of the most beautiful places we have been to. Very special! which is very fitting, because on Monday night whilst watching the sun do down and enjoying some wine on the terrace, WE GOT ENGAGED !!! Valon will always have a special place in our hearts and will definitely be back, Thanks once again for all your help.

Chloe and Micheal (UK)

Jewel in aveyron

We spent 8 nights here in March. Very friendly and helpful owners. This area is located close to the wine areas of Le Fel and the local gorge country. A pure delight.

The Gite was great with expandability for more guests. Cosy rooms but the best of all is the view. Imagine waking and having cloud cover below you from your bedroom.

Plenty of walk trails and typical country views. Snow fields weithin an easy drive. Would love to go back.

Andrew (Perth, Australia)

Your beautiful home has lived up to all of our expectations. We had heard a lot about it and knew how hard you had worked on the property. It has exceeded all of our expectations and what a lovely couple as well !! You deserve to be repaid in bucketfuls for your hard work, energy and enthusiasm. Thank you for making our stay so comfortable and enjoyable we will be recommending Valon to everybody we meet.

Christine and Jim Grandison (UK)

A great place to spend a relaxing 10 days and forget about what`s going on elsewhere. Enjoyed everything that Valon had to offer including cycling up and down the hills` getting slightly lost in the woods and driving 200 miles to get some cheese for dinner. Chris is an excellent host, and I hope you manage to complete the next gite conversion very soon. We would love to stay longer but Africa is calling again !

Duncan (UK resident in Angola) & Anneli (Dane in Angola as often as possible)

RATING - 5 STARS

What a beautiful memory that our vacation at Chateau Valon! We discovered a region ideally suited for family holidays. The village and lodging, what to say other than it's simply magical! Lodging, genuine and very comfortable, really nice. Meals on the terrace (from breakfast to dinner!) We miss them already. We were just alone in the world! The children are asking us already to go back again. Chris who have also impressed by their friendliness, discretion and availability.

Sandrine & Pierre (France)

Dear Chris, Thankyou for the most wonderful holiday in your Gite at Valon Chateau. It was like living in a postcard, one of the most beautiful places in mid-France we think. We will recommend this place to everybody. Kind Regards.

Sofiei Sonny and Emil (Denmark)

RATING - 5 STARS - PLEASANT STAY.

We spent a wonderful weeks vacation Valon family. The village is very pretty, about the nature of the site is lush and beautiful. The cottage very comfortable, very nice view over the valley and mountains. The home of Chris is efficient and discreet. Thank you! There are plenty of things to do and see around (canoeing, kayaking, hiking, visiting local farms, swimming in lake ...). We recommend testing the local meat is delicious! I recommend this rental- Families with young children - Romantic holiday - Sightseeing.

Philip and Sonya (Belgium)

We expected quite a lot after having seen the pictures on your website, but all our expectations have been exceeded! What a superb, cosy, stylish and well equipped place. Its fun to recognize your tremendous work in every detail in the house and in the lovely garden. Th two of you and of course Saba have been very friendly and helpful hosts. Thanks for sharing your French paradise with us.

Montimer (Germany)

RATING - 5 STARS - HAPPINESS - FULL - INNER PEACE.

The place is unique, magical, a rock, the breath is cut short by the panorama of sight. I had my first crush in October 2009. I was looking forward to returning and to staying in this gite. The site owners, among others, reflects the reality: very good description of exterior and interior house renovated by the owners with great professionalism, very tasteful and in full respect of the buildings vintage village classified as historical monuments.

The cottage is new, well maintained, spacious, furnished with simplicity but with great taste and concerned about every detail. The exterior and interior decoration is the work and the reflection of its owners who opened an art gallery nearby. Their home is simple, warm and relaxing. You are greeted with a basket lined copiously, full of goodies, little things await you on the kitchen table (bread and cakes, cheese, meats and even wine), here at the outset what you tickle the taste buds. .. NB - the owners are very creative, imaginative and nothing is impossible for them in regard to your welfare.

The view from the upstairs bedroom from the terrace and filled me with happiness within each day. I can not wait to come back and stay there more and why not retire to settle there if something simple and without much renovation comes to me. The village is magical, its people and also I visualize every day with happiness and eager to find them. Really you should not hesitate to discover this magical place, I recommend it.

As for the various activities and attractions there's something for every taste: very good restaurants, one located Therondels AT MIQUEL, (fabulous) a short distance from the village, there are walks along the gorge to the Truyere, Castle Valon to visit and I did, count 1 h at 30 for 1 hour tour or not, quietly stunning views from all sides of the castle at night.

Annie (France)