Not everything is as it seems....

Having being booked as a large family holiday of 13 of us over the two weeks, we expected this to be a superb place to stay......... and ALL of us were very very disappointed.

Not as advertised, poor customer service from the point of arrival, inadequate facilities and quite frankly a neglected property that...in my opinion....will be better off with new owners that know how to run a business and respect their customers.

The biggest and most immediate cause for concern was that the owners were not there on our arrival, having returned to the UK "for personal reasons", leaving the property in the hands of some friends of theirs - who clearly do not have a clue when it comes to customer service or managing holiday property.

Our expectation of the property as a result of the website descriptions and photographs did not match the reality. Whilst the properties met our needs the furnishing, both inside and outside were more basic and more well used than expected - with some items needing updating or replacing.

The first of our party to arrive were curtly advised that they were early, it was obvious that the resident managers (Ann and Lou) had not been informed of the arrangements by the owners...immediately causing conflict. With no small talk of how the journey was, where people came from etc etc...then came the rules, and more rules, and more rules....listed endlessly. Rules are good, rules are there to keep people safe, however rules do not need to be rammed down your throat day and night, especially after a days travelling. How you actually deliver rules is also a debatable point, certainly not in the arrogant obnoxious way they were delivered in Les Jincheres on arrival.

The first of our party to arrive then checked their property and were very disappointed to discover a lack of cleanliness, namely the toilet being sticky with some other persons urine under the toilet seat and pubic hair everywhere. Beneath the kitchen sink was an array of dead insects and food crumbs which had led to a lovely collection of mouse droppings. 2 mice came to visit us, which wasn't very pleasant. The downstairs toilet in their property was also broken in that it would not flush. It took 10 days for the plumber to arrive to get it fixed.

There was a strong unpleasant smell of urine at the bottom of the stairs of both properties and near the washing machines. The window of the rear bedroom was broken and open allowing a phenomenal amount of mosquitoes into the property on an evening.

Other members of the party also had to clean the ovens on arrival because they were so greasy and dirty. Plates and crockery etc had to be washed on arrival as 5 plates had been put in the cupboard unwashed by previous occupants! Basic equipment kettles, pan lids, scissors were also missing in one property which is simply not good enough.

There was absolutely no cleaning materials available which we had to purchase at a local shop. This may be why the properties are unclean and smell the way they do. One of the washing machines in the properties was also not working.

The bedrooms have no cupboards but an area curtained off to hang clothes. The curtains smelled so damp and musty you could not use the areas and our clothes stayed in our suitcases.

I have to say I was suitably impressed with the rules regards the Swimming Pool. A number of our party were very young children who could not swim. The depth and temperature was excellent for their needs as was the "no jumping in the pool" , "no glass in the pool area". Having had these rules barked at us on arrival it was very disappointing to see the resident managers grandchildren frequently breaching one of these rules and also placing pool area furniture in the water...usually when Ann and Lou were not about. Rules are made to be kept...by everybody. A no glasses rule is good....even better if adequate plastic drinking vessels are provided...which they were, eventually, with a scowl.

The pool area is well in need of repair and upkeep. Loose decking boards that have parched in the hot sun requiring treatment and soon. The pool area furniture was not adequate with only 8 beds! One of those was already cracked. Another couple of beds collapsed in the first week with rusted screws and bolts...possibly damaged by the resident managers grandchildren who were seen to be using the furniture as goal posts whilst jumping in and around the pool! Plastic chairs were in the communal area next to the pool. Unfortunately they were the cheap plastic b&q type already well worn and needing replacing soon. The resident manager Lou obviously has no idea about keeping pool water at the correct level. On 2 occasions it dropped below the pump / filter level which could have caused significant damage / health concerns. It was also very disappointing not to see a shower next to the pool for people to rinse themselves before they get in for obvious hygienic reasons.

There was a horrible smell of sewage near the pool entrance for most of the 2 weeks. The owners have said quote "the smells are common where you are on septic tanks and the weather is hot"....I suggest you warn people on your website before they book then if its that common! "

Barbecues... cheap tacky £4.99 Asda specials. Lou was busy repairing one with screws on arrival, others neatly repaired with insulating tape. Insulating tape holding a barbecue together, how safe is that?...really....complete disregard for health and safety.

Play equipment provided in the "playing field" was very basic and in the main well used and past it's best. The table tennis table is warped and in need of replacement. All rackets and table tennis bats were damaged. What was also frustrating was not being actually able to use the equipment as the resident managers grandchildren were usually playing with the equipment, not the paying guests!

Information in the welcome packs were useless with leaflets dating back to 2002! Horse riding is advertised, however we had to make our own arrangements as the resident managers just looked at us with blank faces. You may have read somewhere about lovely croissants being delivered every morning...this is also rubbish...you have to make those delivery arrangements yourself.

Website Chez- Nous clearly advertises the properties as having a broadband internet connection. On arrival the resident managers informed a member of the party it was down and not working. Eventually under pressure from other guests it miraculously was working again, with the only place you could get a signal...yep, the resident managers accommodation and patio.

What all the guests commented on was that you continually felt you were interrupting Ann and Lou's "holiday". They seemed to forget they were there for us. They had another 2 adults and the Grand kids staying...I'm assuming for free. It was very crowded and they obviously did not like doing the work they were supposed to be doing. It was also very very obvious they did not appreciate young children or families being paying guests. Everything, I mean everything was just too much for them.

On the last day I know we left the properties a lot cleaner than when we arrived. It was a good holiday because of the people we were with, that is ...the family and other guests. It is a shame that this tranquil lovely and quaint part of France has been marred for us by the complete lack of respect and courtesy paying guests deserve. What is more of a shame is that the owners cannot see the damage that is being done to their business by letting people who have no idea...manage their property.

An email has been submitted to the owners re concerns outlined above, to which it is obvious on their reply, they really do not respect their customers needs or their property.