At last I have found a few minutes to tell you that we really loved our holidays in your house - in spite of the fact that it was incredibly hot at that time and we didn't see as much as we intended to. Nevertheless we enjoyed Burgundy and the boys had no problem with their room downstairs. They loved the ducks, the lizards, the dragonflies and even watched fireflies at night.

As the cleaner will have told you yet I broke one of your wine glasses while cleaning it in the sink. I hope that - in spite of this damage - we will get most of our the refundable damage deposit back, won't we?!?

My husband gave the address of your webpage to a colleague, who is interested to spend his holidays in Burgundy next year.

Now we wish you the best for the future. For our next holidays we plan to go to England - to Cornwall and Devon.

If you should ever intend to spend your holidays in Germany - just contact us.

Annette W., Germany
July 2010

Owners' Note: No worries -- we never charge for small accidental breakages! Your deposit is en route in full, and we're so glad you enjoyed your stay despite the record-breaking heat this summer!

Dear Brooke, Kathy & Jerry -

Thank you for sharing your lovely, charming home with us. We had such a fun week. You are the perfect host/hostesses. Your home was a wonderful respite.

It was delightful to find all the treats when we arrived. Many thanks!

We hope to return again sometime.

Marla & James, San Diego, USA
June 2010

Semur-en-Auxois' ramparts at night, from our holiday rental.

Our time in Semur these last few days has been magical! Words cannot express how much fun we have had staying at your amazing house, exploring every nook & cranny of this spectacular village & enjoying cheese & wine with great friends! I keep re-living our lunch at Au Douze and how magnificent our Coq Au Vin was! Thank you so much for sharing this special place with us!

We also loved our adventure to Chablis where we all got to taste fabulous wines together & pretend we were professional wine experts for the day.

We are going to miss waking up every morning and walking through the historic village to enjoy our daily croissants and cafe au lait at Guyon!

Thank you again for everything. We haven't stopped smiling since we got here!

P.S. - This place is truly magical. The minute we turned the corner into Semur we felt we were transported back to the 12th century. The most spectacular view was from the beautiful upstairs at night looking at the ramparts lit up. It was awesome!

Lyn & Jen, San Diego, USA
March 2010

Kathy & Jerry:

Your home in this charming village of Semur is so comfortable.

We had a whole day of hard snow. The fireplace kept us cozy as we watched the ducks wonder what was going on with this snow on their backs. We were thankful you left the day before, because you wouldn't have made it out that day, Kathy.

We know every back street of your village and love each one. Every adventure we have had here is surrounded with beautiful countryside, so that we didn't care if we ever made it to our destination.

Found a patisserie, Les Semurettes, near the church whose owner speaks very good English and spends time in New York.

Mike is enjoying his tiling project and I'm enjoying watching him with my "splash."

The Sunday morning farmer's market was lots of fun, as were the vendors.

We are enthralled with the view from your kitchen window of the old house across the river with all the chimneys - Mike keeps finding a new one every day.

Marcia & Mike, Las Vegas, USA
March 2010

Owners' Note: The tiled kitchen backsplash looks fantastic - that was so nice of you!

We agree that Les Semurettes is an incredible patisserie. Every time we visit, we bring home as many gift boxes of their signature chocolates as we can. We only ever end up giving away half of them -- the rest mysteriously disappear before they leave the house!

The quaint town of Epoisses is home to a gorgeous chateau.

Three days in Semur unwound this set of four busy travelers. The house was beautiful and we enjoyed walking along the river, discovering bridges and exploring staircases. The Abbey de Fontenay was amazing and we enjoyed being taken back in time thinking about the monks all hard at work. The meal at Epoisses was "interesting," but we made it through! And now the cheese is insisting on stinking up the kitchen, we feel very French! A fantastic few days in a lovely house.

Thank you.

Julie, John, Cathie, Walter, London and Australia
November 2009

We spent 6 weeks here in September, October and November of 2009, and have had a wonderful time.

Favorite restaurants in town:

- La Goulue (very casual, reliable, good host, basic local menu)

- Au Douze (modern twists on traditional fare & more inventive food)

- L'Hostellerie de l'Aussois (upscale setting, traditional foods, great desserts)

Favorite restaurants elsewhere:

- Pernand Verglesses - Le Charlemagne - very unusual, 1 Michelin star

- Leezy - Le Morvan - modern, not traditional

Favorite sightseeing: just driving around the countryside.

Everything is closed between 12 and 2, so you might as well enjoy a nice long lunch!

The W family, California, USA
November 2009

Semur-en-Auxois' cathedral square is home to a variety of shops.

A week at the lovely house in Semur was the perfect way to rediscover ourselves and focus on each other and our shared interests: food, wine, cooking, walking, daytrips, and taking in the stunning countryside. We hadn’t planned to spend so much time at the house, but ended up cooking there every night. We loved the kitchen fireplace, the incredible Boucherie Notre Dame, the boulangerie (shop early as they typically run out of baguettes and chaussons aux pommes by noon!), and the Sunday market (shop early there, too). We can’t comment on the restaurants other than Cafe Mont Drejet where we enjoyed, daily, glasses of good and surprisingly inexpensive Chablis and the most amazing tarte de fromage.

Time seemed to stop when we arrived which was a relief given our pace in Paris the week prior. We arrived Saturday night and settled in with wine, sausages, and chocolate – a welcome gift from the owners as we arrived too late to shop for dinner. We lit a fire, relaxed, ate, drank, and smiled. We awoke to the pleasant quacking of ducks and calls of other birds -- a daily wake-up that we miss.

Every day we took a short but steep walk up to town center, to shop, look around, and visit Cafe Mont Drejet. At the boucherie, we found and cooked over the course of the week: incredibly fresh and tender rabbit loin, whole duck (quite different from American duck – cooked in an hour!), and a variety of sausages which we grilled. We even bravely tried the house andouliette (tripe sausage) which we poached first then grilled. At the Sunday market, we bought delicious pork loin, a bag full of fresh wild mushrooms, pears, and more. We planned our day trips to Beaune, Chablis, Dijon, and Vezelay, played Scrabble by the fireplace, and enjoyed Epoisses from the Casino Market (imagine buying perfectly ripened cheese from your Seven-11!) with those farmer’s market pears. Just right.

One of our favorite discoveries: Several days in a row we walked by an Epicerie just outside the town center and it was always closed. On Thursday, it was open! Outside, a small fresh fish display offered too many temptations. We chose langoustines, which we can’t find in Boston, and giant crevettes (like shrimp) for dinner. The langoustines were unbelievably sweet, like tiny lobsters, but more tender. We cooked the tails for not more than a minute in a little butter and wine reduction. The crevettes were just right as an appetizer with lemon juice, salt, and olive oil.

We miss the routine that we settled into after only a day, the ducks, the fireplace, the boucherie, boulangerie, tarte de fromage, the river, the views from all over the village, the view from the kitchen window and from the bedroom terrace, and even the funny scratching sound coming from the roof or shed most early mornings. We felt at home immediately. And it feels good writing this...

Jim and Joni M., Boston, Massachusetts, USA
October 2009

Owners' Note: We have never tried the langoustines from the market, but we certainly will now. And we think the scratching sound is the birds on the roof, but we will check to make sure! Thank you!

Let me start by saying our trip was a huge success. Your cottage served as the jumping off point for our exploration of Burgundy. We started by getting to know Semur: The town square, the Sunday service at the church, the boulongeries, the news stand, the book store, the art galleries, the Boulevards, the Museum, the Cafe in the town square and Au Douze.

We then started travelling out each day in various directions. Semur turned out to be quite central to the things we were interested in. Our first visit was to Fontenay, our second to the Cote de Nuit, the third Vezelay, the fourth the Cote de Beaune and so on. The list: Saulieu, Espoise, Alesia, Flavigny, Autun, back to the Cote de Nuit and finally Beaune itself on Market day.

And as it turned out the trip was equally a gastronomic tour. I mentioned Au Douze but in our travels we ate at: Des Fleurs, La Cabotte, Esparance, Le Monrachet, Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, Les Gourmets and Le Cellier Volnaysien. Unbelieveable!

As you can see from the above the trip was a lifetime experience for us and we thank you for the use of your cottage.

R.T., USA
August 2009

It is the first time we have visited Burgundy. The area and Semur in particular are quite lovely and we have enjoyed our stay tremendously. The house is very comfortable and well-equipped, but there are two must-haves: a new shower room downstairs and a light over the sink and cooker.

Phoebe, Trevor, Rita & David, Lincolnshire, England
August 2009

Owners' Note: Your wishes are our command -- we have completely renovated (and enlarged) the downstairs en-suite shower room. We had hoped to have this done prior to the 2009 season, but scheduling conflicts with artisans and the necessity of getting the work done well in advance of the first guests of the season made this impossible. However, it was finished after the 2009 season.

Also, we agree that the new light over the sink and cooker are extremely useful. Thank you for the suggestions!

Barbara and I only arrived home an hour ago and we are missing Semur already. We have both been to Burgundy with our families twice before but neither of us had ever been to Semur - it is gorgeous and the view from the cottage is stunning. We spent our last day (yesterday) going round town, taking a tourist train ride (great fun) and lunching at Au Douze (best meal we have had in a long time). Yesterday evening we went to an open air production of MacBeth which was really very good. So all in all a great way to end a super week in Burgundy.

Sheila J., Surrey
August 2009

Beautiful spot: upper terrace with Pinot & cheese - tres bon!

Dinner at Les Minimes - food was mediocre, basic homestyle - service was horrible. Had to resort to taking water from another table. They had only one waitress, which probably explained it as the room was full.

Visited Chablis and had some wonderful wines. Vintnor David Renaud of Irancy gave us tips on his favorite Chablis (his Irancy reds were terrific).

Wines of Vezelay were not so great but Vezelay was a cute town with an interesting cathedral.

Beaune did not disappoint: a busy and lovely town.

We had some good meals in town at Au Douze and Hostellerie. Also the pizza place on the pedestrian walk was good too.

The living room of the house was lovely and the kitchen was well-appointed.

We had a difficult time keeping the humidity down in the basement bedroom -- the dehumidifier does not seem up to the challenge. The room was very musty.

We had fun negotiating the "bread" system. Some bakeries would not sell us bread on certain days -- but gave it to us willingly the next.

Our last day, we hiked and toured the Abbey Fontenay. So beautiful. Walked through Flavigny in the pouring rain.

Best cheese: hands-down, Epoisses from the town of Epoisses.

We had a wonderful time in a beautiful spot.

Thanks for the food basket and getting the coffee grinder -- nice touches.

For our last night in Semur, went to Le Carpe Diem for dinner. Very good, bistro stype -- try the "Nuty" glace!

Travis & Amelia and Annalise & Matt, Newark, Delaware and Portland, Maine, USA
July 2009

Owners' Note: Les Minimes is always a bit of an adventure -- they do get busy and the Madame is typically very kind if you try to speak French, less so if you do not -- but this is the first time we've heard the food was mediocre. It is definitely more homestyle than the up-market food of Au Douze, but I wonder if they were having an off night.

On your notification, we asked our property managers to investigate the dehumidifier in the lower bedroom, and found that there was a minor blockage in the drainage tube that was preventing it from working properly. We have now cleared the drainage tube and it seems to be working fine.

It is part of the French system that, in a town with multiple boulangeries, each of them is closed on a different day of the week. They also coordinate their summer and winter holidays so that the town is guaranteed a bread supply all year round. It can be confusing for newcomers, but the upside is that it means you get to try the best of each bakery!

We had a wonderful stay. Semur is indeed an extraordinary place and your house just perfect, nice, clean, comfortable but the best part of it is the setting, the rampart, the view, the river; we even became friends with the ducks!
We tried to leave the house as tidy as we received, but let me tell you of two minor details: one drinking glass was accidentally broken and we forgot to take out the film Chocolat from the VCR, apart from that I believe we left everything in order.

Antonio S., Mexico
July 2009

Owners' Note: No worries, the deposit is on its way in full. Everything was in perfect order, and we don't charge for small accidental breakages. Thank you for letting us know, so that we can replace it for our next guests! (And we hope you enjoyed our neighbor Flavigny in Chocolat!)

A duck perches on a rock near our patio: perhaps this is M. Canard?

Dear Madame & Monsieur -

I am the "canard de la maison" -- for, the G----- couple who stayed here in these most sumptuous surroundings were either "out touring" all day and night or sleeping soundly from much too much vin rouge, and I am forced to write for them.

Needless to say I am starving, for the G-----s have been very neglectful. Please do not allow them to visit again!

Thankfully, my revenge has been awakening them every morning at four. I also put out the word to my many avian pals so together we are louder than the church bells. Unfortunately, the G-----s are much delighted. They are simply "gushing" about the many beautiful sights which abound near your home. Mrs. G----- is sorely regretting any "canard" a la orange that she may have ordered.

"Thank you, merci," they say.

P.S. - Ms. G----- is also re-thinking the many escargots in garlic and parsley she consumed, for hundreds of their cousins reappear after every rain -- of which there has been much.

P.P.S. - Mr. G-----'s French simply "sucks" -- he once ordered and ate "gambas" at Au Douze and still to this day has no idea waht it is. Talk about the "ugly American."

Au Revoir - on behalf of those awful Arizonans.
-- Daffy

M. Canard, on behalf of Jim & Sallie, Arizona, USA
June 2009

Owners' Note: "canard" means duck in French. Thank you so much, Jim and Sallie, for this wonderful narrative!

Our stay in Semur was, in a word, perfect. The house was simply outstanding... it truly felt like 'home' for the week we were there.

Jim & Sallie, Arizona, USA
June 2009

We appreciated the comments of prior guests and their suggests, most of which we followed -- travel and visits to sites of interest -- a must is a visit to Chablis and its surrounds.

A great little house with all the comforts we could wish for. Great food and wine & we particularly enjoyed our picnic lunches in the country.

All the comforts of home & the food package was most appreciated.

David & Faye and Kevin & Gail, North Queensland and Gold Coast, Australia
June 2009

Great house, lovely village, wonderful food and wine -- what more can one say!!

A magic place to spend Christmas and New Year's.

Au Douze a must.

David & Annemarie, Australia, and Stephen & Kate, London
January 2009

Alas it's almost time to leave this wonderful house & amazing town. We have enjoyed every moment & the weather has been perfect. Even the delightful little lady at the end of Impasse Caron who was anxious to inform us of the rights & wrongs will be missed! We ventured out each day in our car to explore the wonders of Burgundy & it wasn't just the sights we set out to see, but the amazing discoveries along the way which most of the time we simply stumbled upon that made our stay so enjoyable. We had a delightful meal at Les Minimes but most nights we indulged in the delicacies, accompanied by wines, we picked up from the region & enjoyed the ambience of the house's lovely salon.

So with a heavy heart we bid "au revoir" & hopefully "à bientôt" to la belle maison sur l'Armançon!

Janice M. & Bryan G., Mooloolaba, Qld Australia
October 2008

We have had both the fortune and misfortune of spending a single night here. What a wonderful spot -- one that we feel we must return to for a longer spell. The river and its environs are dreamy and the house itself takes full advantage through its ideal position. Thanks for sharing!

P.S. - I just spotted your March entry, Kathy & Jerry, and the mention of renovations. For what it's worth, we all agree this Salon was one of the cosiest, most successful lounge spaces we have seen. Hope the works don't involve alteration of *this* space!

P.P.S. - Need a live-in architect??? Martin would be happy to oblige! (With a couple of assistants thrown in.) Cheers!

Sophie A., Martin, Dmitri and Eleni C., Flemington, Melbourne, Australia
October 2008

Owners' Note: Thanks for the offer! Don't worry, we didn't change a thing in the Salon -- just gave it a fresh coat of paint!

The Basilica at Vezelay is magnificent and well worth a visit.

Thank you for the stay at your wonderful escape from reality! We had a great adventure here in Burgundy. The weather could have been better (of course, today, our last day, was perfect!!) but it did not stop us from putting over 1000 km on our rental car!!! Today we visited Avalon and Vezelay. They were beautiful!! We enjoyed our tour of Chateau Mersault. Lunch in Beaune was great as was the wine tasting class. All was perfect! My favorite was driving on the beautiful quiet roads and admiring the surroundings, and imagining what was happening here long ago!

We are now off to Paris, but I would love to return here some day!

Au Revoir...

P.S. - The ducks love a treat at midnight!

Cathy & Vincent, NYC, USA
October 2008

Our party of four have had a delightful time in this beautiful town that looks as if it is caught in a time warp! (Except for the crane outside the living room window!) Trips to Abbey de Fontenay, Flavigny, Chateauneuf, Beaune, Meursault, Nuits St. George are *so* scenic!

Thanks for installing the handrail for the stairs to the downstairs bedroom. We've loved gathering in the cozy living room. Thanks for sharing your home with us.

The Peakes & The Wallaces, AZ & CA
September 2008

Owners' Note: The crane, thankfully, is now gone!

Our family of five (a brother, two sisters and spouses) have spent the last two weeks in our thoughtfully appointed "rural retreat." During these past 14 days we have scoured this rich environment over a 35 km radius. Quaint villages and picture postcard views held us in awe at every turn. We visited all/many of the main attractions but also "discovered by accident a splendid view of Sermigelles and a charming church on an adjacent hill. Equally as interesting was the flat 11 km walk around the circumference of Lac du Pont and the canal at Pouilly.

We have eaten all things French -- baguettes by the score and the marvellous French tarts (Tarte citron from the first little patisserie was consistently magic)!

We now move on to the next stage of our adventure -- to Mersault.

Au revoir and merci!

Graeme and Jenny, Jen and Kevin, Margot, Benalla, Australia
September 2008

We enjoyed the village so much we only left it one day for a visit to Beaune.

Howard missed his guitar, so bought a new one from Auxois music. There is a musical warehouse within walking distance!

Lovely lazy holiday.

Sheelagh and Howard, Harrogate, England
July 2008

Sorry to have to leave!

Had a great time. Will be back.

Please, feed the ducks at the end of the garden.

Cheryl, Atlanta, Georgia
June 2008

A lovely place in Semur, quiet and peaceful.

Fontenay, Beaune and Dijon are a must see.

Enjoyed the eccentricity of Minimes and a delicious meal at Le Sagittaire.

It has been a great week, "shame about the weather."

Thank you -- you have a lovely place.

Beets & Palmers, Australia
June 2008

Just writing to let you know that we received the cleaning + damage refund and to let you know that we thought that your lovely house in Semur was just wonderful. We loved everything about the house and besides feeling so very comfortable and pampered I especially loved the postcard views from the salon windows and also from the upstairs bedroom. I was pleased to note that you use all the same cleaning products as I do here in Australia so it was good to know that we were doing our bit for the planet whilst overseas. Thanks also for the 'welcome pack' we purchased groceries on the way but it was great to have some milk as my husband purchased something called fermented milk from the Supermarket and believe me it looked horrid in my tea. We also loved the small selection of movies; Notting Hill being a favourite and it put us in the mood for our next accommodation at The Ritz in London.

Paul and Robbie S., Wahroonga, Australia
May 2008

A charming outbuilding in Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, near our vacation rental in Semur-en-Auxois.

A beautiful, charming cottage, where we had a relaxing time after 4 weeks on the go in Spain. Nice to have snacks and home cooked meal for a change from hotels & restaurants. Had a few sunny days, with everything in bloom -- made your heart sing! Spring in Burgundy is magic! Very generous spirit from the owners -- terrific Welcome Pack.

We loved the salon in the afternoons.

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain is a lovely town that bears minimal resemblance to that portrayed in "Chocolat". Mediaeval Festival in Semur on weekend of 10-11 May (Pentecost Weekend) was fascinating. It is nice to see a historic mediaeval town still so alive.

Had a lovely time here!

Wendy and Nick B., Melbourne, Australia
May 2008

Thank you for sharing this amazing place.

We had a peaceful stay and saw some local sites during our visit.

Jay, Andrew and Tonya M., Milan, NY, USA
April 2008

Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our visit to Semur-en-Auxois. It is a very special place and we met so many friendly and helpful people. We made good friends with the people at Les Minimes and celebrated New Years at the restaurant.

Thanks again and we had a wonderful time. We loved the ducks - better than an alarm clock in the morning!

Anne C., Scottsdale, USA
December 2007

We really enjoyed our week at your gite in Semur en Auxois. It is a truly
delightful spot. We found the Wifi network extremely useful. I
particularly enjoyed the wild lift around the river including several
species of dragon and damsel flies and one sighting of a kingfisher.

Rob and Lisa T., Loughborough, UK
September 2007

We loved your house and Semur. The only thing that we would recommend fixing is the shower head in the upstairs bath. No big deal- just thought I'd mention it since you asked. We like to hike and really enjoyed the trail at Lac Du Pont. It was so close and very well maintained and might be something you could add in your information. Thanks again.

Scott L., Louisiana, USA
September 2007

Owners' Note: Thank you, Scott -- we installed a new shower head at the changeover, on your suggestion!

Our gardener cultivates a variety of flowers each season.

Hi Kathy and Jerry,

I just wanted to write and tell you that we had the most satisfying vacation of our lives at your "home away from home" in Semur. I fell in love with it all...every moment of it...the rain..the sunshine....the heat....the river...the food....the countryside...I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you've heard it before. We found ourselves "partaking" up until the very last moment, and therefore, I did not find an extra moment to write a note of thanks or praise in your journal. I want you to know that I have already recommended your home as a vacation spot to many friends, and I hope they heard me when I said it would be worth their time to explore the possibility. What an extraordinary spot you found. Absolutely exquisite and lovelier than your photos display! Ducks included!

We met one of the caretakers as we were leaving, and if I may say so....as an avid gardener and novice horticulturist...I had the impulse to garden again and again and again while I was there. The best I could do with the tools at hand was to feed the soil with egg shells and coffee grounds....my camera and our paint brushes filled the latent void for the rest.

If by chance you ever decide to sell, call me first!

Most sincerely,

Diana & Keith S., Frankfurt
May 2007

Just a note to say we enjoyed ourselves very much at your house in Semur last week. We had fantastic weather, very hot and sunny.

Judy & Jeff F., Swindon, UK
April 2007

We just flew in from Paris last night. We had a WONDERFUL trip! We loved Semur!!!! Thank you so much for letting us use your house.

What a cute house! I'm sure you love it. I will recommend it to all my friends and family who want a different than Paris french experience. We also loved visiting all the countryside and surrounding sights that we could fit in. We spent most days on the road exploring the area.

Thanks again for your generosity in donating your home for the cystic fibrosis foundation. I have 4 dear family friends who have now or have died from this awful disease. With all our help we can find a cure!

Again, thanks for the experience.

Syndea M., Encinitas, USA
October 2006

We appreciate the return of the security deposit - Thank you for your promptness. Certainly one of the highlights for us during our travels was the stay in Semur. We met the town's vet who lives above the house - when his pumpkin fell into the back yard, and he came looking for it. From then - he invited Brenda and I up for "appertifs", and since this occurred on the first day - we accepted, and became friends with Alain and Monique (and their friend - Mr. Paul). We had numerous "appertif" nights with them after that! Also, we ate quite regularly at the Calibressan, but were sad to learn that Jill and Jean-Michael were closing down and moving to California, just after we left Semur. Sad for the town. Lastly, thanks for the chance to stay there - we let lots of people know about it.

Until the next time....

Randy and Brenda, Malvern, Australia
October 2006

We had a lovely time at your house in Semur. The setting is so peaceful, and the village has so much to offer. We also enjoyed easy day trips to Fontenay Abbey, Flavigny, Dijon and Beaune. It was a very enjoyable week for us!

Thanks very much for sharing your vacation home with us. I would not hesitate to recommend it to friends!

Carl and Lesley P., Charlotte, North Carolina
September 2006

We had a wonderful time in Semur. Many thanks for letting us use your lovely house. The heat was very intense, but we did not allow that to stop our enjoyment and pleasure in Semur and surrounding district. We did finally have to move down from the master bedroom to the much cooler guest room underneath. We have left a small gift in an envelope for you at the house.

Ken & Virginia, Paddington, Australia
July 2006

Owners' Note: Thank you for such a thoughtful gesture! We appreciate it so much. Glad you were able to escape the heat!

We received the Semur house deposit back, thanks! We really had an incredible time at the house and truly enjoyed the fabulous Burgundian countryside.

No worries about the internet . . . we weren't able to get our Mac hooked up since I think it was proprietary toward Windows-based applications. But there was so much to do and see, I'm actually glad we didn't have the distraction.

We will hang on to all of our stuff about the house - we're hoping to come back and visit soon.

Tina W., Las Vegas
July 2006

Owners' Note: We have since adjusted the Wifi and verified that it works on both Macs and PCs, so next time you visit you'll be able to choose your distraction!

We just wanted to thank you for a wonderful time at your home in Semur. The entire week was fantastic. It was absolutely beautiful. We could not stop taking pictures the entire time.

We spent most of our days exploring the near-by villages and our evenings just relaxing and enjoying the atmoshpere on the patio or in the center of Semur.

Mike S., Houston, Texas
June 2006

Dear Jerry and Kathy,
Thanks for the refund of our security deposit. To be honest, I had forgotten about it myself. We had a wonderful time in Semur. We took the TGV to Dijon and picked up our rental car before making the trip to Semur. The SuperMarche was open when we arrived so laying in supplies was not a problem. Your house was a great location both within Semur and in Burgundy. We did all the things you suggested and more, and had a lovely time. Jill at Calibressan was helpful in understanding all the local doings and issues, and we enjoyed all the local restaurants. Our only problem was that the time was too short.
Your pictorial directions to the house were very helpful, and everything was as advertised. We specially enjoyed the riverside location of the house, and the surrounding gardens. Thanks again for all your help.

Howard R., Ohio, USA
May 2006

K&J, Thanks for your email. We are in Den Haag-Holland visiting friends at the moment. All is well now but miss "our" cottage at Semur! Hope to visit again with friends to show off your village.

Kind regards

Jos & Doug, South Perth, Australia
October 2005

Le Sagittaire, a kid-friendly restaurant and pizzeria, is one of many restaurants in Semur-en-Auxois. Semur also has several banks, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

Hello Kathy and Jerry,

Just to let you know that we are back in England now and that we had a wonderful holiday.

We loved the house and Semur and really the house is situated in the best part of Semur - couldn't be better. As far as restaurants go we only ventured as far as the pizzeria with Abby in Semur - we were forced to be braver the second week of our holiday when we were in a hotel in Alsace. And it was good that we were - I have to say everyone was very accommodating of us and the pram and were all very kind to little Abby.

We only encountered a very minor problem in the house that we thought you'd want to know about. We had one day of heavy rain and it started to come in above the middle window in the lounge. There was a little pool on the window ledge.

We would be more than happy to recommend your house to other visitors. If you want to give our e mail address to anyone, that would be fine. We would probably be most useful to other Brits or others with a wee baby but of course would give recommendations to anyone.

We travelled to the house from the airport at Mulhouse/Basel. It's probably a comparable journey to Paris but without the traffic and without the hassle of a gigantic airport - Mulhouse/Basel is a much more manageable size. In addition it is one of those airports that Easyjet flies to from several UK airport. If you don't know, Easyjet is a lowcost airline very beloved of the English! In addition, it means that you can combine a week in Burgundy with a week in Alsace, as we did.

Hope you find this information helpful.

Thanks again for a wonderful week.

Best wishes,

Rosemary, Andrew & Abby, Chester, UK
September 2005

Owners' Note: Thank you so much for letting us know about the leak! It turned out it was a broken roof tile, which has now been replaced. We really appreciate the feedback. And we're sure future guests from the UK will appreciate the airport tip!

Kathy & Jerry,

Thank you so much. We enjoyed our stay in Semur, it was centrally located for all the activities we anticipated. The house was beautiful and had everything we needed.

Darren C., Reston, USA
August 2005

We're loving the Medieval village of Semur, and have enjoyed long walks of exploration. The river is so pretty... my eyes are snapping up a billion details on all these ancient buildings... Thanks for a wonderful stay!

Nance, Nick, Sophie A., San Diego, USA
August 2005

Hi Kathy and Jerry

Just to let you know we had a great time in Semur. Your house is lovely and I hope you manage to get to stay there yourselves as much as possible. It was nice to stay in someone's house rather than a basic rental. The maps and info in the basket were really useful and helped us choose where to spend our week, and it was good to find staples like sugar and oil in the kitchen so we didn't have to raid the supermarket just to cook a few meals.

Best wishes,

Russell and Fay, London, UK
July 2005

We've been in this delightful spot for a week and have had a delightful find. We've enjoyed the house very much. All in all, a wonderful place. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Gail, Glen, Noah, Peter E, Boise, USA
June 2005

After our week on a barge, we went to Semur and found your delightful house. We loved it! The setting is spectacular and your house is so welcoming. The roses were still blooming as were the hollyhocks. We took full advantage of everything we could possibly see and do. We also ate at many of the restaurants which were great. Thank you so much for letting us share your delightful home. We will cherish the memories for many years.

Carol and Richard H., Toronto, Canada
October 2004

We returned today from Burgundy. I write to say how much we enjoyed our stay there. Semur is enchanting, the surrounding countryside and historic sites, especially Fontenay, a delight, and our time at No. 6 was passed most comfortably in your well equipped and warm house. We enjoyed a very happy holiday.

John O., Tenbury Wells, UK
September 2004

We had a wonderful time in Semur. The house was just as you described and very well equipped. Everything was just perfect. Semur itself is, as obviously you know, quite delightful and beyond our expectations – an example of traditional rural Burgundy that was just what we wanted to experience.

Cyril T. and family, Corsham, UK
September 2004

Les Minimes at dusk, just across the river from our holiday rental in Burgundy.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay; David especially enjoyed the fishing! The local restaurants were very good -- in particular Les Minimes, we became friends with Evelynne. The house was an ideal haven to come back to after a day's sightseeing or as a restful retreat when we did not feel like being too strenuous. We loved watching the kingfishers and enjoyed the family of ducks who visited us regularly.

Barbara and David H., Orpington, UK
July 2004

We love this house and the delightful views. Thanks for the wonderful and restful stay... we're looking forward to coming back!

Nancy and Brian T., Coronado, USA
July 2003

We arrived here in the afternoon, and the first thing my sister said was, 'wow, it's so new and clean!' After we settled down we walked around the town. The fortress is beautiful! ... This is a very nice house and outside is so peaceful. There are neon-colored dragonflies that hang around the water outside.

Casey S., age 12, and family, Boise, USA
June 2003