Maison Maurice

Amateur travellers in France myself and my partner pre-booked 3 B&B's to break up the journey down to Languedoc. We had no recommendation to go on bar what we read in various internet sites. Maison Maurice was the second of those selected B&B's and it turned out to be a total winner. The house is a peaceful haven with superbly renovated bedrooms - each of which has a different theme. The rooms are of a good size with individual modern en suite bathrooms. They share some features like beautiful oak beams and are peaceful, cool places for resting up after a long day. The house is set in its own gardens which during sunny periods offer the guest the chance to sit out and have breakfast or take some sun whilst reading a book. The best part of Maison Maurice however is not the building or its interior (excellent and all as those are) - it is the hosts Penny and Adrian who make the thing complete. They are a bubbly energetic couple with many years experience in stressful careers left behind to take on this challenge of running a B&B in France. And boy do they do it well. Prepare to be spoilt - the food - breakfast and dinner - were superb and presented with excellent wines - Rose, white and red. We recommend you try the local Pineau - a pre dinner drink which Adrian introduced us to and we took away 6 bottles back to Ireland!! The walks around the house - through the vines and the fields of sunflowers are beautiful. Our initial visit was so pleasant I called into Penny/Adrian on my way back from Languedoc and enjoyed that stay as much as the first trip. We are already planning our return in 2013. If you are anywhere near Biron then do yourself a favour - divert to Maison Mauirce - you will not be disappointed.

We really enjoyed our few days stay with Penny and Adrian from the warm welcome, lovely room and excellent breakfasts and dinners, they made us feel at ease in their beautiful home. Nothing was too much trouble and their knowledgeable advice of areas to visit made for an excellent stay. Thoroughly recommended and having left as friends hope to return in the future.

We cannot fault anything about our stay at Maison Maurice other than to say we wished it was for longer. By far the best B&B of our French holiday. The accommodation was characterful & classy. The attention to detail was lovely from the sprig of fresh lavender on our pillow to the colourful little flowers on the fruit at breakfast. We had the most memorable fine dining experience in the garden on a beautiful evening. The wine flowed (many thanks to Adrian) & Penny's food was exquisite. Breakfast was also one to remember including delicious homemade preserves & banana cake & I must not forget the fresh figs from the tree in the garden (we were also given a generous supply to bring home) Adrian & Penny are fantastic hosts & we can't wait to return

Thank you Penny and Adrian (and Molly the dog!) for another lovely break. We visit Maison Maurice at least once a year on our way down from the UK to the south or back. Our two young children invariably cheer when we get to the village because they know they are going to be spoilt rotten by these lovely people, who go out of their way to make sure everyone in the family is well looked after. For that reason, the children tend to behave very well meaning we can really relax. All the rooms are spotless and tastefully decorated and the garden a gorgeous oasis of calm where, if you visit in summer, you can enjoy an alfresco breakfast or dinner. We go for walks and visit the local beaches but always try to get back for dinner at Maison Maurice because Penny really is a fab cook. I always come away with a few new recipes written down and sometimes cuttings from the garden. An excellent B&B. Highly recommended. Whoever you are and whatever your circumstances I can guarantee Penny and Adrian will make you feel welcome.

A group of 8 of us arrived at Maison Maurice on 08/09/12 while touring around France. Adrian and Penny turned out to be the most amazing hosts, nothing was too much trouble, Our rooms were tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean. Dinner was delicious, Penny is a fantastic cook. Our stay with them was easily the best of our holiday. Excellent value for money. We will certainly return there again, A Fantastic stay, Thank you to Adrian and Penny , look forward to staying with you again, Maeve and Dennis

My girlfriend and I just spent 3 nights at Maison Maurice - From the first minute Adrian and Penny were welcoming and very attentive to our every need. The beautiful farmhouse boasts a wonderful traditional feel with comfortable, large rooms with modern en-suite. Penny does a superb breakfast with homemade preserves, yogurts, fresh fruits and breads. Adrian and Penny provided us with lots of helpful local info, they were kind enough to spend time giving us directions to local restaurants and beaches. We also loved the company of their lovely little dog Molly - a great 'doggy fix' for us as we were missing our own dog at home! A thoroughly enjoyable stay - we couldn't recommend Maison Maurice more! Looking forward to our next visit. Chris & Chloe

We stayed with Penny and Adrian in Maison Maurice at the end of June for one night while en route from Dublin to the Sud. We were welcomed and given (pre booked) a fantastic evening meal by Penny even though we were very late arriving there due to a long delay outside Nantes. The rooms were spotless and the beds so comfortable we sleep like babies. Breakfast was served in their wonderful English style garden and Penny was on hand to lay on a wonderful spread once again.Fresh croissants and crusty bread with a great selection of homemade preserves . Definitely recommend this B&B it really is outstanding in every category.

We spend our holidays every year in Chambres d'Hotes in France. This year, we have been in a jewel: Quality, Kindness, Value for Money, Reliability and Extraordinarity like care during our sick days. The kitchen of Maison Maurice let us forget the restaurants. Dining was completed by the English humour of Penny and Adriand, and the singing dog (Molly). We met very friendly other guests from Italy and Lithuania and had also very friendly contacts on the markets and the concerts with the people from Poitou-Charentes. We had always time to retire and we could relax very well. The coast gave us great possibilities for sports like walking. We'll come back surely. Thank you very much Penny and Adrian - and Molly.

Everything was just perfect, Penny and Adrian know how to make your stay wonderful, I think a dinner is a must, if you stay at Maison Maurice. With the best wishes from Lithuania, Jurate

Felt like winning a lottery! THE place to stay!!! We crashed in on a very short notice 3 years ago with a giant dog (which Molly the tiny dog didn't mind at all) and everything at Maison Maurice was simply PERFECT! They really make you feel right at home: the house and the rooms are a treat, so comfortable and tastefully furnished, the garden just calls for relax and the food exceeds a 5-star hotel, especially when served outside... what more could you ask for? Definitely coming back, sooner or later. Penny and Adrian, you guys are the best!

We spent two nights at Maison Maurice with Penny and Adrian and cannot find fault with anything! All was so clean and characterful, beautiful bedrooms with very good bathroom and the food we had (one evening meal and two breakfasts) was excellent, particularly the dinner. They are both excellent cooks. Easy to find if you follow the website instructions but might be a little more difficult at night. Thank you, we shall return if possible. Love to Molly the dog!

We were looking forward to a few days of peace and tranquillity, with friendly hosts, and Maison Maurice did not disappoint, comfortable exceeding our expectations. Penny and Adrian are the perfect couple to run this charming Chambre d'hote, which is set in a beautiful rural location. Attentive yet discreet, friendly and professional, they really know what they are doing. Nothing was too much trouble and the food was outstanding, while the wine positively flowed. We returned very refreshed, sadly over too quickly. We will definitely be returning. Thank you very much .

Great home which Penny and Adrian share with their guests. Attention to detail and great furnishings. Fantastic food and wine. Lovely garden and warm weather. What more can one ask for?!! Highly recommended.

My wife and I stayed at Maison Maurice for 4 days in April 2011. We were warmly welcomed by Penny & Adrian. The bedrooms were immaculate with beautiful decor, comfortable bed and spotlessly clean. We enjoyed 2 gourmet evening meals in the company of our hosts and other guests - delicious food and very enjoyable repartee. The selection of homemade breakfast jams still lingers on the taste buds. Penny & Adrian could not have been more helpful and attentive to our needs. They gave expert guidance about where to visit and what to see in the area and also supplied bicycles for local excursions in this lovely wine growing region. We look forward to a return stay in 2012.

We recently enjoyed a lovely weekend in the Cognac region with our base at Maison Maurice with warm and welcoming hosts Penny and Adrian. The B&B is tastefully decorated, spotlessly clean and we had a very comfortable bed for a perfect nights sleep. Our bathroom was a delight, again beautifully styled, lovely shower, my only slightly negative comment is that an extractor fan would make it perfect. Breakfast was delicious, love the yoghurts and fruit compotes and the very generous servings and variety of breads and home made conserves and teas to suit our tastes. Both Penny and Adrian are excellent hosts. We did however find that the location was not ideal for finding by google maps so it took us a long time to find Maison Maurice on the first night, so use their instructions provided on the Maison Maurice website. Local recommendations for places to visit were helpful. Highly recommended offering good value for money.

A perfect haven of peace and calm awaits you at this exceptional Chambre d'hote. Attentive but unobtrusive hosts, Penny and Adrian go out of their way to ensure your stay - however long or short - will be memorable; you will not want to leave and you will certainly want to return. Rooms are of a very high standard, the food is exceptional, the garden delightful. Seek it out - you will not be disappointed.

Perfect location for a driving tour around the Cognac region. Hosts were very helpful in recommendations of what to visit, and called to arrange Cognac distillery visit. We had dinner at the B&B and the meal was superb and the hospitality wonderful. Friendly dog helped make you feel right at home. Highly recommended - we would definitely stay there again.

What a find! Within 5 minutes of arriving we were sitting in the lovely garden with cold beers relaxing. Penny and Adrian pay attention to every detail; the rooms are beautifully decorated and comfortable and the breakfast was excellent. We particularly enjoyed the homemade preserves and Penny kindly sent us off with a bag full of figs from her own tree when we left. The Girardots deserve to do well.

Penny and Adrian were amazing hosts. They were full of great ideas of things to see and do in the area. Every tip they provided was a gem. They helped us plan and organize our sight seeing. The Maison Maurice dinner was the best meal we had in the 6 week trip. It was outstanding. The quality was excellent, and the setting was ideal. We would definitely return here and will recommend it to our friends.

très joli jardin, chambres décorées avec goût jusque dans le moindre détail. Penny et Adrian connaissent parfaitement la région et donnent de très bons conseils. Merci

This was our third visit (8th Sept) to Maison Maurice and, at very VERY short notice, on our way back from our house in the South, we were thrilled that Penny and Adrian could accommodate us! The welcome was as good as always and although they had a prior dinner engagement that night, Penny booked us a table at a nearby restaurant but not before inviting us for an aperitif in their lovely garden. When we came back from dinner we were invited for a 'night cap'. I don't know anywhere else where you would be given that kind of welcome! The breakfast with all the homemade jams,etc was fantastic! Thanks again Penny and Adrian. See you next year!!

From the moment we drew up with our three young children at Maison Maurice we were made to feel utterly at home and relaxed. Adrian and Penny are the most fantastic hosts - their warmth, hospitality and local knowledge are amongst many things that set them and their beautiful house apart from anything else. The rooms are beautifully decorated, each with an ensuite. The food (including a selection of delicious home made jams!) was delicious. Penny and Adrian went out of their way to ensure that we, and our children, had a relaxed and memorable stay. Molly, the singing dog, will be talked about by our children for many years to come! We cannot thank them enough and would thoroughly recommend Maison Maurice to anyone.

Maison Maurice is a lovely old house situated in the countryside near Pons. The house is beautiful renovated and very well maintained. Spotless rooms with a nice bed and comfortable bedroom. The little village is peacefull and quiet. The owners are very friendly people who will welcome you as good friends. They serve delicious food prepared by Penny who’s hobby is cooking. Adrian will serve you the best whine from the region. With the little old town of Pons, the beautiful countryside and the big city of Bordeaux nearby the area gives you a lot of possibilities. Maison Maurice is a perfect place to forget the rush of your busy day to day life.

We had the most excellent stay at Maison Maurice, the accomodation is outstanding, tastefully furnished and immaculate. Located in beautifull countryside it was the perfect retreat for our trip. Penny and Adrian's hospitality was fantastic and boy can that lovely lady cook !!!!! Nothing was to much trouble for them and they certainly know how to look after their guests. We would definately highly recommend Maison Maurice and would love to return when next in France. Cheryl & Denise Portsmouth England

After a long hot drive plus a speeding ticket, arriving a Chez Maurice was an oasis. Within minutes we were in a tranquil garden with a cold beer and wine in hand. The hospitalty was superb. All the rooms met a very high standard and are very chic. On our return journey we enjoyed an excellent four course dinner with wine. We shall return. Thank you Penny and Adrian

My wife and I, along with her parents and brother, recently spent 5 wonderful days at Maison Maurice. Located in a quiet corner close to lots of attractions, it provides a wonderful base from where to explore the surroundings. Penny and Adrian went out of their way to make us feel welcome, and suggest many wonderful activities to fill the day. The rooms are spacious and quiet, the food fantastic and the service top notch. From there it is easy to visit Pons (go have a meal on the terrace!), La Rochelle, Rochefort (go see the frigate), Cognac, and much more. The surrounding area also provides for wonderful photos, and many small roads to explore by foot - walk or run! Overall, we were very happy and give it 5 thumbs up!

Having driven from the Channel to the Pyrenees and back very many times in the last ten years, we often found Poitou-Charentes convenient for over-nighting. Tiring of mixed value and variable standards from tourist hotels, often with indifferent service, how lucky were we to discover Maison Maurice just over three years ago. Since then we have never considered staying anywhere else and one-night stopovers have expanded to two. What more could we wish for? Attentive and generous hosts, Adrian and Penny, lovely, stylish rooms and excellent, good value meals. In fact, we always feel less like paying guests, more like good friends meeting up to enjoy a relaxing stay, home from home. In good weather (and the sun nearly always seems to shine!) Penny's informal garden is an absolute delight. The award of one of the best Chambre d'hotes in France is well deserved. We highly recommend Maison Maurice, not just for a stop-over but as an excellent base for a week's holiday in a lovely part of France.

We make regular trips down to the Pyrenees from Brittany and have tried several B&Bs or hotels for a night to split the journey. Following a recommendation, we decided to try Maison Maurice. If only we had known about it sooner! It is such a delightful place to stay. The hospitality of Penny and Adrian is outstanding. The rooms are beautifully designed, spotlessly clean and amazingly comfortable. Dinner was superb and a delicious breakfast fuelled us for our continuing journey. Needless to say, we stayed at this little gem on our return trip and we can’t wait for our next trip to the Pyrenees so we can go back. Thankyou so very much Penny and Adrian.

We were given such a warm welcome at Maison Maurice, we must have been a B&B owners worst nightmare, very short notice (our normal hotel was full) and just one night - but Penny and Adrian made us feel totally at ease and were perfect hosts. The bedroom was warm, beautifully furnished and had top quality linen etc. The bathroom was gleaming and modern. Breakfast was delicious. We will not bother with the hotel again, but will book next time! Thankyou both.

We have recently had our third most wonderful stop over at maison maurice and cannot fail to be delighted by the continued excellence of the accomodation and the wonderful hospitality provided by Penny and Adrian. We discovered that Maison Maurice was ideally situated for our first night stop over on route to our apartment on the Costa del Sol but had never expected the stop over to be such a special part of our holiday. We have been fortunate to have met such interesting travellers and holidaymakers around the dinner table, whilst eating the most superbly home cooked meals and sharing delightful banter. We cannot recommend maison maurice highly enough and are now considering making our next stop over a longer break to visit the many interesting places within such easy reach and to sample local wines and delicacies.

Penny and Adrian are outstanding and attentive hosts. The rooms are immaculately clean, new, and well-organized. We had an excellent, delicious dinner with them. I highly recommend anyone staying there to have dinner on the first night. (You'll want dinner there every night of your stay!) Penny and Adrian also have some great stories to tell. Everyone in my group loved this place the best! George Coppedge, Prague

Our stay was (sadly) just a stopover on the way down from England to our home in SW France. Lovely garden to relax in, very pretty and comfortable room, very friendly welcome without being too overwhelming (Adrian was in the hotel business so knows how to do it well!) Excellent meal cooked by Penny and eaten with our hosts and other guests, which included the local wines and Pineau Charentes apéritif. Thoroughly recommend this to anyone - we will be back next time we do the trip by car to the UK. Anne, Vaour, France

My son and I arrived almost 3:00 am to Maison Maurice due to traffic problems after watching a Tour de France stage. Not only the owners of Maison Maurice woke up and got out to help us find the way to their place, but they served as warm and wonderful dinner after 3:00 am. That's what I call extra hospitality! We enjoyed the couple of days we spent with Penny and Adrian and we would love to get back and spend more time in this wonderful place.

My husband and I went to France last month on a two-week wine tour. Prior weeks of research determined that while in the Cognac Region we should stay at Maison Maurice. After all, this inn has the highest rating of 5/5 -- "outstanding...exceeded my expections"-- and we are pleased to tell you why: Maison Maurice is absolute perfection! It is a beautiful, charming, and spotless home/chateau, uniquely situated in the heart of Cognac in the quaint town of Biron. The Atlantic beaches are just a short drive away. So are countless wineries, cognac and pineau houses, and beautiful small towns. And the awesome countryside......you are IN it! Owners Penny and Adrian Girardot are warm and gracious and were such fun to hang out with. (Penny and Adrian -- if you are reading this, we want you at our next dinner party!) They created adventures for us that highlighted our trip to France. The night we arrived, Penny served up the best dinner of our entire trip -- voila! Another day she came with us on a bike ride THROUGH the vineyards of Biron. We literally rode between rows of wines with her darling dog Mollie trotting right alongside us! Penny and Adrian have poured their heart and soul into MM. It was a blessing to meet them and to stay in their beautiful home. It is now the first place we refer as a french destination. We will be back soon. A bientot!

Wij hebben vorig jaar 5 prachtige dagen beleefd in frankrijk. De omgeving is mooi en het hotel is erg comfortabel en gastvrij. Penny en Adrian zijn erg vriendelijke mensen die je echt in de watten leggen. Als we weer eens op vakantie gaan en we de mogelijheid hebben om hier te kunnen overnachten zullen we dat zeker doen. Jeanne en Mart

I loved it! This beautiful place is a little chunk of paradise hidden away from prying eyes. The rooms are stunning spacious and clean with beautiful views of the green. The hospitable owners Penny and Adrian went out of their way to cater for all our wants needs and whims. Delicious food, a relaxing environment the perfect place to recuperate. Looking forward to visiting soon. Rupa Hertfordshire

Ceci est un lit merveilleux et emplacement de petit déjeuner, nous vous exhorterions pour visiter ici le plus tôt possible. This is an oasis which has to be experienced to be believed. A quite magnificent bed and breakfast location, with wonderful hosts and cuisine to match. We spent 4 days at Maison Maurice last April and would not hesitate to return. Ideally placed for either a stopover or longer relaxing break you will find Maison Maurice a truly memorable experience. Fantastic attention to detail, the ambience and decor is thoughtfully presented and very stylish and welcoming. We would recommend you take advantage of the dining option in order to sample some of the best cuisine on offer in France. Penny is truly magical in the kitchen! We are also sure that Adrian will be equally hospitable when it comes to the odd glass or two of 'vin splendide'.

I can highly recommend 'Maison Maurice' to anyone who is looking for a relaxing stay in the country in a beatifully renovated farmhouse with excellent food. The 2 wonderful hosts, Penny and Adrian), made us feel not only really welcome but close friends after our 5 day stay. The food is superb (ask Penny for the Moroccan lamb - it is to die for!) and the wine flows very freely. The rooms are lovely and very tastefully decorated. On occasions some of their friends arrive and we shared some very special evenings eating and drinking outside in the lovely garden to the early hours. It is not compulsary however and not all the guests chose to eat in but as I have said I would recommend it highly. The breakfasts are also excellent and can be enjoyed in the garden as well.

We spent three wonderful days at Maison Maurice, and hope to return as soon as possible! The rooms are lovely; beautifully decorated, comfortable and spotless. The food is excellent and the location is perfect, with several interesting and charming villages and towns nearby. This alone makes Maison Maurice a great choice, but what makes it truly outstanding is Penny and Adrian. From the moment we arrived they made us feel at home. They are generous, helpful and a lot of fun! Sitting in the garden under the stars, enjoying a delicious dinner and sipping wine, is as close to paradise you come without the benefit of wings!

There are, as I now know, two great attractions for the visitor to France: the cities (Paris, of course) and the countryside. It is the countryside that I experienced, for the first time and will never forget, at Maison Maurice. You can read the other reviews, and learn that the Maison Maurice: 1) is run by two charming, friendly and warm people, Adrian and Penny, who, by the way, speak excellent English; 2) is located in a most beautiful French countryside, with corn, cows (and sheep and rabbits and chickens and goats and feral pigs and pheasants) and, mostly, grapes; and 3) is an exquisitely renovated, decorated and furnished two or three hundred year old farm house. These are definitely pluses! But what I will always remember is the bike ride that my wife and I took from ‘MM’. To start, it was up the hill (scale of ‘0’, tour de France, ‘8+’ for me) past row after row of grapes, at the top of which we could rest, looking out over a full-blown ‘farm’, with cows, hay and two large metal fermenting vats; then down-hill to the first village, and an atmospheric Romanesque church; then onward past a (for us) an interesting grave-yard, surrounded by a serious stone wall containing a motley crew of monuments; then to the next village, where we bought bread and pastries for lunch (and the baker kindly gave us a light-weight plastic rack for carrying our purchases); and then, at the next village we stopped to taste Cognac (7, 12 and 15 year aged, we bought the last); and then lunch….you get the idea. And, I will also always remember our meals with Adrian and Penny…her excellent cooking, in four courses, and, more importantly, their company. Thank you, A & P!

My partner and I recently spent four glorious days at Maison Maurice with its charming proprietors, Penny and Adrian. The Maison exceeds expectations as a romantic getaway. The home is a true labor of love: after a total overhaul, it boasts a cream interior punctuated by rich dark beams, glowing wood of varying hues, and sleek contemporary amenities. The exceptional furnishings are indicative of the owners’ excellent taste and appreciation for luxurious travel. Every sense is indulged, from the gentle coo of birds wafting through sage-green shutters to the fecund gardens, cuttings from which Penny uses to accent dishes, drinks and bedside tables. Indeed, one could be forgiven for never leaving one’s room where crisp Irish linens adorn each bed. Penny irons the sheets herself, prompting one to wonder how she maintains her bright spirit and graciousness amidst a nearly full house. She also creates delectable four-course dinners, incorporating fresh ingredients sourced by Adrian from the local market, ranging from traditional French cuisine to curry prawns. Each evening meal starts with an aperitif in the company of your hosts and concludes with inventive, delicious desserts: creamy espresso mousse in a teacup piqued my epicurean fancy while the signature meringue far surpassed that found in a typical French patisserie. Penny and Adrian, the consummate hosts, provide free use of their bikes to tour the adjacent vineyards, maps and gear to visit pristine coastal beaches, fine conversation, and generous playtime with their two adorable pets. At the end of our stay, they led us to a vigneron up the road and walked us through the process of tasting and purchasing pineau, a local aperitif. Having extended our original booking by an extra day, our only regret is that we couldn’t delay our departure further. This B&B will be our first recommendation to friends and a prime destination for us upon our return. Visit and be enchanted. --Portland, OR, USA

We have just returned from our trip to France and our stay at Maison Maurice. We had originally booked a 3 night stay as our first stop on our way to Carcassonne and back up the other side of France but we never got as far as the other side as we decided to come back the way we came just so we could get another night in at Maison Maurice. It is the most relaxing, welcoming, beautiful B&B I have ever stayed in and I hope to return many, many times. The peace and quiet was amazing and the setting was beautiful. I didn't want to leave. Adrian and Penny and the most welcoming owners and the food they serve is amazing, far better than I have had in 5 star hotels. I look forward to returning again soon.

Penny and Adrian are excellent hosts who made our stay a special experience. The spotless rooms are comfortable and tastefully furnished. We can thoroughly recommend Maison Maurice as a place to stay. We plan to return in the near future.

We have stayed in some lovely places but this is one of the very best in a long time. Penny & Adrian as hosts yuo certainly made us feel so very welcome in your beautiful home. We have made some new friends and will certainly be recommending to our other friends. Looking forward to more of your delicious meals and chatting into the wee hours. Beautifully decorated and very comfortable rooms. We will certainly be back hopefully very soon.