Your contact:	The Kane family
Telephone:	+1 617 247 3744 or +1 617-230-6744
Email:	Click here to contact Berry-sur-Cher

Berry-sur-Cher is a long white stone farmhouse or longère, in the village of Meusnes in the Loire Valley, about a mile from the Cher River. The main part of the house, built in 1890, was updated completely in 2004, with four bedrooms for seven to eight guests, a modern kitchen, and three full bathrooms. The older part of the house is the west wing, which was built in 1749 and has just been renovated into a separate apartment.

The property is situated on a hectare (two and a half acres) of quiet private land, with elegant flower and herb gardens, fruit trees, tables and benches, and a boules court to play the traditional French game. The property is quiet and calm while being located conveniently within a few minutes' walk of the village centre.

The interior has been completely restored and filled with antiques from the markets of Paris and Provence. Tall windows look onto the gardens and let in plenty of light. In the living room, a fireplace, bookcases, and a tiled floor make for a relaxing atmosphere.

Up to ten guests can dine at the large table in the dining room, which also has a fireplace. One can also dine outside on a teak-floored dining porch, which has a large table with comfortable benches and chairs, seating six to eight comfortably.

The kitchen has been completely modernized, with gas burners, a gas/convection oven, a microwave, a fridge/freezer, and a dishwasher. French doors in the breakfast area open onto the back garden.

The master bedroom suite is also on the ground floor, featuring a queen size bed, mahogany floors, dresser and chairs. The room connects through a large closet and dressing room to a bath with a marble-topped sink and a large walk-in shower.

Upstairs, a large open living room is perfect for a family evening in, with sofas and chairs, a TV and VCR, and a table for board games and puzzles. A double bedroom has a queen size bed and a daybed, with a fireplace and a Juliet balcony. An adjoining large bathroom has a tub and shower and a large pedestal sink.

The third bedroom has a pair of single beds and overlooks the back garden. The fourth bedroom, with a single bed and a dresser and closets, is in a separate small apartment. It has an ensuite ceramic-tiled bathroom with a basin and shower.

Special features:

• Bilingual assistance available on site • Maid, Cook and Driver can be arranged on request • Credit cards accepted

About a thousand people live in the village of Meusnes, which offers a post office, a small grocery store, a butcher, a baker, and a pharmacy. About 20 vineyards in town produce local reds and sauvignon blancs, and they welcome guests for a tasting. The village is also home to a major producer of fromage de chèvre, or goat cheese, for which the region is famous.

Nearby Selles-sur-Cher, five minutes away, is a bustling town with all sorts of commerce, including a renowned bakery, butchers, cheese shops, and several small restaurants, as well as a pharmacy, a cinema, and an outdoor market on Thursday mornings.

Among the activites to enjoy locally, there are forests and vineyards to walk in, a small river for fishing, and several seasonal fêtes to take in, such as the Spring brocante, the Summer sardinade, fireworks on the 14th of July, and many others. One can rent bicycles and canoes in nearby St.-Aignan, five kilometres west along the river Cher.

The Loire Valley is full of historical sites. There are dozens of famous chateaux within an hour of the house, many with fabulous gardens. The property is close to Chenonceau, Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Amboise, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau, among others. Valencay, the home of Talleyrand in the 1800s, is a ten minute drive from the house, located in a lovely town with a market every Tuesday.

The Loire also grows many good wines, and riding through the rolling countryside offers many opportunities to stop for tastings. To the east is the hilltop village of Sancerre, which has many vineyards and restaurants. Nearby is Pouilly-Fumé, and towards the west is Chinon, with good reds, and Vouvray, which produces sweeter wines and a sparkling white that many French serve instead of Champagne.

This is also a great region for cuisine. Nearby are Michelin-starred restaurants like Lion d’Or in Romorantin or Bernard Robin in Bracieux, all providing fine dining experiences. There are many affordable and excellent restaurants nearby, and the owners have prepared a list of recommended favourites. The valley has a agreeably temperate climate, with sunny summers and mild winters.

The gardens	The terrace and gardens
The dining porch	The gardens
The kitchen	The living room
The breakfast room	The single bedroom suite
The twin bedroom	The second double bedroom
The master bedroom's ensuite dressing room and bathroom

We spent a delightful week at Berry-sur-Cher last September. The house is utterly charming, features every convenience and is strategically located for trips to the major chateaux in the region. Berry-sur-Cher soon felt like our home and we were saddened to leave it at the end of our stay. I would highly recommend it to anyone planning a trip to the Loire.
Ken G. - Boston, MA, USA

We are all completely satisfied with your lovely house. We’ve probably stayed in eight houses over the years, and yours by far is the best. I have recommended Berry-sur-Cher to friends for their next holiday.
Toni H. - MS, USA