Review for La Galerie, Catus, Lot.

I feel the best way for me to help you make up your minds about whether or not to holiday at La Galerie, Catus, is just to tell you of our experience in June 07.

I had booked an 8 day stay at La Galerie in two rooms for myself, my Fiancée and my brother. We were travelling on our motorbikes as we always do in June. I must also say we are not your stereotypical bikers. We are all respectable, professional people in our 40's.

An English couple, Rod and Sandra, run the place and on our arrival we were shown to our rooms by Sandra. They were of a very high standard and we were very pleased with them. We were then shown the pool and the communal outdoor kitchen and were told that the fridge there had a number of shelves in it and we were allowed a shelf per room. Later my brother and I rode to Cahor for supplies which were put in the fridge.

We soon made friends with another couple staying there and two other couples travelling in a group of four, two of whom were from Australia.

Episode 1

In the outdoor kitchen was a long table and one evening we sat with the other couple to play Trivial Pursuit. The game went on for hours and at 1am we decided to call it a night and go to bed. We decided we would finish the game in the morning.

Next morning when we went down to the pool and kitchen we greeted the other couple and found that the game had been cleared away and that this couple had had a ‘severe telling off' by Rod, the owner. We were told he screamed at them about the state of the kitchen and the game being left out. Now, mitigating this particular episode for Rod, I have to say that the couple had had a barbeque the previous evening and hadn't cleaned the grill; so fair enough, but, scream at your guest. Is this acceptable?

Episode 2

We had been told by Rod that he had a problem with wild cats and not to leave rubbish in the kitchen. Instead we had to put it in a bin bag (not supplied) and take it to the bins at the bottom of the road some 300 metres away. We bought a roll of bin bags and told the others to help themselves if they needed some and in the end we all filled one bag and took it in turns to take it to the bins.

One evening we were sat talking with everyone else after having some food. We all cleared up and at about 8pm my brother took the rubbish to the bins. We spent the rest of the evening drinking wine and talking to the other couple and at midnight we wiped down the table, washed the beakers, leaving them to dry on the drainer and put the bottles and a few cans in a bin bag that was put under the breakfast bar till the morning.

The next day my brother and I decided to go to Cahor and my Fiancée was going to spend the day by the pool. Seeing us off, my Fiancée asked if I wanted my sunglasses. I said they were down by the pool and not to worry but she insisted she get them for me. When she returned she burst into tears saying that Rod had just had a right go at her about the state of the kitchen, so I went to see what it was all about. Well, when my brother and I asked why he felt it necessary to shout at my Fiancée he went mad, screaming and shouting about the state of the kitchen! Apparently it was not acceptable to leave beakers to drain overnight because anyone wanting to use the kitchen in the morning would have to put them in the cupboard before they could wash up! Apparently it was not acceptable to leave the bin bag out even if it only had bottles and cans in, even if it were left under the unit. It must be taken to the bins (at midnight) or put in our rooms!

We said we thought he was taking things a bit far and that we took exception at him screaming at a woman on her own (or in the presence of others come to that). With that we were told to pack our bags, pay up and get out!

We saved and looked forward to our 2 weeks holiday all year and the last thing we wanted was for it to end like this. We didn't even feel we could reason with him because of his rage, so we left, on a Sunday, in the rain, with no fuel in our tanks. He wouldn't even let us go and get fuel before the station shut at 12.30 and pack our bags after.

All in all, though, none of us was prepared to spend our money to stay at holiday accommodation where we were treated like children at school camp so we left with some degree of relief!

So be advised, it's a lovely place, Sandra is so helpful and a warm host, but, watch you don't get on the wrong side of Rod, it's incredibly easy to do and the trouble is you won't know until it's too late. Oh, also, the walk to the bins at night; you'll need a torch! Wouldn't a bin with a lockable lid be so much easier?

Have a good holiday

Nick Davies