This is a small picturesque village located in the hill country of the south of France. My wife and I met here with two other american couples prior to taking over a canal boat for ten days of cruising on the rivers and canals of the area. This village was very picturesque and a local ancient church, L'Abbaye de Flaran, on the outskirts of Valence has art by Picasso , Monet and many others. Keith Swift, the owner and chef could not have been more helpful and accommodating. In addition to responding to numerous emails prior to our arriving from the UK, he quite literally rescued us from being stuck miles away after we missed a succession of transportation changes due to Easy Jet being over an hour late. (Typical of the company.) His food was five star and he was even willing to give us his recipes. I have no hesitation recommending this wonderful find to anyone and we are even considering returning for at least a week to sample the area by car instead of boat and to have an excuse to stay at this superb place again.
John and Joyce Spicer

My husband and the two couples we were traveling with stayed in this house for one night before we picked up a barge. I can't say enough good things--the host was charming and went out of his to help us. (Kate, his wife, was out of town.) Before we left for France, he helped one couple extensively in arranging complicated travel plans. The day we picked up our boat, he packed up his car with all our luggage and supplies and took them to the boat dock for us. The rooms are large, super-clean, and lovely (there are three, and we occupied them all). We all enjoyed the gourmet dinner prepared by Keith and served in the beautiful garden. Breakfast was wonderful too.

Valence-sur-Baise is a tiny town, but it has everything we needed. There are two restaurants, a bakery, and a grocery store. We had a great lunch at one of the restaurants, Lucy's. This Inn would be a perfect headquarters for exploring this interesting area. It was our third trip to France, and this is our favorite area. We will be back for an extended stay.

Oh yes, Keith has a great sense of humor, he had us all laughing!

Spent a couple of days at La Maison Des Lys - and it was not enough. No review could do this lovely house justice! Keith was an excellent host. Emailed us before arrival to offer taking an evening meal with him as the restaurants in Valence were closed on the night of our arrival (Monday) - what a wonderful meal! Nothing too much trouble for him. Provided a 'tour' of area so that we could see as much of the area as possible during our short stay. Our bedroom (Mimosa) was beautifully furnished & decorated with an outstanding view over the surrounding countryside. Meals were taken in 'Kate's Parasdise' - a peaceful garden with a lovely display of colours of flowers. Valence is a lovely sleepy French village - with 2 good bars/restaurants offering very good value meals.

If you are traveling in the vicinity of Condom, we recommend this exceptional B&B. I agree with the writer who compares it to a small luxury hotel, rather than a B&B. The rooms are charmingly decorated, the baths are new and spacious, and the Swifts are gracious hosts. Their garden, where breakfast and dinner are served, is spectacular. Keith is a talented chef and we rated our meal in La Maison Des Lys one of the best on a 1 month trip through France. Be sure to book a meal here -- the best place to eat in the area! Keith took the time and effort to print out a suggested itinerary for us the following day--all of the stops were excellent. We highly recommend this wonderful establishment.