Thank you JulieVikmanis! Great information!

Can't tell you WHERE we crossed the Loire in Sept '07, but it looked more like a mud flat than a river.

Another vote for the Le Vieux Manor
Breakfast alone is worth the trip.
Gloria knows the area so well.
Helped us find gas for the rental car.
Take her recommendations for dinner and fun things to do.
We stayed with her twice. The first time we thought we didn't need any advise. The next trip we realized how mush she could help.
Breakfast fills you til lunch - fresh fruit, yogurt, rolls, juice, cereal, coffee, tea etc.
Call her again!

TravelParis23, I actually was going to make a reservation with Le Vieux Manor but decided against it. Although the owner said she would be happy to have us, she seemed very concerned about our boys being around her furnishings (sent several emails to me after I told her we wanted to reserve the cottage about this issue). I just felt that she wasn't comfortable with having three boys. And after reading some reviews, I got the sense that it would be a mistake for us to stay here since she already had expressed uneasiness with it before even meeting my children (my boys happen to be well behaved and have never caused any damage while traveling or at home for that matter!).

But I do agree with you that it sounds like a wonderful place to stay if you have one or two girls (preferably teenagers from what I sensed) with you or just as a couple.