Just received the package with all the details about the cottage. I will scan and e-mail any document if anyone wants to see them.

Upon arrival we will have to pay a guarantee deposit of 250 euros (in cash). We will get the entire amount back at the end of the holiday, provided we break nothing, and did a half-decent job cleaning up.
We could each pay a share, and get that share back again at the end, since I don't have that much money in one go. There is one problem there though: We'll need to have it on us when we enter the cottage, and it looks like me+BF are the only ones who can get the key since we have to hand in this voucher for it that I received just now. Another solution: my BF coughs up the amount and gets it back at the end, and we can share in the costs of any damages etc. which would cause him not to ge the full amount back.

Apparently France also has a tourist tax of 0,40 euro per person per day. Looks like we also have to pay that up front.

It is probably a good idea to exchange mobile phone numbers, though anyone calling me will always be speaking to my BF.

The details:
- Arrival on Saturday 26 June from 16:00. We will make sure to be there at 16:00 to receive the key since we have the voucher. That's the earliest anyone can get into the cottage too.
- We leave at 10:00 in the morning the next Saturday.
- We need to do our own cleaning of the cottage before we leave.
- We need to bring our own bedlinnen (sleeping bags, whatever you like)
- We need to bring our own towels, also kitchen towels etc.
- No pets allowed
- Gas, electricity and water are already included in the price.
- There is a fireplace, but no wood, so if we want to build a fire we'll have to scrounge some up somewhere.
- The owner's name is Mme Hélène Durif
- The cottage address is Gite du Plan Lara, Le Plan Lara, FR-26460, Bourdeaux

There are some directions to the cottage if you come by car:
From Lyon take the 'Autoroute du Soleil' (A7) south. After Valence take exit 16, Loriol. Go left in the direction of Loriol and Crest (N304). Takethe N7 for a bit and then the D104, still in the direction of Crest. After approximately 16 km, take a right at Crest in the direction of Divajeu / Bourdeaux (D538). Stay on this road all the way to Bourdeaux (app. 25 km). In Bourdeaux, go to the city centre and keep going until you see a pool (piscine) and a supermarket (Casino) on the right side of the road. Leave Bourdeaux again on this road and after leaving it, go left immediately onto a small road going upwards. Follow the curve to the left, after the curve it's the first house on the right.

General stuff about France you might need to know:

For people who are driving to the cottage: there are a lot of Péage roads (need to pay up), make sure to have plenty of coins, notes, or a creditcard that will work in France.
The cards you get on the Peage are only valid for 24 hours, so if you intend to spend a night sleeping somewhere, make sure you get off the Peage again within that 24 hours, or just use different roads entirely.
In France it's also mandatory to have one of those yellow or orange reflecting vests in your car, you can buy them at many gasstations if you don't have one.

Everyone might want to check that their plugs will fit into French sockets, and if not buy those thingies for it.

General warnings in the leaflet >_> :
make sure your passport and driving licence are still valid,
make sure your car is in working order,
don't forget your creditcard and/or bankcard,
make sure to take important addresses and phone numbers with you for emergencies,
make sure your plants, animals and mail are taken care of in your absence,
don't forget your camera,
you might want to bring a phrasebook.

There is a packinglist too, but you guys can go find or make your own