TouVelle House Bed & Breakfast

TouVelle House Bed & Breakfast is ready to welcome you with a gentle, serene environment where you can relax knowing that all of your needs have already been anticipated. TouVelle House combines modern comforts with understated elegance and leisure. You will appreciate everything from the welcoming entry foyer and great room to the heated swimming pool; from the restful gardens and verandas to the feather-soft bedding. You will find one of the 6 guest rooms is a perfect fit for you.

This handsome 3-story Craftsman style home is located in historic Jacksonville, Oregon and is only two blocks from all of the unique shopping and dining opportunities, and only 4 blocks from the Britt Music Festival grounds.

Jacksonville is located in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon in the foothills of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountains. Just 5 miles from Medford and 17 miles from Ashland, it is the perfect base from which to explore all of southern Oregon. For the outdoor enthusiast there are numerous hiking opportunities as well as river rafting or kayaking, fly fishing, downhill skiing on Mt. Ashland and cross-country skiing. And for those interested in a more cultural experience, there is the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with performances from mid-February through October in neighboring Ashland, along with four other theater companies. Crater Lake, Oregon Caves and the redwood forests are all a short drive away from TouVelle House.

Can a house be both "magnificent" and "cozy"? Our guests think so. The magnificent perspective comes from the large scale of the house and its elevated sitting as well as the impressive foyer and great room. The cozy perspective comes from the comfortable furnishings and many personal touches along with the casual atmosphere created by hosts Tim and Gary.

TouVelle House is a handsome 3-story Craftsman style home which Judge Frank TouVelle had built in 1916. The house was designed by his wife, Elizabeth. The house is sited on a hill well back from the sidewalk and street on 1.3 acres which provides you with a quiet and restful retreat.

Even though it feels like you are in the country, we are located just two blocks from the varied shopping and dining opportunities in historic downtown Jacksonville, and only four blocks from Britt Park, home of the Britt Music Festivals. Everything in town is just a short walk away.

As our guests, you are encouraged to enjoy all of the public areas. Stickley and other Arts & Crafts style furniture fill the Great Room and create a wonderfully comfortable space to read, play cards or board games or just curl up in front of the fireplace. The 12' ceilings give the room a sense of grandeur, but the furnishings provide very comfortable gathering spots.

The Library provides a smaller enclave where you can catch the news on the television or choose from a selection of periodicals and books. You can also slip out the door to the side porch and enclosed garden for a quiet spot for your morning coffee. There is also a computer available to look up information on local attractions, or if you just have to check your email.

In the morning you will enjoy a full breakfast in the Dining Room. Relax - this isn't a formal affair - just good food, good coffee and good conversation. Offerings may include poached pears, scones, spinach and mushroom frittata, or blueberry pancakes. Good, strong coffee is available by 7 am and breakfast is served at 9 am.

Guest refrigerators on each floor provide a selection of cold beverages and room to store your own items. Tea is always available in the dining room.

For the perfect spot to take a cup of tea in the afternoon you will find the Sun Room, with four walls of windows is wonderfully bright and cheery. You will also find a telephone for your convenience and information on local attractions.

What better way to spend a vacation day than doing nothing besides lounging by the pool! Our swimming pool, which is heated during the summer, and surrounding decks are a private haven where you can truly let your hair down and relax. In addition to the pool, you can always find a peaceful spot in the lawn and garden areas to retreat and watch the world go by.

Gary Renninger Balfour and Tim Balfour are your hosts at TouVelle House. Gary and Tim moved to Jacksonville in November of 2004 after visiting the area the previous fall. They are enjoying bringing this grand property back up to its earlier standards. They also enjoy the easy access to hiking, skiing and rafting opportunities available around Jacksonville.

Gary is the full-time owner/operator of TouVelle House. After working in the information technology industry, Gary enjoys the hands on and inter-personal aspects of running a Bed and Breakfast. He is originally from central Pennsylvania. Gary also speaks fluent German.

Tim is the head gardener and part-time week-end host at TouVelle House. He works full-time as a representative for a non-profit education loan provider and works with university financial aid officers in California, Oregon and Washington. Tim is originally from Kansas and has lived in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Although neither Tim nor Gary have worked in a bed and breakfast before, Tim's parents opened one of the first Bed and Breakfasts in Kansas.

TouVelle House offers you a choice of six guest rooms, all with private baths. We took extra time picking out the softest, smoothest Egyptian cotton sheets. Feather beds and down pillows and comforters provide that extra "ahhh".

Additional in-room amenities include air conditioning, and CD players. Each floor has a refrigerator for guest use. Hair dryers, irons and ironing boards are also available.

Complimentary Amenities

Full Breakfast served daily
Tea and hot beverages available 24 hours
Swimming pool and sauna
Guest computer with high speed wireless internet access
100% smoke free environment, indoors
Telephone with free local calls
TV/VCR - DVD movie library
Guest refrigerator on each floor

In Room Amenities

High speed wireless internet access
Down comforters and pillows
Egyptian cotton sheets
Egyptian cotton towels
Luxurious robes
Cruelty-free luxury bath amenities
CD players

Location
Jacksonville is located in southern Oregon in the foothills of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountains. It is easily accessible from Interstate 5, approximately 15 minutes from downtown Medford or the Medford airport and twenty minutes from Ashland. Drive time from San Francisco averages 6 hours, from Portland averages 4.5 hours.

The entire town of Jacksonville is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it bustles with a variety of activities. Although we are proud of our history, that's not the only thing you will find here.

Jacksonville hosts the world famous Britt Festivals June through September. Now in its 48th year, Britt Festivals is the Pacific Northwest's premiere outdoor summer performing arts festival. Britt presents dozens of outdoor concerts, featuring world-class artists in classical music, dance, jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, world, pop and country music. Britt's performance venue is a naturally formed amphitheater set among majestic ponderosa pines and native madrones on the beautiful hillside estate of 19th century photographer Peter Britt.

Jacksonville stores offer a varied selection of gifts, toys, household items, apparel, jewelry and art. You can find gourmet foods at Jacksonville Mercantile, and at Gary West which specializes in jerkies. For a special treat you should plan ahead to pamper yourself with a massage or other body treatment at Spa - just around the block from TouVelle House.

Once you have worked up an appetite, there are many fabulous restaurants and cafes from which to choose. Some of our favorites include Gogi’s, Jacksonville Inn, La Fiesta Classic Mexican Cuisine, Bella Union, McCully House, The Carriage House at Nunan Estate, Thai House, and MacLevin's Whole Foods Restaurant. For for a quick caffeine fix, Pony Espresso and Good Bean have wonderful coffee and chai drinks and Country Cottage offers pastries and lunch fare.

If you would like to walk off your lunch, you can take a walking tour of town or enjoy one of our short local hiking trails, courtesy of the Jacksonville Woodlands Association. If you're looking for a totally different way of touring the town, check out the options offered at Segway of Jacksonville.

For wine lovers we are adjacent to the Applegate Valley, Oregon's newest wine appellation with an ever growing string of boutique wineries. You can easily fill an entire day touring the vineyards and wineries, or take just a couple of hours. In town you can taste wines from Quail Run vineyards at South Stage Cellars.

Foodies definitely don't want to miss Rogue Creamery and Lillie Belle Farms handmade chocolates. Located in Central Point, just five miles from Jacksonville, these two award winning artisans demonstrate pride and craftsmanship through their products. And since you are in the area, check out Red Oak Glass for handcrafted lighting.

In December, experience Victorian Christmas Celebration with historic dignitaries dressed in 19th century period costumes, twinkling lights, strolling carolers and horse-drawn wagon rides is a "must see event". Additional events can be found on the City of Jacksonville Events Calendar, along with more information about Jacksonville.

For the historical perspective you can take a trolley tour of Jacksonville during the summer, or you can visit the Southern Oregon Historical Society's museums, including Beekman House and Hanley Farms.