House-Edge of Hilltop Village Surrounded By Vineyards
Large Private Swimming Pool. 20 mins Drive To Carcassonne
Sleeps 10 (5 Bedrooms)
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Two deceptively spacious interconnected houses with own grounds in the beautiful Razes district, sleeping up to 10 and having outstanding views. 5 bedrooms. 2 modern bathrooms; 2 modern shower rooms each with loo and hand basin. 2 well equipped kitchens. 2 sitting rooms. Large walled and tiled roof terrace seating 14. Games room / garage with table tennis. Ample parking. Good shopping in neighbouring village 5 minutes drive away. High standards of furniture and equipment as it is also our family holiday home. Excellent restaurants and supermarkets 12-20 minutes drive away and wine appreciation and viniculture courses at the Gayda restaurant/vineyard 12 minutes drive. The house and pool are maintained by local English residents.
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| Rental Period | Per Night | Per Week | Per Month | Min. Stay (Nights) |
| 6 January 2012 - 18 May 2012 | £655 | 14 | ||
| 18 May 2012 - 1 June 2012 | £725 | 14 | ||
| 1 June 2012 - 29 June 2012 | £865 | 14 | ||
| 29 June 2012 - 13 July 2012 | £1365 | 14 | ||
| 13 July 2012 - 31 August 2012 | £1595 | 7 | ||
| 31 August 2012 - 7 September 2012 | £995 | 7 | ||
| 7 September 2012 - 28 September 2012 | £825 | 7 | ||
| 28 September 2012 - 21 December 2012 | £655 | 7 |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the property per week in UK pounds.
Changeover day
Fridays, because we can get better cleaners and it is better for flights/traffic, although out of peak season we can be flexible.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Bedroom 1 with twin beds. Bedroom 2 with king-size and 1 single beds. Bedroom 3 with king-size bed. Bedroom 4 with double bed. Bedroom 5 with 4 single beds. |
| Bathrooms: | 2 modern bathrooms each with handbasin and loo. 2 modern shower rooms each with handbasin and loo. |
| Kitchen: | 2 kitchens each with a hob, oven, microwave and dishwasher. One has a fridge, the other a fridge/freezer. There is a washing machine in the pool room in the orchard which is immediately opposite the house across a service access. |
| Utility Room: | The pool room contains the pool heating and other controls, and an automatic washing machine. There is washing line. There is an iron and ironing board in the house. |
| Living Rooms: | The 2 sitting rooms each contain a TV and have UK satellite television. There is a DVD player, and 2 bluetooth CD player/radios. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
Towels and bed linen are included at the start, and guests can use the washing machine and iron should they want a mid-term changeover, or a local laundry service can be arranged as an extra. |
| Amenities/Facilities: | hob/stove oven fridge/freezer fridge microwave dishwasher washing machine iron/ironing board satellite tv tv internet access room fans cot high chair barbecue private pool (for sole use of guests) pool heating |
| Suitability: | pets accepted |
| Location Type: | rural village |
Notes on accommodation
Suitable for children. Pets welcome
Accessibility
2 sets of double doors open from the service access into the ground floor of the rear house and there is a single modern flight of stairs to the first floor.
Outside
There is a patio and lawn to the front, a small patio and triangle of lawn to the rear, and an orchard opposite the house. The 10.3 metre heated swimming pool and extensive terrace surround, is in this orchard, which has views over the vineyards. Equipment/furniture includes a charcoal BBQ, 6 sunloungers, 4 other pool easy chairs, 16 metal chairs and 4 metal tables.
The rear of the house has an upstairs terrace leading off the kitchen, with beautiful views.
Coast/Beach
The huge, wide, sandy beach at Gruissan with its houses on stilts is one hour`s drive. Close is an animal drive-through park replicating the African savannah and its denizens.
Golf
There is a course or courses near Carcassonne, but anyone interested should contact me and I will find out more.
Skiing
The nearest ski resort is one hour by car.
Special interest holidays
We are linked to an English Winemaster who arranges wine tours including olive oil tasting, lunches and transport to & fro the house.
Travel
Carcassonne airport (Ryanair) is 20 minutes drive. Toulouse airport (BA and Easyjet) is one hours drive. Car hire or use is recommended.
Distances
Limoux, Fanjeaux, Narbonne and the canal du Midi are all an hour or much less away by car. The beautiful medieval timbered town of Mirepoix is 20 minutes drive. The district is full of famous Cathar fortresses and circulaire defensive villages.
There is a wolf sanctuary near the Pryrenees visited twice by our grandchildren, and a number of impressive caves including one where original drawings of bison 15,000 years or more ago can still be seen by pre-booked guided tour with an English speaker.
Further details
This is provided in the house folder, although I would mention the excellent restaurant, Gayda, 12 minutes drive away.
There are also wine appreciation and viniculture courses at Gayda, and many places locally to take part in wine-tastings. There is a church in Bellegarde with occasional masses, and more frequent Protestant and RC services in Limoux.
Booking notes
Please contact me and I will provide this, by e-mail or post.
Guest comments
We had a really lovely holiday at Maison Xanthe. The house was a perfect base for exploring such a beautiful area and the villagers were very friendly. The swimming pool was fantastic for the children and well maintained. The property was spacious and adequate for our requirements. I think the property is an ideal let for large families or friends (Mrs S Edney)
We had a wonderful holiday and would be very interested in renting Maison Xanthe again next year. (They did) (The Britton family)
We`ve had a great time here-it is a lovely house in a quiet and delightful area. Our highlights included time in and by the pool, meals on the balcony-one day a red squirrel walked across from the trees and jumped on the hedge, and trips to Lagrasse and Collioure & Port Vendres. Mr & Mrs Smethurst.
What a wonderful place Maison Xanthe is! I`ve wanted to go to Languedoc for ages and it was just as it was portrayed; peaceful (for the grown-ups), plenty to do (for kids and grown-ups alike) Doug
Owner profile
My husband and I in the Rockies
About the owner
I live in England with my husband and our 2 black labradors. We are both retired and enjoy travelling and staying at our house in France. We have 2 daughters, married, and 2 grandchildren, all of whom love their visits to the house.
Year purchased: 2007
Why the owner chose a home in this location
We bought our house in Bellegarde while on holiday at a friend's house in the village because we loved the area so much. The hill-top villages (Circulaires) offer wonderful views and are steeped in history, particularly of the Cathar period. Surrounded by vineyards and fields of sun flowers it is very peaceful. However, there is a huge variety of things to do in the area - wine-tasting. Spectacular castles to visit, lakes with beaches and water sports, caves with prehistoric wall-paintings, museums of prehistory, animal parks and fascinating towns/cites. Carcasonne and Mirepoix. The Mediterranean beach resorts can be easily visited so it offers something for everyone. Carcassonne airport is 20 minutes from the property and Toulouse is just over an hour away.
Unique benefits of the property
The heated swimming pool is large and has a size able paved area around it giving plenty of space for loungers and sunbathing. It is located in an orchard which provides lovely shade on hot days and is very pleasant for relaxing. The real delight of the house is that it is divided into 2 parts with a connecting door between the kitchen of the front part and the large salon of the back part. There is a bathroom and a shower room in each part of the house (4 in total) as well as 2 kitchens. This makes it perfect for friends or families to share, since they can have privacy, and it is very useful for parties of different age groups.
For booking and further information
Property Ref FR4578
Jean van Beek
Tel: (UK) + 44 (0)1892 852488
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Property Ref FR4578
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