Maison Folie, Contemporary Villa with Private Pool in Languedoc South of France [AU020A]

South of France Contemporary Holiday Villa to sleep 6

Flexible arrival day and short stays possible from September onwards

Contemporary holiday villa with private pool on the edge of a typical Mediterranean wine producing village en route to the Cathar castle land.

A local family have built a cluster of six villas, each has its own private pool, on the edge of a Corbiere village. South facing they are open towards the countryside in a lovely environment, perfect for family holidays in the languedoc.

Whilst there is shared parking as you drive into the entrance to the villas, each house has privacy around the pool and pool terrace. All 6 holiday villas face the open countryside and vineyards. They are not directly overlooked by neighbours (see Ref: AU018A, AU019A, AU021A, AU031A and AU032A).

The holiday villas also serve as a showcase for the owner's considerable experimental artistic talent and flair - the villas have murals, mosaics around the pool, sculptures, and very large sculpted pieces in the villa grounds. Bold and challenging they make an unusual colourful contrast to the Mediterranean landscape around.

This Languedoc villa is built on one level, is spacious, well equipped and comfortably furnished. Glass doors lead out onto a pool side terrace, perfect for an evening apero.

The owner is an artist and some of his work and paintings feature in and around the property.

The four villas can be rented together, for a group of up to 24 people, and owners can organise guided visits to the local vineyards, quad biking, horse-riding, and a visit to a spa.

South of France Family Villa to sleep 6

The holiday villa is built on one level with sliding doors leading to a lovely poolside terrace - ideal for that languid lunch or early evening aperitif a must whilst on holiday in the Languedoc.

All on ground floor

Kitchen - adequately equipped for holiday use. The dining/living room is open plan, and very light and spacious. There is a glass dining table with 6 chairs, and a comfortable modern sofa.

The living room gives on to an outside terrace with the 10m x 5m x 1.4m (alarmed) swimming pool with a manual cover, that if used overnight, can help to retain the heat of the day and keep the temperature up by 2 or 3 degrees.

The outside terrace is south facing, partially covered, and with a BBQ area. The outside terrace is south facing, partially covered, and with a BBQ area.  A garden wall edges the terrace giving privacy from the vineyards and limited views to the surrounding countryside.

There are 3 bedrooms - two doubles (160 x 200cm) and one twin (2 x 90cm x 190cm) and 2 shower rooms with walk in showers and wash hand basin.

One independent wc.

Air Conditioning - one unit above the front door.

This villa was completed in the summer of 2010, and thereby benefits from contemporary equipment and style, in the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and has a designer feel.

Washing machine
Dishwasher
Tumble dryer
Large fridge/freezer
Oven with hob
Microwave
Electric Kettle
Toaster
Iron and ironing board
Hairdryer

Safe

Cot available on request

Flat ScreenTV French Satellite/Cable with some English speaking New s Channels
DVD/CD

Internet access ADSL and Wi-Fi

Air-conditioning - one unit above the front door

Garden furniture

Summer Kitchen

Parking for two cars

This property is one of four villas that the Owners have built on a large area of 16,000m2 (see AU018A, AU019A, AU021A, AU031A and AU032A). The owners planted many oleanders and other Mediterranean trees and bushes in the summer of 2010. The 6 properties are surrounded by an "Artists Wall" created by the Owner which acts as a piece of art in itself to enhance the viewing of his work.

The villa has a garden area of 800m2 and a private pool with a terrace area and BBQ area (essential for family summer holidays!). The large living-dining rooms have direct access on to the covered terrace, which provides shade during those hot afternoons by the pool.

The 10m x 5m x 1.4m private swimming pool is fitted with an alarm according to the French pool safety law. Children's pool toys available. The pool border, garden side is not very wide, and shouldn't be used for diving.

A manual pool cover, if used overnight, can help to retain the heat of the day and keep the temperature up by 2 or 3 degrees.

Charcoal BBQ

Garden furniture - outside table and chairs for 6 plus 6 chaises longues for sunbathing.

Car-Parking for 2 cars.

The holiday home also serves as a showcase for the owner's considerable experimental artistic talent and flair - the villas have murals, mosaics around the pool, sculptures, and very large sculpted pieces in the villa grounds. Bold and challenging they make an unusual contrast to the Mediterranean landscape. There are two very large sculptures as one enters the property - the 'central' piece - is a tree, which has been turned into a stone sculpture with lots of pieces of glass and mirror - children should be supervised and discouraged from playing in these areas, both for their safety and not to damage the work.

Some unfenced 'drops' off the pool terrace.

This lovely villa is situated in Montseret, a typical Mediterranean wine-producing village in the Corbieres. The owners have vineyards and the local Cave Cooperative is just around the corner.

There is a small grocer's shop in the village and in St Andre de Roquelongue which is only 3km away there are village shops, a pharmacy, café and public tennis courts.

The landscape around the village is stunningly beautiful; nearby are the medieval Cathar castles; majestic ruins rising above precipitous summits.

The Mediterranean beaches (Gruissan, Narbonne and Leucate plages) are all within 25-40km, and the Pyrenees mountains and the Spanish border and are only an hour's drive away (The Salvador Dali museum in Figueres is just over the border).

Abbey de Fontfroide appr 10km.

Narbonne apprx 18km - a lovely town, Canal du Robine running though the centre, great shops and a market, fantastic Cathedral and remants of the "Via Domitia" (Roman road).

Bages apprx 22km. Lovely fishing village on the shores.

Narbonne 'Etang' (lagoon) Several very good seafood restaurants. Great windsurfing on the étang in early spring and late autumn (some speed records have been set here).

Sigean apprx 24km Wildlife safari park.

Port la Nouvelle apprx 30km. Superb sandy beaches.

Béziers apprx 48km. Major market town, noted for its bull-fight 'Feria' in August.

Pezenas apprx 65km. Attractive medieval town.

Montpellier apprx 120km. Large university town.

Carcassonne apprx60km Largest fortified medieval town - a UNESCO site.

Nimes apprx150km Roman temple and arena.

Perpignan apprx 6km Palace of Kings of Mallorca

For more information about this region, please refer to our Languedoc Regional Guide

ACCESS

For information on reaching Languedoc, please refer to our South France Travel Information Guide

International airports are at:

Beziers - apprx 20km from Cap d'Agde. (Ryanair from Bristol, Luton, Manchester and Edinburgh).

Carcassonne - (Ryanair to Stansted, East Midlands, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Cork and Dublin).

Montpellier (international flights worldwide). Easyjet from Gatwick and Luton, Ryanair from Leeds Bradford).

Perpignan - (Ryanair from Stansted, Birmingham, Flybe to Southampton).

Nimes - (Ryanair from Luton and Liverpool).

Girona (Spain) - (Ryanair from various UK airports)

Toulouse and Barcelona (Spain) also have International and Transatlantic flights.

South of France by Rail:
Beziers and Agde have railway stations with nearby car rental
Paris to Beziers is 4,20 hrs by TGV (Train Grande Vitesse)

South of France by Road:
740 km south of Paris (about 6 hours drive non-stop)
1030 km south of Calais (about 9 hours drive non-stop)

Small grocer with bread depot in the village

Supermarket apprx 3km

Café-bar apprx 3km

Pharmacy apprx 3km

Restaurants - good restaurants within 7km.

Tennis courts apprx 3km

There are a couple of larger supermarkets apprx 15 minutes away in Lezignan Corbieres and hypermarkets in Narbonne apprx 20 minutes.

Beaches:
apprx 25 km or 25 minutes drive to some of the Languedoc's nicest beaches.