Pech Luna holiday farmhouse rental with walking, log fire, balcony/terrace, internet access, telephone, rural retreat, TV, DVD

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Le Domaine de Loustalviel (farmhouse)

Home description

Le Domaine de Loustalviel consists of 3 traditional stone-built houses, one for 4 guests, one for 5 guests, and one for 8 guests. (For more information and detail, please visit our main website via the link at the bottom right of this page).

The houses have been thoughtfully restored to provide all the comforts for a relaxed and carefree holiday:

- Large, comfortable sitting and dining areas;

- Fully equipped modern kitchens;

- Airy bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms;

- All linen included (except swimming towels);

- Private gardens with shaded terraces and dining areas;

- Central heating and wood-burning stoves;

- Separate downstairs wc/utility rooms with washing machine;

- 7 acres of grounds with a 12-metre solar-heated pool, a piste de boules, a sandpit, football goalposts, cricket stumps, a basketball hoop, a secluded picnic corner by the pretty stream.

LoustalViel, seen from the Piste de Boules	The 12 metre heated pool, with canopies to shade you from the powerful Languedoc sun.
The top bedroom	The main sitting area

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/89577

The Languedoc-Roussillon / Aude region

The region of Languedoc-Roussillon is really too wonderful and various to describe here. Here are just some of the things you might want to do, or places you might want to visit in the area. There are masses more (if you think there are things we've left out that should be included, please email us):

Admire the Pyrenees. A 40 minute drive will bring you well into the foothills with a huge range of walks, from “granny and the kids” (great in high summer) to “compass, and bivvy” (probably better enjoyed in May, June or September), all very beautiful. Click here to get a flavour of just how varied and beautiful and inviting the opportunities are for working off some of that gastronomic over-indulgence.

The Canal du Midi. The Canal du Midi runs peacefully and very beautifully all the way from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. We’re only 20 minutes away from the quiet lock at Villefranche de Lauragais, and 25 minutes from the bustling bassin at Castelnaudary. Both make excellent start points for a leisurely walk along the plane-tree-shaded towpath, and will lead you sooner or later to a café where you can watch the tranquil canal traffic passing by.

Explore the medieval city of Carcassonne. You have to go and see it. It’s a Walt Disney take on a medieval walled city – except that this time it’s real! It’s a 40-minute drive, and you’ll need at least 4 hours to walk the streets and the ramparts, and it’s a bit of culture that even kids enjoy. Be warned, however, in high season, it can become very crowded, and they’ll make you park a long way away. Worth thinking about taking a picnic. In the summer months it can get very hot in the city, and you might prefer to save this trip for a cooler day, or go first thing in the morning while it’s still cool, and before the crowds arrive. There are some pretty spectacular events in Carcassonne, details to be found on their website.

Montsegur.

This castle was the heart of the Cathar movement. Built in 1204, it was Esclarmonde's stronghold, and, judging by the steep footpath up, just about impregnable. It was modernised in 1232 and finally besieged in May 1243 by Hugh d’Arcis after the Cathars, very properly, killed off the Inquisitional tribunal at Avignonet. It fell through treachery in 1244, and 225 Cathars were burned below its walls, allowing themselves to be barbecued rather than pragmatically 'renouncing' their beliefs to fight another day.

Depending on how fit you are, and how hot the day, the climb up from the road will take somewhere between ½ an hour and 1 hour. The rewards, when you get to the top are spectacular views, a real feeing of achievement, and the satisfaction of having worked off the lunch you had on the way. It takes about an hour by car to get to Montségur from Loustalviel. The area around Montsegur is also home to many other sites of great importance in the history of the Cathar movement.

Vineyards. There used to be a vineyard at Loustalviel. Now you have to travel a bit further.

20 kilometres to the West of the Domaine is the wine-growing region of the Malepère (mainly reds, but some quite exciting and original whites. 10 kilometres beyond that, the Limoux , and they also do some of stunning whites. We buy all over the place, but keep coming back to three places:

Just beyond Montréal (a 20-minute drive), you’ll find the Appellations Contrôlées of Malepère and Limoux.

We recommend a visit to Domaine le Fort (04 68 76 20 11), between La Force and Montréal. It’s not very posh, but offers a wide choice of red, white, rosé and sweet wines grown and bottled on the Domaine, and ranging from 1€10 a litre (take your own container – it’s unleaded!) to 9€ a bottle.

Or go to Limoux and visit the cellars of Sieur d’Arques for a range of sparkling (Crémant de Limoux claims to pre-date, and to be better than Champagne) and still white wines - not cheap, but we think classy, different, and mostly good value-for-money (04 68 74 63 45).

Finally, we're becoming more and more seduced by the wines on offer at Château Gayda. Not easy to find (it's just outside Brugairolles near Limoux, which you'll have to find - with difficulty - on the map). There's a wide choice of whites and reds ranging from about 5€ a bottle to well up in the teens. We think they're all good value, and we're not at all surprised at the rumour that they supply the house wine for Gordon Ramsay’s gaffs - f-ing good stuff!

Pech Luna area

Pech Luna is a pretty hilltop village of 87 souls 1,000 ft up into the rolling hills of the Languedoc-Roussillon in South West France. It has a church, a mairie, a school, and very little else beyond a serene air of calm and tranquillity.

One and a half kilometres away, a fifteen minute walk, is Le Domaine de Loustalviel, a cluster of three sensitively renovated farm buildings, with a 12 metre heated pool, set in a 7 acres of gardens and meadows that slope down to the tiny brook at the border of our land.

A haven of rural tranquillity, the Domaine is nonetheless very accessible:

- Under an hour from Carcassonne and Toulouse airports;

- Under 10 minutes from extensive village shopping;

- 20 minutes from 3 excellent hypermarkets;

- Many restaurants for all tastes and budgets within 20 minutes;

- Within easy reach of golf, sailing, windsurfing, cycling, horse riding;

- Surrounded by medieval towns, ancient churches, vineyards, prehistoric cave settlements and glorious landscapes;

- An hour from the Mediterranean beaches, or the Pyrenees for some spectacular walking or skiing;

- 20 minutes from the Canal du Midi.

How to get there

By air:

- Toulouse via BA, EasyJet, BMI, Aer Lingus, FlyBe, Jet2

- Carcassonne via Ryanair

By road: a fast 9 hour or relaxed 10 hour drive from the Channel ports.

Activities near Pech Luna

Facilities

Further details indoors:
LoustalViel (“the old house” in the local patois) was the principal house of the Domaine which carries its name. It now has a new roof and we have entirely remodelled the inside to maintain as many local features as possible, but with space and convenience undreamt of when it was built a century-and-a-half ago.

It is a big house, with spacious accommodation. There are two sitting rooms, two twin bedrooms and two large double bedrooms, both with en-suite shower room and wc. One, on the first floor, measures a spacious 3½ metres x 7 metres and has a double height beamed ceiling. The other, on the top floor is an enormous 7½ metres square, and has spectacular views over the large, shared pool and the surrounding hills towards the Pyrenees on the southern horizon.

- Private garden and shaded outdoor dining/barbecue area;

- Large (7½ metres square) open-plan sitting, dining and kitchen area;

- Second 3½ metre x 5½ metre sitting room, with satellite TV and CD player;

- A sensitive blend of modern furniture for functionality, and hand-picked traditional Languedoc, Cathar and Catalan pieces to add style and atmosphere;

- The paintings are by a local artist;

- Fully equipped modern kitchen with dishwasher, fridge/freezer, microwave, double sink, electric oven, gas hob;

- Traditional light terracotta ceramic flooring throughout;

- Ceramic flooring on the ground floor, and oak flooring on the bedroom floors;

- Two double bedrooms, (3½ metres x 7 metres and 7½ metres square), both with en-suite shower and wc;

- Two twin bedrooms, both 3 metres by 6 metres, which share a bathroom and wc

- Central heating and a log-burning stove to take the chill off spring and autumn evenings

- Separate downstairs wc;

- Separate utility room with washing machine and tumble drier;

- Satellite TV, and DVD player.

Further details outdoors:
LoustalViel is one of three houses. It has its own shaded outside dining area with a big brick-built barbecue, and its own lawned garden.

But step outside "your" territory, and you have the freedom of 7 acres of orchards and meadows. There's a heated 12-metre swimming pool (shared with the other two houses and with child-friendly safety fencing). There's table tennis, boules, a basket-ball hoop, football goalposts, a cricket set available on-site, and, above all, from every corner of the domaine, spectacular views of the Pyrenees.

Further details

There are on-site resident caretakers to help with any problems, and give you guidance to the any of the many attractions of the area.

The swimming pool is heated from mid-April to the end of September but (usually) closed from early October to early April).

We do not welcome hen or stag parties, and require that at least one member of any party be over 30.

Conditions

Please email us for possible discounts on multi-week and multi-house rentals outside Peak and High Season.

We do not welcome hen or stag parties, and require that at least one member of any party be over 30.

Rental rates

Prices for group size 8
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Low Season	3 Oct 09	19 Dec 09	550£ 550	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	19 Dec 09	2 Jan 10	800£ 800	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	2 Jan 10	3 Apr 10	550£ 550	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	3 Apr 10	17 Apr 10	800£ 800	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	17 Apr 10	1 May 10	550£ 550	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	1 May 10	8 May 10	800£ 800	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	8 May 10	29 May 10	550£ 550	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	29 May 10	26 Jun 10	800£ 800	0-	0-	Flexible
High Season	26 Jun 10	17 Jul 10	1250£ 1,250	0-	0-	1 Week
Peak Season	17 Jul 10	28 Aug 10	1750£ 1,750	0-	0-	1 Week
High Season	28 Aug 10	4 Sep 10	1250£ 1,250	0-	0-	1 Week
Mid Season	4 Sep 10	2 Oct 10	800£ 800	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	2 Oct 10	18 Dec 10	550£ 550	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	18 Dec 10	8 Jan 11	800£ 800	0-	0-	Flexible

Prices for group size 5
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Low Season	7 Nov 09	19 Dec 09	350£ 350	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	19 Dec 09	2 Jan 10	500£ 500	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	2 Jan 10	3 Apr 10	350£ 350	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	3 Apr 10	17 Apr 10	500£ 500	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	17 Apr 10	1 May 10	350£ 350	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	1 May 10	8 May 10	500£ 500	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	8 May 10	29 May 10	350£ 350	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	29 May 10	26 Jun 10	500£ 500	0-	0-	Flexible
High Season	26 Jun 10	17 Jul 10	795£ 795	0-	0-	1 Week
Peak Season	17 Jul 10	28 Aug 10	995£ 995	0-	0-	1 Week
High Season	28 Aug 10	4 Sep 10	795£ 795	0-	0-	1 Week
Mid Season	4 Sep 10	2 Oct 10	500£ 500	0-	0-	Flexible
Low Season	2 Oct 10	18 Dec 10	350£ 350	0-	0-	Flexible
Mid Season	18 Dec 10	8 Jan 11	500£ 500	0-	0-	Flexible

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

We can sometimes offer discounts for multi-house and multi-week rentals outside "High" and "Peak" seasons, and for very last-minute bookings.

Guestbook for Le Domaine de Loustalviel

Here are some of the more recent comments we've received from guests:

Paul from Cardiff:
"We had an excellent time at Le Domaine de Loustalviel. LoustalBeau was an excellent place to stay and the surrounding area had plenty to occupy us. We had a wonderful holiday."

Lynne from Derby:
"A fantastic and well equipped gite in a beautiful location with amazing views. We had a very relaxing week and would recommend Loustalviel to everyone."

Susan from Ashington:
"fantastic accommodation and setting for a peaceful and relaxing holiday"

Lynne from Nottingham:
"We had a thoroughly brilliant week.... the property and its surroundings were truly fantastic. Thank you for a superb holiday."

Tessa from Reading:
"The position of the property and the views were fantastic and such a lovely place to come back to after a day out doing something energetic. We loved the under floor heating and the wood burner and the property was a real pleasure to stay in. Not only was it beautifully situated it was well equipped and very comfortable. A great place for a winter break and I am sure it must be fantastic in the summer as well. Would recommend to anyone."

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Send Enquiry

To contact this advertiser please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/89577

Contact details for the advertiser of home 89577
Name:	Richard Samuel
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Advertiser joined: May 2009