A beautiful and historic stone house that has been lovingly renovated while retaining its authentic French style. It stands in the very best spot on the main square (along with the café/boulangerie/épicerie) in the picturesque Mediterranean fishing village of Bages, situated between vineyards, salt-water lagoons and sea. The house overlooks the village square and rooftops with views from every bedroom and from the roof terrace to the sparkling water of the Étang de Bages (lagoon) and the Mediterranean beyond. We fell in love with the French style and character of this house the very first time we saw it as well as the friendliness of the village and we are sure you will too; it is the perfect place to relax, switch off and enjoy a taste of the very best of France and French village life but also close to Narbonne, Perpignan, Collioure, Spain and Barcelona and a large choice of beaches plus every activity on land or on water.
The house is tucked away in the prettiest part of the village, peaceful and calm but with everything you need on the doorstep; watch the sun rise over the water from the terrace, then pop across the square for your morning baguette and stop by the café to enjoy a petit crème with your croissant. There is every activity close by; fantastic walking, beautiful cycle trails, sailing, windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, rowing, fishing, bird watching (the region is famous for its bird life and flamingos), tennis, wine tasting, beaches, historic chateaux and cities – or just sit and enjoy the views and soak up the atmosphere of this friendly and authentic fishing village in the perfect climate of this part of the south of France.
This is our second home with all the usual home comforts and we hope that we have thought of everything so that you can really relax. Downstairs, steps lead up to the front door and you come into a cosy sitting room with comfortable sofa, plenty of books and games and TV/DVD/Wifi/ipod dock. From here it is a step up into the large open-plan kitchen and dining room filled with light from the huge windows overlooking the village square. There is a large dining table seating 8 easily and the modern kitchen is very well equipped with a large American style double fridge/freezer, an induction hob, dishwasher, coffee maker, plenty of pots and pans and crockery and cutlery for at least 8 people. There is a separate back entrance into the kitchen from the little lane behind which is perfect for unloading the shopping and there is a small table and a couple of chairs here for another choice of sitting area. There is also an open fireplace in the kitchen, lots of storage and a separate wc.
Upstairs, on the first floor, is the master bedroom with double height windows that open to the south with views over the square and the lagoon behind. The room has a large king size bed which can be made into two single beds as required. This room manages to be cool in summer and cosy in winter. There is a large closet area with its own sink. There is a second double bedroom with two sets of windows facing east over the square and views of the lagoon plus a large wardrobe/storage area. Across the hall is a very large, family bathroom with sink, bath and Italian shower plus there is a utility area with washing machine. Upstairs again, on the top floor, is a further double bedroom with king size bed (can be made into two singles) facing south with beautiful views of the village, the lagoon and the surrounding landscape. Next door is a shower room with wc and sink.
Also on this floor is our favourite room; the sunny top sitting room with sliding French doors onto the terrace and spectacular views of the lagoons and the sea beyond. It is the perfect place to enjoy an early morning cup of tea, watching the sun rise over the water or a relaxed breakfast as the village wakes up below. Perfect too for an evening aperitif or just a heavenly place to sit and admire the ever-changing, panoramic view of the fishermen at work on the water, the sailing boats, the windsurfers the famous flamingos and birdlife of the region and French village life. Out of the end window, you may even spot snow-covered Canigou in the far distance.
Bages is that very rare thing, an unspoiled, authentic and picturesque Mediterranean fishing village in the Languedoc-Roussillon, situated between vineyards, lagoons and sea but utterly untouched by mass tourism. It has managed to retain its traditional feel and way of life despite being just 15 minutes from Narbonne and on one of the most beautiful stretches of the Languedoc coast and also one of the prettiest villages in the region, situated in the beautiful wine-growing area of Corbières, overlooking a vast lagoon, part of the Narbonnaise en Méditerranée natural park and home to flocks of pink flamingos and an extraordinary assortment of birds (350). An idyllic location in a wild, picturesque and lightly populated pocket of the otherwise crowded Mediterranean.