Vacation Rental Description
The cottage is in the small friendly village of Montazels, just off the D118 between Limoux & Quillan. The south facing vine shaded terrace is ideal for taking in the fantasic views. Ideally placed for walking, cycling, fishing, canoeing, swimming and skiing, the local airports - Carcassonne, Perpignan, Toulouse and Gerona are all serviced by Easy Jet or Ryanair.
Being at the centre of the Cathar region, surrounded by hill top castles and the medieval city of Carcassonne just 40 minutes away, reminds you of the fascinating and often tragic history for which this region is renowned.
Just across the valley from the cottage is Rennes le Chateau, centre of a mystery still very much alive. The mystery is one of sudden wealth of a village priest, (Bérenger Saunière was born in Montazels in 1852), secret codes and a search for treasure in the latter part of the 19thC. This story and the surrounding area have been written about many times. The origin of the plot for the Dan Brown Book 'The Da Vinci Code' began right here. In her best selling historical novel 'Labyrinth', Kate Mosse uses Carcassonne and its fascinating history as a backdrop to the story, and in her latest novel, 'Sepulchre' the nearby village of Rennes-les-Baines features in the plot.
The local rivers, lakes and natural spas provide bathing opportunities plus the coast is just 90 minutes away. If skiing is your thing, the nearest resort at 40kms away is Camurac, with 15 slopes, two of which are green, 8 blues, 2 red and 3 black. With 7 ski lifts, 13 snow canons and 14 km of cross-country ski tracks. Buses leave twice a day from Quillan (11kms) during the season.
Facilities
Cable Satellite
Cooking Utensils
Dishwasher
Dryer
DVD
Heating
Kitchen
Microwave
Open Fire
Amenity Parking
Refrigerator
Sterio
TV
Washer
The cottage has been recently renovated and has a modern bathroom with bath and shower. The kitchen with fridge/freezer, cooker, microwave, toaster, kettle and dishwasher has all you need for a comfortable stay.
We have a Log Burner, Central Heating, Telephone, House Linen, Towels Provided, Internet Access. A CD player, TV,DVD, wifi, radio, Ipod station /charger, and a library of books & games are provided.
Dining seating for 6 - a high chair is also available.The lounge opens on the the terrace which is equipped with table & chairs and offers fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.
Entertainment: TV, DVD, Radio, CD System, Board Games.
Outside: Terrace with Garden Furniture. The south facing vine shaded terrace has stunning views over the Aude Valley to Rennes-le-Chateau and Coustassa Castle.
A travel cot is alos provided.
Activities
Adventure Sports
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Horse Riding
Hunting/Rock Climbing
Kayaking
Mountain Biking
Restaurant
Shopping
Rafting
Skiing
Snow Boarding
Water Sports
The medieval city of Carcassone is 40 minutes drive, or why not take the train - a 10 minute walk to the stop from the cottage.
We have 2 very good restaurants within 15 minutes walk over the river bridge in Couiza.
The aude is a grade 1 trout river and only 10 minutes walk from the door. The area is also ideal for walkers and cyclists with miles of quite tracks and country roads, dotted with pictuesque villages and the odd hilltop Cathar castle to explore.
The mediterranean coast is just an hours drive with lost of interesting villages en route and long stretches of golden sand. Our local spa villages Rennes les Bains and Alet le Bain also offer bathing in hot spa waters containing natural minerals renowned for their curative properties.
The Spanish border is 90 minutes drive with Barcelona another 45 minutes. You can also drive across to Andorra for skiing, fantastic scenery and tax free shopping opportunities.