Vacation Rental Description
Stay in this comfortable family home in Poilhes, a charming village on the Canal du Midi, near shops and restaurants. The owners have renovated part of a large Maison Vigneron to create high quality stylish and spacious accommodation. Sleeps six people in three bedrooms, each with en-suite shower room; with private swimming pool, terrace, entrance courtyard and sunken patio. WiFi
Step through the imposing iron gate and enter the large courtyard, which is landscaped in bricks and pebble, with beds planted with typical Mediterranean plants - here you can escape the sun in the heat of the day. La Fontaine formed part of a very large Maison Vigneron, a typical vineyard owner's house of the 19th century. Abandoned by its then owners at the end of the second world war, the house has been re-awakened from its Cinderella like slumber and brought back to life in a special way.
Behind the old front door is an entrance hall, from where you have access to all of the house. To the left you enter in to the dining room, with its large dining table and wood burning fireplace. The kitchen is separated from the dining room but diners can watch the goings on in the kitchen through the arch. The kitchen is fully equipped, with gas cooker, electric oven, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, microwave oven, electric coffee maker, kettle, and toaster.
On the opposite side of the hallway is the living room, which is comfortably furnished with sofa, easy chairs, a writing desk and a very large bookcase, where you can find a large selection of books to while away the hours in the sun. There is a television with satellite receiver (free to view UK channels) and DVD player, as well as a stereo system with CD, cassette and radio. Internet accesss is available via WiFi. French doors lead from the living room to a stone staircase, which leads to the pool area at the back of the house. At the same level as the sitting room, there is a little sunken patio, ideal for an intimate breakfast.
The private swimming pool is 7.5mt by 3.5mt and has wide steps at the side to safely enter the water. A terrace to the side of the pool is furnished with garden furniture, sun loungers, BBQ, and is completely private.
Back in the house, there is a small utility room on the ground floor, with a washing machine.
The bedrooms are on the 1st and 2nd floors of the house (2nd and 3rd for north Americans). On the 1st floor are two bedrooms: Bedroom 1 overlooks the courtyard at the front of the house and features the original marble fireplace (decorative only); it is furnished with two single beds, which can be pushed together to make a large double bed. This bedroom has built in closets and a spacious en-suite shower room with shower, WC and wash hand basin.
Bedroom two overlooks both the courtyard at the front and the pool and terrace at the rear of the house and is furnished with a double bed. This bedroom also has an en-suite shower room with shower, WC and wash hand basin. Both shower rooms have electrically heated towel rails.
On the 2nd floor is a third bedroom with two single beds, and another spacious en-suite shower room, with shower, WC, wash hand basin and heated towel rail.
La Fontaine has been fully modernised and is equipped with electric radiators throughout for the cooler months.
Facilities
Cable Satellite
Cooking Utensils
Dishwasher
DVD
Heating
Kitchen
Linen Service
Microwave
Open Fire
Amenity Parking
Private Pool
Refrigerator
Sterio
TV
Washer
The village of Poilhes is one of several villages in the area, where the historic Canal du Midi passes through the centre, only a short walk away from La Fontaine. Picturesque, with a foot and road bridge, the canal was once an important traffic route from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Today it is used largely by pleasure craft and its towpaths are ideal for walking and cycling in the shade of the plane trees, which line the canal banks.
In the village are two restaurants, a grocery store, post office and a number of mobile stores selling fresh produce visit on a daily basis. Poilhes is only 4 km from Capestang, where there is a large supermarket with petrol station, a bank with 24 hr cash machine, a twice weekly market, and a selection of other shops, cafes and restaurants.
Activities
Beach
Biking
Horse Riding
Kayaking
Mountain Biking
Restaurant
The beaches of the Mediterranean are only a short drive away, while to the north the mountains offer a number of cooler lakes, ideal for a refrehing dip in the summer.
The immediate surrounding area is very rich in history with the pre-historic Oppidum at Enserune giving spectacular views onto the Etang de Montady, a
marshy lake drained by an ingenious system of canals. The nearby Via
Domitia brought trade and commerce to the area in Roman times and
excavations from the period can be viewed in Narbonne and Salleles d'Aude.
Cathar history is present almost everywhere and the ancient fortress of
Carcassonne is only an hours drive away.
Poilhes is within easy driving distance of International airports -
Montpellier (60 mins), Carcassonne (60 mins), Toulouse (2 hours) and
Barcelona (3.5 hours). There are railway stations at Beziers (30 mins) and
Narbonne (40 mins) with TGV connections to Paris.
Travel Options
- Nearest Airport : Carcassonne at 72 kilometers distance;
- Nearest Train Station : Beziers at 15 kilometers distance
- Nearest Town : Beziers at 14 kilometers distance