9 Bedroom Villa in Languedoc-Roussillon

The 'Chateau of the Great Sun' is a 13th Century fortified French Castle, located in the charming village of Souilhe in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of South West France, overlooking the Valle de Fresquel with views to the Pyrenees and the Black Mountains.  
 
The Chateau is around a thirty minute drive from Carcassonne and easily reachable from both Carcassonne and Toulouse airports. Comfortably sleeping 19, with covered heated swimming pool, the Chateau is available for hire all year round for: 
 
•Weekend breaks (out of season) 
•Holiday bookings & family gatherings 
•Small business meetings 
•Wedding parties 
 
Inside The Chateau 
 
The Chateau is tastefully decorated boasting a variety of traditional French period features, including a magnificent Louis XIII stone balustraded staircase. Heated and well-furnished throughout, most ceilings are 13ft high and heavily beamed in chestnut; some are hand painted. 
 
To obtain a feel for the inside of the Chateau please view the Interior Photo Album here.  
To obtain a feel for the outside of the Chateau please view the Exterior Photo Album here. 
 
With nine bedrooms and eight bath or shower rooms the Chateau can comfortably sleep 19 people including 5 people in a ground floor apartment. There are 5 reception rooms and two kitchens. Linen and towels are provided. 
 
There is also a nursery, library area and an enormous vaulted wine cellar with a blocked off tunnel, reputedly used by the Resistance Movement and said to lead to the nearby town. In addition there is a playroom/reading room with selection of toys and a utility room with fridge freezer, washing machine and drying area. 
 
Terrace: With tables and chairs over-looking pretty garden with views to the Pyrenees. 
 
Bedrooms: 
 
The Chateau’s nine bedrooms are as follows: 
An enormous family bedroom with coroneted Louis XV bed, bed for child, antique cot and a 19th century style en-suite bathroom with roll-top bath. 
A romantic large double bedroom with Louis XV coroneted bed, nursery with cot and stylish shower room. 
A very large double bedroom with spiral staircase and gallery sharing bathroom with 
A double bedroom with four poster bed, spiral staircase and gallery. 
A pretty double bedroom with watchtower sharing bathroom with 
A Tuscan style double bedroom with tower. 
A second floor twin bedroom with en-suite modern bathroom and w/c. 
 
Ground Floor Apartment: 
 
In the ground floor apartment is a large bathroom with double and single beds and en-suite shower room and a pretty double bedroom with en-suite corner bathroom. 
There is an additional shower room on the ground floor.

Dining Hall: The baronial dining hall makes a wonderful setting for meal times, containing a traditional French oak Templar table, large bread oven and CD player to set the mood. Salons: The elegant main salon features a stunning 17th Century fireplace. Both have TV/DVD and some exquisite art. Kitchens: Traditional kitchen with old farmhouse sink, modern sink, oven, three hobs and plenty of cutlery, crockery, glassware. A second modern kitchen has oven, hob, dishwasher, washer and fridge freezer. Swimming Pool: The kidney shaped swimming pool itself is in a glass enclosure enabling it to be used in cooler weather. The pool is automatically chlorinated, heated and filtered. Please Note: All linen and towels are provided and changed once a week when the chateau is cleaned.The Chateau is centrally heated throughout.For safety and the comfort of other guests no smoking or pets are permitted.

Places of General Interest: 
 
There are numerous vineyards to visit (with free wine to sample) and the Cathar chateaux in the foothills of the Pyrenees are a must. The chateaux, dating from the late C12th and early C13th, are impossibly perched on rocky crags and are quite spectacular. Montsegur and Queribus are particularly recommended. The area abounds with mediaeval towns in astonishingly good condition. 
 
Glassware: 
 
Produced to a very high standard. Superb stained glass windows, displays of different kinds of glass work are all open to view at Villepinte. 
 
Caves: 
 
Beautiful stalactites & stalagmites can be viewed at a number of locations, especially near the village of Cabrespine, between the Montagne Noire and the Minervois plain. 
 

• Travel Info: The Chateau is easily accessible from both Carcassonne and Toulouse airports as well as being reachable by car on a good run from Calais within nine and a half hours. ----- Airports: Approximately 35 minutes drive from the Chateau: Carcassonne - served by Ryanair from Shannon, Stansted and Nottingham. --- Approximately 55 minutes drive from the Chateau: Toulouse - Flybe serve Toulouse from Birmingham, and Bristol. British Airways and easyJet serve Toulouse from Gatwick. Air France serves Toulouse via Paris. BMI serves Toulouse from Manchester and bmiBaby serves the city from Nottingham. Lufthansa serves Toulouse from Heathrow with a change of flights at Frankfurt. KLM serves Toulouse from LHR via Schipol, Amsterdam. --- Approximately 2 to 3 hours drive from the Chateau: Montpellier - served by Ryanair. Perpignan - served by Ryanair from Stansted. Flybe serves Perpignan from Southampton. Nimes - served by Ryanair from Liverpool, Stansted and Nottingham. Rodez - served from Stansted by Ryanair.