Lovely Former Watermill near Carcassonne (#39607)

Carcassonne, Languedoc Roussillon, France

Description of the Carcassonne vacation apartment rental

Le Moulin was originally a water mill and is around 300 years old. The house has been separated to provide a large gite and private living quarters for the owners and has been renovated to a high standard whilst being careful to retain its rustic charm. The gite is very spacious and comfortably provides accommodation for 9 people in an unspoiled and secluded but not isolated location. Perfect for idyllic French holidays in the Languedoc Roussillon region of Southern France.

The accommodation comprises of a sitting room (with single bed settee), 4 bedrooms, 2 of which are ensuite with showers, a further family bathroom and a well equipped kitchen.

There is a radio/CD player, a DVD player and a video cassette recorder with a small library of DVDs and video cassettes available, but you can also bring your own.

All bedrooms have single beds so that they can be arranged either as double or twin rooms according to your preference.

The gite has a dishwasher, microwave, toaster, cooker, a fridge and a good range of cooking utensils so that if you choose to you can cater for and prepare your own meals almost as if you were at home.

Linen and towels are provided and beach/pool towels can be hired at €5 each for the period of your stay. A cot and a highchair are available on request.

There is a pool and gardens which provide a tranquil setting in which you can relax. The attractive swimming pool (15 x 6.5 meters) is fenced in accordance with the new French safety regulations. The pool is in the sun for most of the day but there are trees in the garden which can provide dappled shade when you want to avoid direct sunlight. The total area of the immediate site is around 1 acre and is surrounded by sunflower and barley fields depending on the local farmers crop for the year.

Area Description

The Languedoc Roussillon region just south of Toulouse in Southern France is an area of outstanding beauty and interest with a wealth of places to visit and enjoy including Carcassonne, Perpignan and Montpellier the capital. Ideal for a holiday in the South of France.

Le Moulin sits just outside the little village of Issel which is about halfway between Castelnaudary and Revel and has easy access to the Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenean mountain range. Revel and Castelnaudary are about 15 minutes and 10 minutes’ drive away respectively and provide access to local amenities including restaurants, bars, shops and banks. Le Moulin is also conveniently situated ten minutes from the A61 auto route, and approximately 9 hours driving time from the Channel Ports for UK crossings.

The region is famous for “les Chateaux du pays Cathare” with local castles, towns and villages dating back over 800 years. Historic towns such as Revel, Mirepoix, Foix, Fanjeaux, Limoux and Castres can all be reached within 30-60 minutes as can the three noted wine regions of the area– Fitou, Corbieres, and Minervois. The nearest market town of Castelnaudary is famous for its cassoulet, which is served in almost every restaurant in town. Rick Stein of Padstow, Cornwall visited Castelnaudary when he traveled along the Canal du Midi exploring the local cuisine of the area.

Rennes Le Chateau of Da Vinci code fame is about an hour and twenty minutes drive via Limoux and is well worth a visit, anyone interested in the Knights Templar will be spoilt for choice of the places to visit in this region which is steeped in the history from that period.

There are two lakes – le Lac de la Ganguise and the Lac de St Ferreol within 20 minutes of Le Moulin which both have beaches and various activities for all ages, including walking, sailing and (at St Ferreol) pedaloes and mini-golf. Full size golf courses are available at Carcassonne, Mazamet and near Toulouse. Mazamet is also close to the Black Mountains (La Montagne Noire) to the north east of us, while the Pyrenees are about an hour to the south. Both regions provide the opportunity to take walks of varying degrees of difficulty and also offer much to the cyclist.

The local towns of Revel and Castelnaudary provide plenty of shops, bars, restaurants and banking facilities only a few miles from the accommodation and both towns have weekly French markets where you can get fresh local produce and enjoy a morning taking in the market place atmosphere.

The fabulous city of Carcassonne is also only 35 to 40 minutes away and is a fantastic place to visit with La Cite and the Canal du Midi both of which are world heritage sites.

There is plenty to do in this region and with the Pyrenees and Mediterranean Sea only an hour and a half away there are lots of options for a relaxing or activity holiday according to your preferences.