Le Domaine du Colombier - Village House Holiday Rental in Pennautier, Aude, France

Where is it

• Location:  South of France and the Riviera  >  Languedoc Roussillon  >  Aude
• Closest town/village:  Pennautier (Aude) ( Central )
• Closest airport: Carcassonne Airport (2.2 miles *Direct distance, road distance may vary. Please refer to detailed area map for local roads.)
• Access: Public transport available, Car Essential Car hire
• Property highlights: Swimming pool (exclusive use), Barbecue, Garden, Scenic views

 

Beautiful, Spacious Villa with Pool and Courtyard

This centrally heated gite, entered by a courtyard, sleeps 10 people + cot in 1 king, 1 double and 3 twin bedrooms. Excellent décor and comfort. Well-equipped kitchen. Large walled grounds and copse, and a swimming-pool 11x5 m² with paddling area. Large secure garage. In a historic village, the house is private and not overlooked. Carcassonne 4 kms. Airport and autoroute 6-8 kms.

Le Domaine du Colombier is probably one of the oldest buildings in Pennautier. We are told that it used to be a monastery, but there is no evidence of this in the present structure. It is situated in the old part of the village, a short walk from the shops, bar, theatre and other local facilities. The property is detached, set in its own grounds and not overlooked. It consists of the main house with central heating, south-facing gardens, a large swimming-pool and a ‘parc’ of conifers and bamboo overlooking the village. From the little road to Aragon, large metal gates lead to the courtyard from which you enter the house.

The ground floor of the house consists of the hallway with telephone; living-room; large kitchen/dining-room; sun-room and study; a W.C. with basin; a lobby for coats etc.; and a small scullery with the central heating boiler, washing-machine and large second fridge. The living-room has comfortable seating, satellite television, radio/CD/cassette, and a DVD player with 100 films for those rare wet days. Its window looks on to the courtyard. The spacious kitchen is very well equipped with a large fridge, microwave, electric oven, separate electric hob and plenty of work space and cupboard storage. The large dining-table seats ten people with ease. The sun-room leads off the kitchen and is a long south-facing room with casual seating. At one end of the sunroom, a small study containing a desk and a large shelved cupboard leads to the scullery with its washing-machine and second large fridge.

Porte-fenetres lead from the sun-room on to the front terrace, again south-facing. The terrace offers outdoor seating and a large dining table. It overlooks the garden, described below, and is part-shaded by a mimosa tree.

The first floor has one large bedroom with a king-size bed and an en suite bathroom containing a bath, shower and wash-basin. The second double bedroom, again spacious, has windows on two sides and a separate closet for hanging clothes. It has a telephone also. A corridor leads to the three twin bedrooms, two of which overlook the courtyard, the third looking out over the gardens towards the village and its parish church. All the bedrooms are well provided with wardrobe and drawer space. Apart from the en suite facilities, the main bathroom contains a bath, shower, W.C. and double wash-basin. There is another W.C. with wash-basin and shower on this floor, making three W.C.s, three showers and two baths in the property as a whole. A travel cot and push-chair are provided.

The garden extends across the length of the property, overlooked by the terrace. It contains some old and attractive trees and shrubs, together with many which we have recently planted. The grassed area is spacious with ample outdoor seating. There is a barbecue in a paved area immediately below the terrace. A gate leads to the ‘parc’ of conifers and bamboo, from which there are fine views of the village and the Pyrenees beyond. In the parc is situated a gazebo and the large swimming-pool, 11x5 metres with an extended shallow paddling area (3x3 metres) and wide seating area. The pool conforms to recent French legislation regarding health and safety in swimming-pools.

There is a lockable garage which can take three cars.

The standard of décor, furnishings, equipment and general comfort in the house is very high. Obviously some of the newly planted shrubs in the garden will take time to reach maturity, but otherwise our recent renovation of the property and its proximity to the village itself and to Carcassonne render Le Domaine an ideal holiday location.

Holiday Accommodation at Le Domaine du Colombier

Sleeps 10 + cot and pushchair

Ground floor:

• Hallway with telephone.
• Comfortable living room with satellite TV, DVD player, radio/cassette.  Many books & DVDs.
• Kitchen with electric oven & hob, large fridge, dishwasher, microwave.  Washing-machine and second large fridge in the scullery.
• Wash-room with W.C. Pushchair.
• Sun-room and ‘study’ leading onto the spacious south-facing terrace.

First floor:

• 5 bedrooms - 1 king bedroom with en suite bath & shower. 1 double bedroom. 3 twin bedrooms. Telephone. Cot.
• Bathroom with bath, shower & W.C.
• Separate shower & W.C.

Swimming-pool and grounds:

• Large swimming-pool (5x11 ms) with paddling area and large patio, fenced for security. 
• Gardens and copse with gazebo, south-facing views over the village towards the Pyrénees.  Swing, barbecue, external dining terrace.
• Entrance to the house is through an elegant courtyard.
• Large secure garage for three cars.

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About Pennautier in Aude, Languedoc Roussillon

The Village and region

Le Domaine du Colombier is situated on the edge of the village of Pennautier. From its grounds, you look over the village to the Corbieres hills and the Pyrenees. Village shops are a 5-10 minute walk from the house as is a good restaurant near the river Fresquel.

Pennautier has a population of around 2300. It lies two and a half miles to the north-west of Carcassonne. Although new houses are being built in its periphery, the old centre of the village retains its identity, dating back to the Middle Ages and beyond. The church dominates the heart of Pennautier, surrounded by narrow streets and alleyways. Below the church flows the river Fresquel, past the estate of the impressive Chateau de Pennautier and its newly renovated restaurant. In the village itself, there is a baker, butcher, post office, general store, one or two bars, and a pizzeria as well as several other small shops and businesses. Mobile shops visit the village frequently. Wine produced by the Chateau de Pennautier is of high quality and not expensive. The village lies about four miles from the nearest autoroute junction and Carcassonne airport, and about half a mile from the Route Nationale N113 between Narbonne and Toulouse. There are flights from Stansted and other UK airports to Carcassonne. You are not near the flightpath, daily flights are few and you will be caused no disturbance.

Carcassonne is the most frequently visited places in France outside Paris. The largest fortified medieval city in Europe, it stands magnificent on its hill 150 metres above the river Aude. Restored in the last century, it is a dream of the perfect medieval city with its three kilometres of ramparts, thirty-five defensive towers, its moat, Viscount's castle and basilica. The river Aude rises in the Cerdagne beyond Mont-Louis and flows towards Carcassonne through dramatic gorges either side of Axat and past Alès les Bains and Limoux, home of the famous sparkling Blanquette wine. After Carcassonne, its course turns to the east towards the sea. There is a beautiful golf course at Carcassonne - introductions may be arranged.

To the north of the village lies the western shoulder of the Montagne Noire, the last bastion of the Massif Central. Quiet country roads lead through wooded uplands to attractive villages such as Montolieu with its many bookshops, Saissac with its 14th. century fortress and Revel whose nearby lakes feed the Canal du Midi. The spectacular village of Aragon is a short drive to the north of Pennautier. The Canal du Midi itself lies in the valley beyond the Route Nationale. The tow-path affords pleasant walks under the plane trees, and boat trips can be arranged in Carcassonne and elsewhere.

Several historic cathedral cities are within easy reach, including Montpellier, Béziers, Castres, Albi, Narbonne, Perpignan, Toulouse and St. Pons de Thomières. By autoroute the coastal resorts of Gruissan and Narbonne Plage are less than an hour’s drive away. Local beaches recently received a European award for cleanliness.

Pennautier is regarded as the centre of Troubadour culture in France. The European Centre for the Troubadours is situated in the village and offers information about this important medieval cultural movement as well as concerts, exhibitions and other events. The troubadours created a new form of secular poetic expression, singing in the Occitan language of ‘amor, joi e joven’ (love, joy and youth), marking the beginning of modern European literature and helping to enhance the social status of women. The village also boasts its own theatre with a regular programme of musical and dramatic performances.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and facilities.

How To Get To Pennautier in Aude, South of France and the Riviera

By air: to Carcassonne airport about 4 miles away; or Toulouse, Perpignan, Girona, Montpellier airports.

By autoroute: exit at Carcassonne ouest, follow the green 'Toulouse' signs, turn right off the RN113 to Pennautier.

Full directions  will be sent to you in advance.

Nearest Airport: Carcassonne.
Distance from nearest Airport: About 4 miles.
Distance from Beach: About 45 miles, mostly autoroute.
Distance from Golf Course: About 7 miles. Excellent.
Distance from Ski Slopes: About 50 miles.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and airports.

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Facilities at Le Domaine du Colombier

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Availability at Le Domaine du Colombier

Changeover day: Saturday

Availability last updated on: - Monday, May 6, 2013

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Rates

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