Village House in Languedoc

La Gaillarde details

Home description

La Gaillarde is a beautifully restored two-bedroom stone house on a tranquil pedestrian-only lane in a Medieval Languedoc village.  It is furnished with antiques purchased in local village markets and has all the charm of the 16th century with all the conveniences of the 21st. 

We have two lovely gardens at the back of the house.  The lower one opens off the guest suite and the upper one, flower-filled and sunny in the afternoons, opens off the living-room.  

The house is located right in the middle of the village - just a minute's walk from the 8th century abbey, the village market, two boulangeries, two excellent restaurants, the cafe, a butcher and everything else you need to make your stay perfect. 

A sparkling river, L'Argent Double, runs through the village, vineyards spread out below it, and the Black Mountain, with hiking trails that could take you off for days is right outside our back door.

Nearby the village are numerous vineyards and wine chateaux, mountain hiking trails, historic castles and the Canal du Midi.  Within the village are shops, restaurants, and cafes - everything you need to make your stay perfect.

External features on site

• Barbecue
• Garden
• Scenic views

Accommodation detail

La Gaillarde is a beautifully restored French village house located on a narrow cobblestone lane in the heart of the Medieval village of Caunes Minervois.  Its walls are stone and pastel-colored plaster, its floors are wood and tile, and the furnishings are antiques purchased at local village markets.

• When you enter La Gaillarde from the tranquil, pedestrian-only lane, you'll step into a comfortable sitting room, off of which is the downstairs bathroom.  Beyond the sitting room is a large bedroom with exposed stone walls and twin beds that can be put together to form a king-sized bed.  The bedroom opens out into a private courtyard, perfect for sipping your morning espresso and savoring the croissants you purchased at the boulangerie just around the corner.
• On the second floor is the country kitchen with an enormous fireplace and round oak table that seats 6. Beyond the kitchen is the living room with pale blue plaster walls, comfortable antiques and french doors opening into a lush garden.  In the corner of the garden is an outdoor table where you can enjoy a lazy luncheon under the cherry tree, sip a sunset aperitif or dine romantically under the stars.
• Upstairs, is the sun-drenched master bedroom with its plaster walls and deep window overlooking the garden.  And then there's the master bath - an elegant room centered by an antique claw foot tub perfect for relaxing after a strenuous day hiking in the hills outside the village or exploring some of the many local wine chateaux.

We are travel writers, consequently we are on the road a lot.  If you'd like to rent our property or you want further information, please therefore contact us by e-mail for a speedy response. 

About the location

Caunes-Minervois is a charming walled village in the foothills of the Black Mountains with hiking trails right out the back door, a village market, a gourmet country restaurant, a typical cafe, small specialty stores carrying everything you need to cook your own French feasts, and local wineries where you can buy exquisite vintages for less than 5 euros/bottle. We're talking Paradise here!

Carcassonne, a medieval walled village and the second most visited tourist site in France, is 20 minutes away with fine restaurants, antique shops, museums, movie theatres and boutiques.

The Canal du Midi, a world heritage site, is 10 minutes from the house. You can rent a canal boat, ride your bike down the tow-path alongside, or stop for lunch at an outdoor cafe along its banks.

The beach is only an hour away - and cities like Perpignan, Narbonne, Avignon, Toulouse, Montpelier and Arles are all within a couple of hours.

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

Activities near by

Boating, Boules, Canyoning, Caving, Ceramics, Cycling, Drawing and painting, Fishing, Golf, Gourmet dining, Gym, Hiking, Horse riding, Mountain biking, Photography, Photography, Pottery, Rambling, Riverside activities, Rock climbing, Sailing, Scuba Diving, Sea excursions, Shopping, Sightseeing, Snorkelling, Swimming, Tennis, Walking, Water sports, White water rafting, Wind Surfing, Wine tasting, Wine touring, Yoga

See Activities and attractions for more information on nearby activities and places of interest.

How to get here

By car, we are about 1 1/2 hours from the international airport in Toulouse and about 1/2 hour from the train station and airport (lots of flights to Ireland and Great Britain) in Carcassonne. 

You can get here via TGV from Paris (with one change of trains) in about 6 hours.

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