Village House in Corbières

The Village House details

Home description

A well maintained village house in Lézignan-Corbières, near the main railway station. Situated between Narbonne (20 min) with its beautiful Mediterranean beaches and Carcassonne (20 min) the nearest airport. The town centre is a mere 5 minutes walk, with all commercial facilities and the traditional market stalls on Wednesdays. The surrounding area is primarily vineyards, thyme-scented garrigue and pinède.

This stone built renovated house of unique character, enjoys the privilege of the village facilities and countryside life, has spacious accommodation for maximum 6 people. There is dining for eight on the garden terrace and there is another terrace for relaxation or a barbecue. The modern kitchen, bathroom and bedroom facilities retain there original charm.

External features on site

• Barbecue
• Boating lake
• Garden
• Scenic views

Accommodation detail

The accommodation is provided on two levels and entered by a single door from the street. The décor is traditional, simple and rustic, with quarry tile floors. The windows are double glazed and shuttered.

All rooms have electrical wall heating units. A new mobile standing electrical fan is available and there are radios in bedrooms and kitchen.

Ground Floor:

• Hall - with stairs leading to the first floor. Toilet with wash hand basin. Smoke detector at base of stairs.
• Kitchen - modern and fully equipped with fridge/freezer, freezer, gas cooker/oven, washing machine, dishwasher, 2 combo microwaves, coffee percolator and all cooking utensils. Cutlery & crockery for 6 people. Also a round dining table and seating for 6 people. A windows looking onto the terraced garden. There is a seating area with sofa next to the kitchen.
• Dining/Sitting room - with TV set, VCR and window, looking onto the street. English books, brochures and maps for the area.

First Floor:

• Twin bedroom - with windows facing onto the street side, with bedside tables, chest of drawers and wardrobe.
• Double bedroom - windows facing onto the street side, with bedside tables, chest of drawers and wardrobe.
• Double bedroom - with walk-in cupboard for clothes and linen storage, a small safe for valuables and window looking onto the garden.
• Bathroom - modern with corner bath, walk-in shower, basin and WC. With window looking onto the garden.

Second Floor:

Attic unavailable for visitors.

Garden:

Terraced area next to the kitchen window with garden table seating eight.

Stone paved-path between thyme and lavender garden leading to the second terraced area, with sun loungers and barbcue which can accommodate a large garden table, opposite are garden furniture for coffee and relax with the family.

Small shed with two available bikes.

About the location

The Village

Lézignan is a lively centre for some 80 boroughs in the Corbières region, a typical provence village with a one main street and the village place Cours de la République part of its life. There you can sample every Wednesday morning the fruit and vegetables, fresh local produce and the bargain stalls for all the family. The rest of the week you will enjoy the quiet life of a Provencal village, sampling with the locals the local wine and pastis before visiting one of the three boulangeries for your fresh baguettes for lunch.

The local shops are family run and friendly and include two butchers, two fishmongers and three vegetable & fruit shops. There are 4 banks and three "hole in the wall" ATMs. Two small modern supermarkets are in the town. Visitors are spoiled for eating out as restaurants and takeaways are at every corner. There are also GPs, dentists, physiotherapists and three pharmacies.

A small development on the edge of the village has further shops, two supermarkets (Intermarché and Champion), which also supplies discount petrol/diesel.

On the other side of the village, you find the open swimming pool, a well situated place for those who have just returned from the vast wooded area la pinède which is owned and protected by the commune, and offers some delightful walks and picnic areas. Here you will find wild thyme, rosemary and fennel for your barbecue.

Narbonne

The city of Narbonne is 20 mins away and you can use public transport and trains. It was the first colony founded by the Romans beyond the Alps (118 BC), on the via Domitia, the Roman road linking Italy to Roman Spain.

Now it is a favourite tourist haunt for its roman past. Its fortified cathedral St. Just built in 1272; the Basilica of St- Paul-Serge (12 & 13th century) is an example of early gothic architecture. The Canal de la Robine, a branch of the Canal du Midi, runs through the town separating the the Cité from the Bourg to the south. The old town is renowned for its narrow winding streets. Good shopping centre and many things to do for all the family.

Narbonne-Plage and Gruissan Plage are the nearest of the Mediterranean beaches (15 mins). Carcassone: 20 mins, Frequent train departures.

Carcassone

Extract from a website:

" Sitting on the banks of the Aude, a Pyrenean river flowing to the Mediterranean, Carcassonne is waiting for you. Carcassone is one of the most perfectly preserved walled towns of the world. It is also the largest walled city in Europe, it encompasses towers, dungeons, moats and drawbridges and serves as one of the most impressive examples of medieval France. At Carcassonne, time lies imprisoned in the stones. Since the ancient times of the Colonia Julia Carcasso, each successive generation has acted out the history of this town, governing power, building and leaving the mark and style of their passing.

The Cité is still lived in today. 52 towers and 2 concentric walls add up to 3 kilometres of ramparts. The castle, the towers, the city walls, the "lists" (open space between the ramparts), belong to the State; the remainder is administered by the Municipality of Carcassonne. The visitor can freely discover most parts of the Cité

Carcassonne has two centres : Right bank, the Cité, a medieval fortress with its Romanesque and gothic basilica, its fortified castle (where the Counts used to live), its alley-ways, its wells, enclosed within two lines of ramparts. Left bank, Saint-Louis Bastide, its churches, its grid iron streets, its main square, its private houses witnesses of the old cloth merchants prosperity of the 17th and 18th centuries, its corner bastions, its avenues."

The Region

Between the Pyrénées and the Mediterranean sea lies the Cathar country, known as Aude, truly a mixture of countryside, historical sites and monuments, where each tiny region is a world of its own, with strong local traditions.

The gentle landscapes and numerous castles ("heady" Citadelles) the pureness of the Pyrennees and the city of Carcassonne with its famous ramparts are all waiting to charm the visitor. The inhabitants or "Audois" are always ready to help their guests to discover the riches of their region with its gastronomic and cultural traditions combined with relaxation and leisure. Visit this link for some breathtaking views : www.sioen-photo.com

Situated in the Midi region of France, near the Pyrénées, at 30 km from the Méditerranée, Lézignan-Corbières benefits from its strategic situation in the centre of an area of 80 boroughs with some 45 000 habitants.

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

Activities nearby

Bird Watching, Boating, Boules, Canoeing, Caving, Cycling, Golf, Mountain biking, Riverside activities, Sailing, Sightseeing, Swimming, Walking, Wine tasting

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

How to get here

Easy access:

• Motorway A61 (EXIT25- 2 KM) linking Toulouse-Perpignan in just over 1 Hour.
• Main Railway Station SNCF Link to all French rail network (4 min walk)
• Small Aerodrome near motorway
• Canal du Midi (less than 10 min drive)
• Just off the Main Trunk Road network RN 113 and A class road RD 611

Lézignan can be accessed in a day by car from the channel ports or fly-drive from Stanstead to Carcassonne Airport (20 mins from Lézignan).

By car:

Take either the Motorway A61 towards Narbonne (travelling from West to East) and leave at exit 25, alternatively take the National Road N113 towards Narbonne. Coming from Carcassonne, the road by-passes Lézignan and several exits to Lézignan are available, east, centre and west entrance.

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