Charming Farmhouse with Studio and Pool

Les Yeches details

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The main house and carport

Swimming pool

Pool from studio

Studio and drive

Home description

Les Yeches is a charming restored farmhouse set in the glorious Golden Triangle – the beautiful part of the Tarn between the medieval cities of Albi and Gaillac and very close to the exquisite 13th century bastide village of Cordes-sur-Ciel.

The house, in the small hamlet of Milhavet, offers spacious comfort for eight people (four double bedrooms, three bathrooms), superb facilities for al fresco eating including a summer kitchen, described by a previous guest as "to die for", and a relaxing pool set among specimen plants in its own enclosed garden. Full central heating and two open wood fires mean the house is as welcoming in winter, spring and autumn as it is in summer.

Outside

The courtyard offers a variety of opportunities for al fresco eating. Immediately outside the kitchen door is a teak table – complete with large umbrella - which will seat eight. Towards the pool is a smaller table with four chairs under the shade of an elegant tree.

But the pride of the courtyard is the summer kitchen, between the main house and the studio. It's a lovely space with exposed beams and antique farm implements and is fully open to the courtyard. It's equipped with a large, rustic table, a sink with running water, a gas hob and a fridge for your ice, beer and, of course, local rose.

On a hot day, lunch in the summer kitchen is perfect. But it's also subtly lit, which makes it the ideal place for dinner as well – especially if you take the trouble to light the candles all around. A large Weber barbecue is provided.

The pool, 10 x 5 metres with Roman steps, is in an idyllic spot where you can lie in full sun for the whole day or take advantage of the shade provided by strategically spaced trees. There are enough sun loungers for eight – and plenty of room on the surrounding grass for unexpected guests.

The area is everything a lover of France could hope for: the house is in the ancient wine region of Gaillac; there are restaurants all around (Cordes alone, just five minutes drive away, has 14 – including a Michelin one star); markets abound; the countryside veers between the beautifully undulating and the dramatic; there is abundant wildlife – we’ve seen capercaillies, hoopoes and red squirrels in the garden and wild boar on the roads; history oozes from almost every local village and town.

Here are some recent comments from some of our guests:

“Les Yeches is definitely a place to recharge the batteries and rest troubled souls! It is blissfully peaceful.” (Bill, August 2005)

“What a fantastic holiday – what a fantastic home-from-home!!” (Lucinda, September 2005)

“Les Yeches is a dream!!! The summer kitchen was one of the best I have seen so far and after coming to France three or four times a year for the last…, I have seen a few” (Trish, May 2005)

“Great property – pool, house, garden, location.” (The Elliott Family, August 2006)

“We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here – the house and surrounding area are beautiful” (The Annaradrams, September 2006)

External features on site

• Swimming pool (exclusive use)
• Garden

Accommodation detail

Double bedroom

Summer living room

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The main house is L-shaped with a carport on one side (useful when hot) and the summer kitchen and a separate studio on the other side. They form two sides of a spacious courtyard. A third side is formed by a beautiful bank of trees and the fourth looks towards the pool and the garden.

The house has been restored to retain a multitude of original features. There are oak beams in every room, two wood burning fireplaces and a mix of exposed stone walls and crepie – the traditional plastering of the area. At the same time, the fittings are modern and highly user-friendly. The house is personally decorated with a sympathetic mix of antique and modern furniture.

A feature of Les Yeches is that none of the four bedrooms are next to each other. There is a lot of space between each of them. They all have a view out over the courtyard and swimming pool.

Ground Floor

• Fully equipped kitchen – including microwave and dishwasher – with an antique dining table which comfortably seats eight.
• Summer living room, with comfortable seating, a wood burning stove, a stereo CD player and radio (with an eclectic selection of CD's) and satellite television and video recorder. Round the corner is a corridor to a
• Spacious, brand new bathroom, with loo, basin and shower. Behind a curtain is the washing machine. Just beyond is a
• Twin bedroom, again oak-beamed, which has its own door to the courtyard.

First Floor

• Double bedroom, with windows on two walls, an elegant antique chest of drawers and a staircase leading to a huge wardrobe on a mezzanine floor. To the right is the
• Winter living room, a baronial room with bookshelves (with a wealth of holiday reading) and a huge open fireplace - a perfect spot to avoid the heat and the crowd and settle down to read on the welcoming large sofa. Down the corridor is a
• Separate loo, then a
• Large bathroom with two basins, a bath and a separate shower.
• Further large double bedroom with a king-size bed and extensive fitted cupboards.

Studio

Reached by an outside staircase, it has a:

• Living room with a single sofa bed
• Mezzanine with a double bed and
• Shower room with loo and basin. An ideal room perhaps for teenagers, just a short morning dash from the swimming pool.

About the location

The Golden Triangle is the most beautiful part of the Tarn and – many would say – of the whole of the Midi Pyrenees. At its apex – the jewel in the crown – is the exquisite medieval village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, our local village. If you drive towards it early in the morning on a spring or autumn day, you see exactly why it bears that name. The fortified hill village emerges like an apparition from the low lying morning mists. It was founded in 1222 by Raymond, Count de Toulouse, during the turbulent years of the Albigensian Crusades. Over the last 60 years, it has been restored to its former glory. It is now without doubt one of the most beautiful bastide towns in France. It hosts a major music festival every summer and has its own theatre.

Cordes is just five minutes drive away, it has a small but well stocked supermarket, a butcher, two bakers, banks, doctors, dentists, garages, hardware stores, a Maison de la Presse which sells English newspapers and a couple of relaxing cafes. And that's before you drive up to the old town. It's a wonderfully practical and friendly place set in the shadows of history.

15 minutes drive in the other direction is the imposing medieval city of Albi. It is notable for two things. First, its extraordinary 13th century cathedral, which looks like an aircraft carrier on the outside – it was built as a political statement after the suppression of the Cathars – but has extraordinary aesthetic delights inside. Much of the decoration looks modern, but it was painted by artists from Bologna in the 16th century.

Albi's second attraction is Toulouse Lautrec. He was born in the city, and the stunning former bishop's palace is now a museum dedicated to his memory. It has wonderful gardens overlooking the Tarn. Just a stroll away, the old heart of Albi, largely built in the distinctive pink brick of the region, has been turned into a pedestrian precinct which is a shopper's delight. Outside, the town boasts two fine golf courses which welcome strangers and are both cheap and free of crowds.

Les Yeches is just inside the Gaillac wine region – the oldest wine-producing area in France. There are dozens of vineyards where you can stop and taste the vintages, often in the company of the vigneron who produced them. Gaillac itself is 20 minutes away, with a bustling Friday market, a wine museum and a plethora of shops and restaurants.

And, just an hour away, is Toulouse, "La Ville Rose" – so called because of the traditional pink brick which dominates the city. It is a wonderful place – the 4th largest city in France and without doubt the most exuberant outside Paris. It has two cathedrals, loads of art galleries, shops, elegant boulevards and little medieval nooks and crannies that are just aching to be explored. And, if you want a rest, there's a café or restaurant around every corner.

Further away still, you have the Atlantic Coast between Bordeaux and Biarritz, the Mediterranean Coast between Montpelier and Narbonne, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central. All make a long but fascinating day trip or a terrific weekend away. And Barcelona is only about four hours drive...

All in all, Les Yeches is at the centre of one of the best holiday areas in France. You'll have to return over and over again to see everything.

On the other hand, you could just doze by the pool...

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

Activities near by

Walking, Swimming, Boating, Canoeing, Golf, Horse riding

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

How to get here

Toulouse , the most vibrant French city outside Paris, is just 60 minutes away. Les Yeches is a day's drive from the channel ports. It's  within easy reach of Rodez airport (Ryanair), Toulouse airport (Easyjet, BA and Air France) and Carcassonne (Ryanair).

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