Charming Traditional Village House

There is an abundance of books, music CDs and videos in the house. The house is well-equipped with both fans and electric fires or wall-heaters. Electricity and water is included in the rental price, along with all bed-linen and towels.

Outside there is a south-facing leafy garden terrace with its stunning views. Here, if you wish, you can sizzle on a golden afternoon along with the sausages on the barbecue! Garden furniture and a barbecue are provided.

There is a cot and high chair provided, plus stair gates - added safety for tiny explorers.

About the location

The loveliness of the Languedoc landscape of France is undisputed. Set between the Pyrenees in the south and the Black Mountains to the north, it is a geographical region of many personalities: plains and rugged mountains and elegant cities ... the numberless sprawling vineyards of the Minervois, Corbiere and Malpere ... the hot-scented, standing stillness of the sunflowers in field after field, ranked like soldiers in the warm yellow light ... the bumpy red-tiled roofs of houses - immediate evidence of the Catalan influence just over the southern border ... the tree-draped Canal du Midi making its green-dappled way towards the Mediterranean coast ...

And all this, set against the magnificence of the Pyrenees, an eternal irridescent purple backdrop with spiked peaks which can still be white-capped, even into May.

The turbulent 2000-year timeline of Languedoc-Roussillon has a fascination which will captivate even non-historians, dating from the Roman overpowering of Carcassonne (its position commanding one of the great roads into Spain), continuing through the area's occupation from the year 436 by the Visigoths, then from the year 713 by the Spanish, not to mention the bloody horrors wreaked upon it by Albigensian Crusaders slaughtering Cathars in the name of the Pope at the beginning of the 13th Century.

There are numerous medieval towns and villages within easy reach of La Force and the spectacular Cite of Carcassonne, only 15 minutes away, is the jewel in the crown - possibly even in France's crown. Here's what writer Henry James wrote in 1884 about the medieval walled city, 40 years after it had been restored from falling into ruin:

... detached and erect, a distinct mediaeval silhouette, the Cite presents itself ... It is almost too perfect - as if it were an enormous model, placed on a big green table at a museum ... its restoration is the great mark of the Cite. M. Viollet-le-Duc has worked his will upon it, put it into perfect order, revived the fortifications in every detail ... few architects have had such a chance, and M. Viollet-le-Duc must have been the envy of the whole restoring fraternity. The image of a more crumbling Carcassonne rises in the mind, and there is no doubt that forty years ago the place was more affecting. On the other hand, as we see it today, it is a wonderful evocation; and if there is a great deal of new in the old, there is plenty of old in the new ... In places, as you stand upon it, the great towered and embattled enciente produces an illusion; it looks as if it were still equipped and defended ... It is certainly this general impression that is most striking - the impression from outside, where the whole place detaches itself at once from the landscape. In the warm southern dusk it looked more than ever like a city in a fairy-tale ...

From A Little Tour in France by Henry James, 1884

You can collect your morning croissants and baguettes from the bread-van which comes to La Force every morning, but for supermarkets you need to hop into the car and drive for a few minutes. Close to La Force, Montreal stands imposingly upon a hill, the highest focal point for miles in this pre-Pyrenean foothills region, its impressive aged church and monastery perched in silhouette against the horizon.

This region being the heart of Cathar country, many former hilltop strongholds such as Montsegur and Las Tours are within very easy reach. A little further south-west through the mountains finds Andorra. Spain is easily-accessed; one can make Barcelona in not much more than a couple of hours. Toulouse is 50 minutes away to the west and Albi, birthplace of the artist Toulouse-Lautrec, only a couple of hours' drive north. These are just two of the creative centres of a region where all artistic interests are well-catered-for.

And if you (or the children) yearn for sand, sea and other child-centred activities, Cap d'Agde has 14 kilometres of beaches and many attractions for the young, like 'Toonland' and 'Aqualand'. It takes an hour or so to reach other pleasant beaches at Narbonne-Plage, Valras-Plage and, going south past the pretty ports of la Nouvelle, Leucate and Barcares, Canet-Plage.

An extremely good and extensive animal safari park is situated in this coastal area at Sigean - but if you prefer your animals to be even less threatening you need to move back inland, where a Dinosaur Museum forms part of the paleantology dig-site at Esperaza, south of Limoux. You can't get less threatening than extinct!

And on the way back stop off for a degustation at Limoux, where the local sparkling wine, Blanquette de Limoux is produced. Rumour has it that the "secret" of champagne production was in fact stolen from Limoux by the viticulturists from the Champagne region, so Blanquette is the "true" champagne! Buy a bottle and judge for yourself!

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

Activities near by

Adventure park, Bird Watching, Canoeing, Ceramics, Cycling, Drawing and painting, Go karting, Golf, Gourmet dining, Hiking, Horse riding, Photography, Pottery, Rambling, Riverside activities, Rock climbing, Sailing, Sightseeing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Squash, Swimming, Table tennis, Tennis, Theme parks, Tree adventure park, Walking, White water rafting, Wine tasting, Wine touring

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

How to get here

Nearest airports: Carcassonne (Ryanair only) 15 minutes and Toulouse (various carriers) 50 minutes.

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