L'Écritoire Romantic French House

Our 16th century petite maison is a traditional French styled house with vintage decor from local brocantes. The house is three stories high featuring a sunny rooftop terrace. It is close to restaurants, wineries, mountain walking tracks and the famous Medieval Abbey. Also a short drive to Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi. The village is very quaint and everything is within walking distance. This charming house is perfect for couples looking for a romantic escape from busy life. L'Écritoire roughly translates to the writer's study or the writing surface. A previous owner is a well known author and we feel that the house has been aptly named. You will be delighted by this charming little house with its vintage touches. It really is everything that you imagine about a romantic holiday in France. The house: Entrance: Guest cloakroom and small vintage daybed. Seperate toilet. Washing machine, iron and ironing board. Kitchen - Fully equipped with stove/oven, microwave, small fridge, dishwasher and all pots/pans, crockery, cutlery and utensils. Dining table with seating for four. Stereo with CD player. You are welcome to use any groceries in the pantry but please replace those that run empty :) Master bedroom - Double bed with feather quilt. Walk-in wardrobe with plenty of hangers. French windows looking over laneway. Study - Writing desk, wifi, a library to help you relax into your holiday. French windows and a single bed with feather quilt. This bed would only be suitable for a family member or very close friend as the room leads straight into the bathroom with only lace curtains to maintain your modesty! Bathroom - Large shower and basin. Heated towel rail, hairdryer and toilet. Parlour - Seating for four, coffee table with games and puzzles. French windows looking out onto the laneway and large french doors opening out to the terrace. Cable TV and Stereo/CD player. Terrace - Table and chairs for four people. Webber BBQ and a delightful small garden of potted plants. Please note that this is a two story house and has a spiral staircase. You will have complete access to the entire house with your own private entrance. As we obviously live in Australia we have engaged the services of a lovely local lady Sue, who will pop in to greet early during your stay (but not upon arrival). Sue is only a phone call away should you have any questions about the house. There is a key safe so that you can access the house without waiting for anyone to assist. Code will be provided a few days in advance before your arrival. Have a look at the Guest Guidebook on our listing for further details. The village: There is a great tourist information office where the lovely staff can usually assist in English and other languages. They can book everything from wine tours, restaurant bookings and walking tours. Restaurants and bars: La Cantine du Curé - A very cool tapas bar. Usually have live music on weekends. They keep their social media pages up to date with coming events. La Table d'Emilie - A beautiful restaurant run by the delightful Linda. The menu is stunning. Also check her out on social media. La Grande Fontaine - Coffee, lunch and dinner. They are just always open. Hotel d'Alibert - Restaurant and hotel made famous by a visit from Rick Stein during his French Odyssey series... everyone always asks... "Where did Rick sit during the filming?" La Marbrerie - Restaurant/hotel. Open for lunch and dinner. They make a mean cassoulet. L'Argent Double - Amazing wood fired pizzas and other delights feature on their menu. Markets - Tues, Thurs and Sat - small produce markets are located in the main carpark. There are also two small convenience stores, one very well liked butcher :) a florist and two hairdressers. The local baker delivers his bread fresh to the convenience store in Avenue de l'Argent Double next door to La Table d'Emilie. Keep an eye out for the very talented jeweller Bob Kimberley and his shop near the Abbey where you will also find an art gallery. Also not too far away from our house are two local potters proudly displaying their wares. There are also two traditional fountains in the village along with a number of eclectic marble sculptures. Ask at the Tourist Information Office for a walking tour map. Also keep an eye out for the regular weekend vide-greniers (attic markets) in Caunes-Minervois and nearby villages they are great fun! There is plenty of parking available at the Abbey which is a few minutes walk from the house. Keep in mind that you will have to carry your luggage to the house from the carpark. Oh... and very importantly... the neighbours are lovely! Travel by car: Toulouse Airport 1hr 25 Carcassonne Airport (or train station) 30 mins Bezier Airport 1hr 20 There is a reliable bus service for the village. Just ask for details at the Tourist Information Office. We can also recommend a very reliable taxi service if required. Additional information: All towels and linen are provided. There is an electric heater in each room for the winter. During the winter months a lot of the restaurants will be closed. The walls of the house are over three hundred years old and the bottom floor is often subject to a slight damp odour especially when the house has been closed up. We re-paint parts of the walls every few months but there is evidence of salt-peter which is harmless and looks like flaky paint. There is an electric de-humidifier located in the hallway - instructions are in the compendium.