House & Garden
Two huge verandas run the full length of the house at ground and first floor level, looking down on the Canal du Midi and the Garonne river which at this point run side by side. This means that even if it rains, you can virtually live outside during spring, summer and autumn (and some winter days too). In summer you have three different places to eat – all accommodating at least 12 people: you can breakfast in the sunshine on the veranda, lunch under the sunshade by the pool and dine by candlelight in the elegant dining room.
Steps down the outside of the house at the back take you to the upper level garden, which has a larged decked area with a summer kitchen comprising a barbeque, a wood-fired pizza oven, a preparation table, and a dining table with lots of seating. The raised swimming pool is safe for children and big enough for lots of grown-ups to cool off in. You can turn on the garden lights for a midnight swim or a last glass of wine under the stars. The huge cellars include a WC and a ‘bathers’ pavilion’ for changing for the pool. The intrepid can venture down to the lower garden via a narrow staircase.
The kitchen is fully equipped with a marble work surface, fridge, wine fridge and a Paul Bocuse range cooker which has two electric ovens and a gas hob. There is a walk-in pantry and an ’arriere cuisine’ which houses the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer. The kitchen looks into the elegant dining room with an open fireplace and french windows on to the veranda. The sitting room at the front of the house has large, comfy sofas, a DVD player, piano and hi-fi system. The library, which also has french windows onto the veranda, has a wood-burning stove, and floor-to-ceiling oak bookshelves offering plenty of choice for holiday reading.
There is a guest computer with internet access.
From the huge front hall, an early 18th century wooden staircase, made from oak recycled from who knows where, takes you to the first floor. At the other side of the house a magnificent 19th century staircase with curved banisters takes you up to the first and second floors, with a skylight flooding the stairs and hall with sunlight.
On the first floor there are five large bedrooms, two with french windows onto the upper veranda. The huge master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower. Bedroom two has a basin and bidet en suite, and a spacious shower and WC on the adjacent veranda. Bedrooms three and four at the front of the house have double beds and bedroom five has two single beds. There is a luxury bathroom with another spacious shower. On the second floor is bedroom six which has a double bed.
The house is newly renovated to a high standard, with the attic conversion underway. It is cool in summer and, for the colder months, gas-centrally heated throughout. Included in the cost is a cleaner once a week; and a friend who is a permanent resident nearby deals with any day to day problems. Parking near the house is easy