Le Castellas - Charming French Gite set in hillside of Esperaza
Apartment with 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4, Garden
A charming French gite set in the beautiful hillside of Esperaza. With stunning views of the surrounding hillside and the infamous Rennes-le- Chateau, it is the ideal retreat for people who enjoy visiting cities and tourist attractions but like to have somewhere quiet to come and relax at the end of the day.
The living area consists of a comfy lounge area and kitchen diner, with French doors that open up onto the large stone terrace outside, ideal for al fresco dining or a spot of sun bathing. This gite gives an immediate feeling of being on holiday. Each bedroom has it's own French door which opens up onto a private enclosed terrace, ideal for evening dining and relaxing.
The house floor is stone tiled throughout which helps to keep the house cool in the warm summer months. French doors give access to outside from every room in the house. When the night falls, you can close the wooden shutters to ensure you wake up when you want to and not when the sun wants you to. The house is set into the hillside and has a large piece of land at the back which provides stunning views. There are supermarkets in Esperaza and Couiza (5 mins). Plenty of local speciality produce to try like the Blanquette (Champagne) and nougat. It is also one of the largest wine producing areas in France and so a tour around one of the local vineyards is a must.
I'm sure you will be very tempted to stay and relax at the house each day but if you do fancy visiting one of the many attractions nearby, you will find it a very useful base for the beaches, the skiing, the mountains, the river, the towns and the historical sites. In fact there is so much to see and do in this area, you may well find yourself coming back.
Facilities for this holiday apartment in Esperaza, Languedoc-Roussillon
Hob, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing Machine, Iron. Fully fitted kitchen with hob, small oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, washing machine.
General:
Central Heating, House Linen, Towels Provided. All towels and linen are provided. Mobiles work well here. English adaptor sockets available.
Dining:
Seating for 4. Dining table to seat 4.
Outside dining table and chairs with barbeque.
Entertainment:
Satellite TV, Video, DVD, Radio, CD System.
Outside:
Terrace, Garden, BBQ, Parking, Garden Furniture.
Suitability:
Children Welcome, Not Suitable For Wheelchairs, Suitable For Elderly, Sorry - No Pets Allowed, Sorry - No Smokers.
Not suitable for babies / toddlers.
Local activities in and around Esperaza, Languedoc-Roussillon
Take a walk in to nearby Esperaza, a quiet village with many shops including a bakery, bars, restaurants and pizzeria as well as a dinosaur and fossil museum. Don't miss the Sunday market.
Take the train to the beautiful medieval city of Carcassonne (40 mins drive). Famous walled city and castle. Many events held all year round including on 14 July the traditonal setting light of the walled city which includes a world famous firework display.
Visit the thermal spas of Alet-les-Bain and Rennes-les-Bain. Approximately 10km away these thermal spas dating back to the Romans are well-known for their health-giving properties and are a constant 30 degrees.
Unraval the mysteries surrounding the infamous Rennes-le-Chateau seen from the villa. Visit ancient sites, chateaus, caves and Cathar castles.
Explore on foot or on bicicle. The Montagne Noir (Black Mountains) and Pyrennes, gorges, forests and rivers are all on your doorstep. Don't miss Galamus Gorge. For wine lovers you have Minervois, Corbieres and Fitou which help make the region the biggest wine producer in France. You must try the French Champagne (Blanquette) which is made locally in Limoux. Explore the market towns of Bram, Castlenaudry, Mirepoix, Revel and of course Carcassonne. Take a boat trip on the Canal du Midi from Carcassonne.
Canoeing and whitewater rafting available along the river Aude as well as fishing. Beaches are only 1 hour away. Narbonne Plage (ideal for families) and Perpignon offer some beautiful beaches. Barcelona is about 3 hours away if you fancy a touch of Spain. Andorra is popular due to it's tax free status as well as it's ski resorts. Again only a couple of hours away. If skiing is your thing, the nearest resort at 40kms away is Camurac, but any others similar distance away. Buses leave twice a day from Quillan (7kms) during the season.
Rennes-le-Chateau
Unraval the mysteries surrounding the infamous Rennes-le-Chateau featured in The Da Vinci Code. Seen from the villa up on hillside.
Located 48 km from Carcassonne and 20 km from Limoux, this spa is also the queen of springs, mistress of waters well-known for their health-giving properties since the Gaul and Wisigoth eras.
Today, it is a thermal spa with modern equipment, oriented towards thermal medication, and which always benefits from a pleasant climate and springs possessing curative properties.
Camurac, only resort in the Aude Pyrenees, mixes the charm of a mountain village with skiing and other gliding sports, all the while preserving the environment.
15 Tracks on 2,5 hectares, including 2 greens, 8 blues, 2 reds, 3 blacks.
7 lifts - 15 snow guns, including 3 low pressure ones - 1 completely free 10 km marked out loop for cross country skiing and snowshoeing - at the top of the Tracks: heated picnic room - snack-bar - first aid post. At the bottom of the Tracks: ski renting.
Regular buses and trains from Quillan
White Water Sports in the Aude Gorges
Rafting through the Pierre Lys and St Georges gorges, enjoy 12 km of sporting river! Rafters, white water swimmers, and kayakers from all levels of ability are offered the most exceptional water sports spot in the Pyrenees.
" Triple Chute", "Flippeurs" and "Dessert" passages bring popularity to this spot.
Paradise in "Aude" for rafting, canoeying, kayaking, and hot-dog !
The largest mountain biking area in the Pyrenees !
34 mountain biking routes and 7 linking itineraries, over 780 km of waymarked trails to be discovered. Mountain bike hires and qualified instructors await you !
Horse Riding in Aude en Pyrénées
Aude en Pyrénées offers several hundred kilometres of well-kept and waymarked horseback riding trails, where you can ride at your will or improve yourself in an equestrian centre under qualified supervision.
January
Very cold and bright. Some rain. Morning frost. Snow on higher ground. Temp: 1-9°C : Sun: 4 hours : Rain: 58mm
February
Very cold - but still bright. First blossoms -late in the month. Temp: 1-12°C : Sun: 6 hours : Rain: 30mm
March
An erratic mix of very cold and almost warm. Windier, rainier. Plants start to bud - and villages and towns start to wake up. Temp: 5-15°C : Sun: 6 hours : Rain: 70mm
April
Warm, but a little wet. Beautiful - with flowers everywhere. Some cold days. More fêtes. More restaurants open. Temp: 8-17°C : Sun: 8 hours : Rain: 58mm
May
Gorgeous - flowers galore. Fields crowded with poppies. Warm enough to swim by late May. Tourist season begins - slowly. Asparagus season.
Temp: 10-21°C : Sun: 9 hours : Rain: 45mm
June
Quite hot, with less and less rain. Hillsides are covered with oceans of yellow. Temp: 12-25°C : Sun: 10 hours : Rain: 30mm
Weather in Languedoc
July
Hot and very dry. Not much wind. Coastal regions busy with tourists. Peach & melon season.
Temp: 16-28°C : Sun: 11 hours : Rain: 20mm
August
First half very hot. Cooler in the 2nd half - with more clouds and wind. The coast still heaving. Lots of activities & events.
Temp: 17-27°C : Sun: 10 hours : Rain: 40mm
September
Warm and bright. Still hot enough to swim. Grapes harvested. Sudden rain storms. Tourists suddenly dry up - much calmer.
Temp: 13-23°C : Sun: 8 hours : Rain: 98mm
October
Warm and windy, and still very sunny. Some downpours . Vines turn gorgeous shades of orange. Glorious for walks.
Temp: 9-20°C : Sun: 6 hours : Rain: 95mm
November
Warm to cool - but very bright. Some rain and wind. Leaves start dropping. Villages and towns really start to get quiet.
Temp: 5-16°C : Sun: 5 hours : Rain: 70mm
Weather in Languedoc
December
Cool, then cold. But very sunny. Less rain and wind. Christmas lunch outside isn't unheard of! Villages & towns quite quiet.
Temp: 2-11°C : Sun: 4 hours : Rain: 60mm
Rental rates for this apartment
Price Per Week
Quoted In
Approximately equivalent to
UK Pound
Euro
US Dollar
5 Jan - 28 Mar 2008
£325.00
€357.50
$487.50
29 Mar - 2 May 2008
£350.00
€385.00
$525.00
3 May - 29 Aug 2008
£450.00
€495.00
$675.00
30 Aug - 24 Oct 2008
£350.00
€385.00
$525.00
25 Oct - 12 Dec 2008
£325.00
€357.50
$487.50
13 Dec - 3 Jan 2009
£425.00
€467.50
$637.50
4 Jan - 28 Mar 2009
£350.00
€385.00
$525.00
29 Mar - 2 May 2009
£375.00
€412.50
$562.50
3 May - 29 Aug 2009
£475.00
€522.50
$712.50
30 Aug - 24 Oct 2009
£375.00
€412.50
$562.50
25 Oct - 12 Dec 2009
£350.00
€385.00
$525.00
13 Dec - 2 Jan 2010
£450.00
€495.00
$675.00
Rental Notes: No facilities for babies/toddlers. Rentals from Saturday to Saturday (negotiable). Check in 4.00pm, check out by 10.00am. Linen/towels included. Mid-stay clean available at extra charge. Payment in £/Euro. Booking confirmed on receipt of 20% deposit, balance payable 8 weeks before arrival. A cancellation fee will be charged subject to when cancellation occurs. A breakage deposit of £200 should be paid with the final payment, this is refunded on your return after property inspection.
Closest airports: Carcassonne (40 mins), Perpignon or Toulouse (1 hr 30 mins). Ryan Air have two flights a day going from Stansted to Carcassonne over the summer.
Rental cars available from all airports – book online prior to departure.
Guestbook
"You have a lovely home! We all had a fantastic time. We especially found the binder of information extremely valuable. We toured all of the markets as
part of our daily travels. Hope to visit again in the future." - Dean Smallwood & family, Winnipeg, Canada
Availability of Le Castellas
This property is normally available
for rent between January
and December each year.
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Owner joined site on:
20 February 2006
Property listed since:
19 December 2006
ANOTHER HOLIDAY LET FROM THIS OWNER
France
Aude
Rennes View - Luxury Villa with Pool
Fishing Nearby, Horse Riding, Quiet, Riverside, Rural/Village, Watersports -
3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6, Garden, Swimming Pool
Holiday Apartment in france - Languedoc-Roussillon - Aude - Esperaza
