Gaze over the vineyard towards La Cité de Carcassonne from one of your two hot tubs at this wonderful villa with a private swimming pool just a 5-minute stroll from Europe’s largest citadel, also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In an incredible setting just 500m from Carcassonne’s historic ramparts, yet also with a glorious garden and vast vineyard, Villa Chatelain is a special place to stay. As well as the 6-person hot tub with cité vistas, there’s a perfectly placed dining and lounge terrace with the same amazing views and you can even see the ramparts from the boules court. On the other side of the house, a covered terrace is ideal for relaxed al-fresco dining overlooking the heated salt-water swimming pool and second hot tub below, alongside a pretty garden and children’s play area.
Inside across two levels, there’s an open-plan kitchen-diner alongside the sitting area whilst a TV lounge gives you extra room downstairs. Each of the six bedrooms, with sleeping arrangements for up to 15 guests, features air-conditioning and an en suite shower room. Across this beautiful house there’s a great feeling of style, space and comfort.
Wander down the country lane and soon you will find yourself within the citadel, surrounded by a warren of medieval lanes with cafes, bars, shops and restaurants. Visit the castle and take a tour of the historic ramparts before soaking up the unique ambience of one of France’s most popular tourist destinations.
The charm of Carcassonne’s other historic quarter, Bastide de Saint Louis, also awaits with its enticing restaurants and thrice-weekly market on Place Carnot whilst the Canal du Midi is merely 3km away – find a boat tour or hire bikes and follow the tow paths along part of the country’s famous canal.
To explore further afield, take the train to Castelnaudary, Toulouse and Narbonne or venture by car to idyllic villages, market towns, Languedoc vineyards, Cathar castles and even the beaches of the Mediterranean – within an hour you could be wind-surfing at Gruissan-Plage or pottering around the charming resort and vast sandy beaches of Leucate, two seaside gems of southern France.
What a location – Villa Chatelain is just a short stroll from the La Cité de Carcassonne, Europe’s largest medieval walled city and a UNESCO World Heritage site!
It’s a beautiful setting, with views over the villa’s vineyard towards the historic ramparts on one side of the house and the pretty garden and neighbouring houses on the other. Step out of your entrance gate, walk up the country lane (no pavement) passing the vineyard on one side and within 500m you will find yourself standing beneath the mighty citadel walls.
Wander through one of the gates (some with step access) and potter around the warren of medieval lanes with pretty shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and museums. Visit the castle, tour the ramparts and look out for events, re-enactments and festivities, especially during the French school holidays. Visit early in the morning or late into the evening to avoid the many day-trippers who come to see one of France’s most popular tourist destinations.
Cross the Aude River via the Pont Vieux bridge (1.5km) and spend time exploring Carcassonne’s charming Bastide de Saint Louis with more restaurants and shops. The Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday morning market takes place at Place Carnot, also home to terrace cafes and a picturesque fountain. The Canal du Midi is just north of this quarter, around 3km from the villa, where it’s wonderful to cycle along the tow paths or take a boat ride along part of France’s famous canal.
Trains depart Gare de Carcassonne (3km) to the attractive town of Castelnaudary, a perfect place for lunch out by the Canal du Midi, perhaps enjoying le cassoulet, and onwards to the handsome city of Toulouse. In the other direction, it’s around a 30-minute train ride to beautiful Narbonne with its gothic cathedral and you can even continue towards Port La Nouvelle and the Mediterranean.
It’s also worth hiring a car to make the most of this glorious part of southern France. Venture to the Languedoc wineries and vineyards, visit idyllic villages such as Limoux, Lagrasse and Minerve and discover some of the fascinating Cathar castles from Lastours to Montségur.
You can also drive to the Mediterranean within an hour whether wishing to experience the beauty around Gruissan-Plage or soak up the ambience of Leucate, a resort especially loved for its wind-based watersports and vast sandy beaches.
Villa Interiors (210m2)
Main Floor (via entrance steps)
- Entrance hall and guest WC
- Open-plan lounge with sofas and satellite TV and doors leading to south-facing terrace
- Open-plan dining area and kitchen with central island, bar stools (x6) and dining table (10 guests). Kitchen fully-equipped including dishwasher, oven, induction hob, microwave, American fridge, toaster, espresso machine, coffee machine and kettle
- Bedroom with king-size double bed, single bed and bathroom with shower, two sinks and WC
- Bedroom with king-size double bed (can be split into twins), single bed and bathroom with shower and sink
- Bedroom with king-size double bed (can be split into twins) and bathroom with shower and sink
Bedroom with king-size double bed (can be split into twins) and bathroom with shower and sink
- Separate WC (near bedrooms)
Lower Level
- Bedroom with king-size double bed (can be split into twins), single bed and bathroom with shower and sink
- Bedroom with king-size double bed and bathroom with shower and sink
- Separate WC
- TV room with satellite TV, DVD player, board games and local guides/brochures. Doors lead to north-facing terrace with Carcassonne views
- Laundry room with washing machine/dryer and second fridge
There are four WCs across the villa, as mentioned above
Outside Grounds (2500m2)
- Heated salt-water swimming pool (4x10m) with safety gate. Open approximately early April to end-October
- Poolside 6-person hot tub with vineyard views
- Second 6-person hot tub with Carcassonne and vineyard views
- North-facing al-fresco dining and lounge area with Carcassonne views
- Covered south-facing al-fresco dining terrace overlooking pool
- Barbecue-grill
- Boules pitch
- Garden
- Children’s play area (swing and slide)
- Table tennis
- Vineyard (5000m2)
Facilities
- Wi-Fi
- Reversible air-conditioning/heating (excluding TV room)
- Satellite TV
- DVD player
- Boules
- Table tennis
- Hot tub
- Games
- Washing machine and dryer
