Tourouzelle holiday apartment: Tourouzelle

We stayed at La Maison Des Vignes for a week in early July 2009. Overall, we were a party of 14 that rented all 3 Gites. Our family ranged in age from 11 to 77 years old, all of whome enjoyed the experience.

The description of the property is not only accurate but probably downplays how comfortable it really is. No little detail has not been thought of, from the sports equipment you could borrow to the picnic backpacks that turned out to be the perfect thing for a Tour de France afternoon picnic.

The gite itself was very clean. Beds were comfy, linens fresh and bathrooms very well equipped with high end sprayer showerheads. The kitchen was well equipped and provided everything you would need.

The pool was extremely well maintained, and the garden area around it pleasant. The pool temperature was kept rather cool which was great when you came home at the end of a hot day and needed a cool down.

Tourouzelle is a lovely little village with a smaller shop that serves as the local baker, butcher and produce store. Its location is ideal if you to explore Carcassonne, the Canal du Midi or Cathar country. Its even not that far from the beach for those that need their fix of sun and sand.

But the best part of this property is truly the folks who own the place. They are gracious, eager to help, and friendly - without being in your face all the time. Part of their service is to offer a welcome evening in their own home when you first arrive where they introduce you to local wines and foods. In all our years of renting villas - and there have been many - we have never been treated to something as pleasant as this. Gave us the chance to pick their brains about what to do and, as importantly, what not to do with our precious 7 day vacation!

We even had the pleasure of dining with the local Mayor - again, arranged by the owners - who prepared a feast of local specialities.

The one tiny comment I would make is that our family are a group of readers and often in the late evening we would sit inside and read. Because the gites all have rather high ceilings, lighting is very sparse so it made reading difficult. There was also limited lighting around the kitchen area which often made food preparation tricky too. But, this is a small thing when you consider who well everything else was provided for.

Overall, I would give La Maison Des Vignes a 10/10. I would most definately recommend this spot to friends.