Tarn holiday barn: Villefranche d'Albigeois

Our stay in this lovely spacious converted barn exceeded our expectations. This delightful hamlet in the hills above Albi made a great base from which to explore the region; although rural it was not isolated. The local village of Villefranche d'Albigeois had a good range of shops, bars and cafes and friendly inhabitants. Albi could easily be reached in 15 minutes and provided facilities such as supermarkets and restaurants.


The well maintained accommodation was furnished with charm and flair; attractive pieces of local furniture, pictures and china combined to provide a delightful ambience. Beds were comfortable and the kitchen area well equipped - all was spotless.

A good selection of books, CDs, DVDs and an iPod docking system were much appreciated as was the use of bicycles, the wonderful salt water pool and barbecue. A morning cycle ride to the village to collect fresh bread and croissants soon became routine for the more energetic members of the party.

Peter and Lizie were attentive and endearing hosts with a fund of useful local knowledge and provided us with a with a good range of suggestions of what to see and do locally.

Highlights of our visit included trips to Toulouse, Albi and Castres, exploring local bastides and kayaking on the Tarn (this was deemed to be so good that a second trip had to be undertaken!). The area had a good selection of local restaurants - we particularly enjoyed the restaurant at Alban.

Sadly 10 days was not long enough to fit in all we wanted to do but all were agreed that La Valette provided the ideal combination of being a great place in which to relax with plenty to do and see.