For Lovers of the Countryside:
In the garden you can pick grapes, walnuts, figs, damsons and pistachios in their season, or enjoy watching our family of red squirrels beating you to it! Just beyond the house, the lane becomes a track which takes you on a stroll down to the river with fabulous views. Quiet footpaths lead in all directions from the hamlet and the area is particularly rich in wildlife, and wild flowers which attract many rare butterflies. Birds of prey are a common sight and sound over the valley below.
Local amenities and How to Get Here:
The nearest village is Laguepie (10 minutes) overlooked by its ruined castle, on the confluence of the mighty Aveyron and Viaur rivers. This is a very friendly and French community which provides grocers, bakers, a butcher, pharmacy, post office, 2 restaurants, newsagent, ironmonger, doctor, garage, 2 cafe bars, pizzeria, florist, ironmonger and a farmers' market on Thursdays and Sundays. The nearest bread shop is 5 minutes away at Le Segur. Only 15 minutes drive finds the picturesque medieval hilltop town of Cordes-sur-Ciel with its beautiful old buildings and narrow cobbled streets. There are many restaurants and shops, together with museums, art galleries and a summer festival of music in uphill Cordes. Downhill there are the usual range of food shops and a useful Saturday market.
Ryanair flies to Rodez, our nearest airport. Slightly further is Toulouse, with a wide choice of budget and scheduled flights. For ferry crossing and a comfortable drive, we recommend Caen.
To do and see:
In addition to swimming and relaxing at the house, the walking is superb. Visits to the spectacular river gorges are a must, and an excellent way to enjoy the Aveyron is by canoe or kayak from St Antonin; There are boats for all levels of ability and family combinations to give a very good day out. Also near St Antonin is a fascinating cave complex. Canoes and kayaks, cycles and tennis are also available in Laguepie. Our local lake near Monesties offers a sandy beach with BBQ and picnic facilities. There you can swim, sail, wind-surf, take a pedalo, walk or cycle. Cap Decouverte activity park offers all manner of opportunities including water skiing, zip-wires, dry-slope skiing to name a few. When you are exhausted by all this physical activity, the many historic bastide towns and villages offer a wealth of interest and exploration. The old centre of the regional capital of Albi has history aplenty, excellent shopping, culture, boat trips along the Tarn and great restaurants.
Other Activities:
canoeing, kayaking, activity centres, water parks, bastide towns, vineyards and wine tasting, farm visits, hiking with donkeys
