Dream House Part 2

QUAINT QUERCY

Property styles vary. Generally in the south, houses have red roofs while further north they are of slate or thin stone slabs, especially in the mountainous parts of the Pyrénées – a skiing and mountain biking playground that always features in the Tour de France. Quercy stone is the building material of choice for many properties in Tarn-et-Garonne. One such is this spacious family home with four bedrooms in a small hamlet near the pretty and quaintly named Montaigu de Quercy with its bustling Saturday morning market. The covered porch to the front of this home sets the scene; inside there’s a massive kitchen/dining room, a generous sitting room with French doors to the garden, and a snug. Upstairs are four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Guests are accommodated in the maison d’amis, once the old bread oven! There’s another stone barn and a kidney-shaped swimming pool with sun terrace. The gardens have views over the surrounding countryside. House Of The Dream Part 2

CAHORS COUNTRY 

The River Lot winds its way across the upper part of this region – and what visual treats are in store here as it’s surely one of the prettiest waterways in France. St-Cirq Lapopie has long been famed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. The clifftop community with its steep winding streets and equally steep-roofed stone houses is packed with workshops, art galleries and visitors who come to enjoy the atmosphere that enchanted the likes of surrealist painter André Breton. Some 30km east is the ancient town of Cahors. Sitting within a U-shaped bend of the Lot, it is most famous for its fortified bridge and its black wine, which has been made here since medieval times. The Valentré bridge was built in the 14th century and is one of France’s ponts du diables (or devil’s bridges) with a complex associated myth complete with a classic twist in the tail. Close to Cahors, in a very private location within walking distance of all amenities, a charming hillside property is sitting in the sun waiting for new owners. It boasts the most splendid views down over the Lot river and the Pont Valentré. Light and airy, it has four bedrooms in the main house with a separate one-bedroom ground floor apartment. Panoramic views from the living room over Cahors are sure to keep you entranced for hours. Outside is a lovely swimming pool with a summer kitchen for those long summer days this part of the country specialises in. There’s also gas central heating, double-glazing and mains drainage. The grounds of 1.5 hectares are mostly woodland with landscaped gardens around the house.

LOT LANDSCAPE 

Following the course of the Lot west, you come to the ancient town of Luzech which also sits in a bend of the river. This is serious wine country – the Danish royal family own a vineyard here – and regional food specialities abound. It’s all set within the most stunning scenery. We’ve found a charming stone property here, complete with a square-shaped pigeonnier and heated pool. This very pretty character home is in a quiet residential part of Luzech, fully fenced with a landscaped garden extending to almost half an acre. There are three bedrooms in the main house plus a one-bedroom apartment at garden level. The salt swimming pool has Roman steps and a covered terrace while the pool house has a shower. Naturally the property has its own wine cellar to stock with Cahors wine!

TARN CHARM 

Mirandol-Bourgnounac sits between Albi and Rodez, deep within the rolling countryside of the Tarn département. It’s close to some of the area’s landmark villages such as Cordes-sur- Ciel and Laguépie. In a small hamlet close by is this charming blueshuttered two-bedroom, two-bathroom house with independent one-bedroom gîte. The property has been fully renovated and has double-glazing and gas-fired central heating so you could move straight in! The ground floor is open plan while the two upper floors each boast a bedroom and bathroom. All this comes with a pretty and easily maintained garden.

MOUNTAIN MANOR 

The Pyrénées form the backdrop for the region. The mountains can be seen from miles away, especially on clear winter days when the snow-capped peaks seem alluringly dreamlike. Hautes-Pyrénées also has much to offer. Here, mountain foothills give way to steeper terrain after Tarbes, and Lourdes – its second biggest city – is a centre for pilgrimage. Just 20 minutes from Tarbes a distinctive maison de maître has been operating as a successful B&B for over 15 years in the heart of the delightful village of Cabanac. Generously sized, with high ceilings and a grand entrance with beautiful staircase, the house has six bedrooms of which three are ensuite. There’s an additional space on the ground floor with restoration potential – perhaps as a separate studio apartment? The spacious gardens are beautifully landscaped and include outbuildings ripe for conversion into gîtes, offering extra potential income too.

sources:  French Porperty News, June 2018

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