Holiday rental chateau in South West France with private infinity pool

Introduction

Superb, imposing, authentic castle dating back to the 11th century. Situated in beautiful countryside, within its own 10 hectare, private estate, and close to the market town of Mirepoix, 40 min from Carcassonne.

The property comprises two adjacent, connected buildings: the core of the old Château and a newer wing. Both have been completely renovated to a very high standard to offer living accommodation to sleep up to 16 (additional beds by request).

Fully equipped kitchen, UK satellite TV channels and Wi-Fi. Games room with table tennis and full-size snooker table.

Outside a very dramatic 12 x 6m infinity pool sits on the cliff's edge.

There is a pool house, a summer kitchen with seating for sixteen, a shower and a barbecue.

The garden falls over 4 terraces of flowers, paths and a waterfall into beautiful surrounding parkland with the 11th century chapel, a ruined medieval forge, a cemetery and numerous walks through the woods.

A caretaker, with two dogs and some cats, lives on the premises year round and he will be happy to do cleaning. A cook can be arranged, if required.

Shopping is in Mirepoix, about 10-15 minutes away. Toulouse is an hour away and has regular daily flights from Heathrow and Gatwick, Paris, Nice and most major European cities. Ryanair flies daily from Stansted to Carcassonne, which is 40 minutes from the house.

Accommodation

Entrance hallway

Kitchen with huge open fireplace. Gas range with electric ovens. Table and chairs for 16
Doors to front and rear terraces
Utility room with fridges and freezer, 2 dishwashers

Separate WC with sink

Study with desk. Wi-Fi internet

Salon with open fireplace, sofas and chairs

Laundry room with 2 washing machines and a dryer

(The 1st and 2nd floors are in 2 parts (the 'main house' and the 'wing') access by 2 separate staircases and not interconnected)

Main House;

Stone staircase leads to 1st floor:

Bedroom 1, double with ensuite WC, bath and hand basin

Bedroom 2, double

Bedroom 3; two singles (accessed via bedrooms 1 or 2)

Separate bathroom with WC, bath, separate shower, and hand basin

Separate WC and hand basin

Stairs to 2nd floor:

Bedroom 4, dormitory with single and bunk beds for 8 children

2 showers
WC

Table tennis

Wing:

Staircase to 1st floor

Separate bathroom with WC, bath and hand basin

Bedroom 5, double with ensuite bath, shower and hand basin

Bedroom 6, double

Bedroom 7, two singles

Bedroom 8, double (or 2 singles)

Music room (double height room) with Steinway piano (not for children’s use and will be kept locked unless specifically agreed otherwise with the owners)

Sofa, doors and exterior stone steps to pool terrace

Staircase to 2nd floor;

Office area

Bedroom 9, double

Games room with gallery overlooking the music room

TV, DVD, video with UK free view channels

Full size snooker table

EXTERIOR;

Extensive grounds (10 hectares) with river running through

Huge open fields and meadows, woodland and lawned areas

Children’s trampoline

Private, infinity pool 12 x 6m with sun terrace and loungers
Infinity area is off the cliff! Beyond the pool there is netting to protect against a drop

Summer kitchen and covered dining terrace
Sink and dishwasher

BBQ

WC, shower and sink

Château is perched on the cliff so there are some areas of the garden with could be dangers for young children if they are not properly supervised

Private parking

Map showing: Belloc

Map & local information

The Château is located midway between Mirepoix and Lavelanet, approx 45 mins south east of Carcassonne.
Shopping is in Mirepoix, about 10-15 minutes away.

Markets and Shopping:
The best one is in Mirepoix on Monday mornings. Fantastic food, crafts and general stuff. There's a smaller market (just food) there on Thursday mornings too. Also check in the Tourist Office in Mirepoix too, there are often special events and markets, e.g. pottery, books or art etc.

There is a market in Lavelanet on Fridays and in Pamiers and Foix on Saturdays.

You should be able to find all your other needs in the supermarket "Super U" in Mirepoix. The supermarket is open Monday to Saturday till 7pm but shuts at lunch on some days, check which. Virtually all other shops are open 8am to 12 and then again 2 to 7 pm but shut for lunch. Almost nothing is open on Sundays.

During July & August there is a street party each Friday evening at Léran. Arrive about 7.30 or 8pm, buy your wine and food from the stalls and join the fun.

Cathar castles are all a must, the nearest are Montségur, Rocquesfixade and Puivert. Puilaurens is also good (carry on from Piuvert) and on the way you will pass through a stunning gorge. Once there, there's some good canoeing on Aude too, see above. Peyrepertuse and Quéribus are both rightly very renowned but all are worth the effort of visiting and climbing to.

The local Romanesque church and monastic heritage is also fabulous and too numerous to itemise. Favourites include Vals (very near), Fontfroide, Lagrasse, St Hilaire, Axiat, St Martin de Canigou and of course our own chapel here. Camon, just down the road is a beautiful village and the old Benedictine Abbey there (now a private home/hotel from time to time) can sometimes be visited there.

Very famous for their prehistoric cave paintings are the grottes as Niaux.

Around about in the Pyrenees there's masses of walking opportunity and some wonderful natural sites such as gorges or the beautiful waterfalls, caves and rock formations at Roquefort les Cascades (just west of Lavelanet about half an hour away.

Foix is a lovely town with an imposing castle and makes a good day's expedition. So too is Fanjeaux, where St Dominic founded his order and started out. Carcassonne is fantastic walled city.

Nearby is Montolieu, a small town devoted entirely to books.

Spa towns, such as Ax les Termes, Ussat les Bains, Aulus les Bains are also amusing and of course Toulouse itself and Albi (home of Toulouse Lautrec with a museum devoted to him) are both full of architectural, historic and cultural interest.

If you want to see the sea, go to Perpignan or Narbonne (both worth visiting in their own right) or the gorgeous harbour town of Cadaques.

A trip to Barcelona and back through the mountains the next day is a good, if full, round trip. Andorra itself is hardly worth it save for tax free shopping but the trip there and back can be exquisite, off the main road.

If you want to visit vineyards in stunning (and very different) countryside, head for Limoux and wander all around there. To the north, the Montagnes Noir are very striking and St Félix de Lauragais and Revel are both very beautiful.

Ryanair flies daily from Stansted to Carcassonne, which is 40 minutes from the house.

Queille is also accessible from Montpellier (2 hours), Perpignan (75 minutes), Gerona and Barcelona (2-3 hours).

Food and Restaurants:
The local thing is foie gras (de canard). It's best to buy this, fresh, mi-cuit or preserved, and take it home to eat with a glass of Sauternes, Muscat, Montbaissiac or similar, cool sweet white wine.

Caroline (English) and Louis Charles de Roquette at Bordeneuve, St Félix Lauragais (05 61 83 02 23) make the best and have shop with their own products open most of the time and you can just turn up.

About an hour away, the trip makes a nice day out, over the Canal di Midi at Castelnaudary, to St Félix de Lauragais, a most charming small town in its own right with a fantastic mediaeval, timber marketplace. The restaurant there, 'Auberge du Poids Public' is possibly the best in the area and it's worth lunching or dining there (05 62 18 85 00). The other local delicacy is Cassoulet but quality varies enormously.

In Mirepoix the best restaurant by far is Le Relais (05 61 60 19 19), the others are relatively average but fine for general purposes. Try Café Llobet under the arches east of the Cathedral for good local cooking and a nice atmosphere (call Olivier on 05 61 96 44 34). The Restaurant les Remparts is fine and Le Comptoir Gourmand (opposite the main gate) is also well worth trying. The Hotel du Commerce (05 61 68 10 29) serves well enough when all else fails.

Nearby, in the tiny village of Troye d'Ariege, is 'l'Ecole Buissoniere', a hidden and most surprising gem with an owner who loves jazz and fly fishing (05 61 68 11 62). And only slightly further away, on the road to Castelnaudary, is Le Pujet. Here you get all home farm grown, organic produce including foie gras, lamb roasted on the fire in front of you and wine thrown in but you must book ahead and be a party of 6 or even more (04 68 60 51 76).

Up at the Lake is an outdoor 'beach' place, where you can basic 'steak and frites' etc. for a pleasant, sunset evening at end of the day on the lake. The place is called le Regat (05 61 01 92 55).

Prices & booking

Terms & Conditions

• * Sterling & Dollar rates are provided ONLY as a guide - all rentals are payable in EUROS.
• Prices are for the rental of the entire property above, per week.
• Bookings run from Saturday 6:00pm to Saturday 10:00am.
• Neither Pure France nor the property owner are liable for any loss or interruption of internet service.
• No smoking in the property.
• Bookings include electricity, water, linen and towels (not beach / pool towels).
• Property unsuitable for younger children due to sharp drops etc.
• * The trampoline is provided in good working order and is for children’s use only. Neither the property owner nor Pure France accept no responsibility or liability for any accidents caused through its use. It is the responsibility of adult members of the party to ensure safe and appropriate use. Children must be supervised at all times.
• Caretaker: Christophe (the caretaker) lives in an apartment on the ground floor of the Château (underneath the Music Room etc in the newer wing). He's there pretty much at all times, please speak to them if there are any problems. Christophe will show you around on arrival; make sure he shows you the laundry room and how it works. If you wish to visit the chapel, let him take you or show you where the keys are.
• Dogs: Toby and Alma (German Long Haired Pointers) lives at Queille. They sleep in the kennel in the garage but we let them into the house when we are around; if you do or not is up to you. They understand 'viens', 'stop', 'assis', 'couche' and 'dehors'. Christophe looks after them and sees that they're fed etc. They love company and can be taken for walks etc, if you wish.

'Château Queille' photo gallery

South West France holiday rental chateau, Belloc in Ariège, south of France with private infinity pool...

'Château Queille'

South West France holiday rental chateau, Belloc in Ariège, south of France with private infinity pool.

Please contact us for any queries.