La Bastidette

An arrow straight tree lined avenue escorts you to the broad gabled mansion of La Bastide. An auspicious home, with flat rose brick detailing and window shutters typical of the region, and wings to both sides.

Inside the central section, the house is more formal, where ceilings and beams are meticulously finished with moulded plasterwork, and door frames are similarly decorated; lower wall sections are protected by white panelled boiserie, and thick walls house chunky old radiators.

There are three reception rooms. The more formal drawing room is surrounded by shelving busy with books and decorative porcelain. A twin-set of drapes conceal it from an adjoining ivy-green dining room. A circular Regency pedestal table seats ten. A wood burner is set into the hearth separating the two entrances.

Broad double doors lead from here through to another, more expansive living room to the side, that features rustic white roof beams, cleverly engineered to support an artistically hand-painted leafy ceiling of figs and horse chestnut.

There is a perfect pair of half-moon windows, another cosy woodburning stove, and dining table for sunset suppers.

A smaller carpeted study with a wood-burning stove, serves as a snug TV room. The kitchen is comfortably uncluttered; contemporary, with natural wood shaker cupboards and presses, and a convenient breakfast table.

Beautifully crafted wooden stairs lead up to the bedroom accommodation.
The most dramatic of the three double bedrooms is furnished with an ornately decorated four poster bed topped by a gathered, pleated and tasselled floral canopy. It also comes with an ensuite shower room.

Antique hardwood furniture, mainly mahogany and occasionally baroque is used throughout, together with curvaceous French style floral headboards.

There is a twin and a single bedroom opposite each other in the apex loft of the house. They both have elegant arched casement windows and share a bathroom and WC.

A large room with super king-size zip & link bed can sleep three, and is ensuite with a shower. It is at garden level and has direct access. Other unique features include rustic unfinished beams and its own wood burning stove.

The rear of the house enjoys a similar facade to the front, and is ideal for long al fresco lunches among the trees, as a respite from lolling in the magnificent swimming pool that lies beyond.

The demesne was an operational vineyard until the 1950s when blight destroyed the original vines, and the enterprise was abandoned.The ground floor is built over a cellar which has many of the original features of a once working wine estate.

Kitchen Appliances
• Electric oven
• 4 ring Gas hob
• Fridge-freezer
• Dishwasher
• Toaster
• Nespresso coffee machine
• Microwave

Utility Appliances
• Washing machine
• Spin-dryer
• Iron

Beds
• Two Super King-size and one Large double bed
• One Zip&link double and three single beds

Tech & Entertainment
• Wi-Fi Internet
• 2 Flat-screen TVs

Other
• Good selection of books & Games
• Table tennis table- outdoor
• Children’s high chair
• 4 Bicycles

• Visit the Toulouse Lautrec museum
• Experience the awesome Cathedral in Albi
• Great restaurant, great wine
• Hike among the vineyards
• Cycle around Gaillac
• Go paddle boarding at the Aqua Park

• Rent a boat on the Tarn
• Visit a Vineyard
• Visit another Vineyard
• Go around the markets
• Visit Le Capitole in Toulouse
• Tour Toulouse on foot
• 3 day Wine Festival in August

We owe La Bastidette to an ambitious local, who having achieved success as a tailor in Paris, returned in the 1830’s to build this dream home.The nearest village is Brens, walking distance away. The boulangerie is highly recommended, plus there’s a good butcher in the small local shop, and a bar.

Just across the river Tarn is the charming market town of Gaillac, which is at the centre of one of the major wine producing regions of the South West of France. A thriving little town, very authentic with good amenities. There is a regular train to Toulouse; a cinema with films often in English! A good market, and some fine restaurants.
The Cockrel (le coq gaillacois) long associated with France, is the region’s official emblem and proudly appears on regional wine bottles.

Gaillac is one of France’s oldest viticultural areas, established in Roman times, the whole area is full of vineyards – about 40 in total. The dry, semi-sparkling Perlé accounts for around 20% of white wine production locally – delicious in summer…

The climate here in the Tarn region is characterized by hot and humid summers with average highs of about 28°C, and cool to mild winters with average lows of around 3°C. It can rain anytime throughout the year.

The extraordinary 13^th century cathedral in medieval city of Albi is worth a visit. It is possibly the largest brick building in the world, and has a stunning interior. This ancient city has some awesome bridges and quirky museums – don’t miss the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum housed in the Bishops Palace beside the cathedral – said to hold the largest collection of any single artist in the world.

Albi also has a regular (weekly) flea/antiques market which is very popular throughout the year.

Of historical importance to trade, the river Tarn is a tributary of the Garonne, which eventually flows into the Atlantic at the eminent French port of Bordeaux – a length of 529 km.

The fascinating medieval architecture of Cordes sur Ciel, perched on top of an isolated hill is a delightful surprise, and worth a look. The 800 year old town is home to the Museum of the Art of Sugar and Chocolate.

If you have a passion for fortified medieval villages, you will also want to visit the beautiful Castlenau-du-Montmiral.

Further afield there is Toulouse within an hour’s drive with its multiple historic, cultural and gastronomic attractions. Founded by the Romans, the city’s unique architecture made of pinkish terracotta bricks has earned it the nickname La Ville rose (“The Pink city”)

It is the fourth-largest city in France after Paris, Marseille and Lyon and is the centre of the European aerospace industry, with the headquarters of Airbus.

The University of Toulouse is one of the oldest in Europe (founded in 1229), with a university population of nearly 140,000 students.

Beyond the scope of our page – this is a link to the best attractions of Toulouse