The Village
Pouzolles in the Languedoc is a tiny village of about 900 people. There are all the amenities you need to appreciate life just by staying in the village – a café, a “tabac”, a “boulangerie”, an “épicerie”, a post office, a fine château, a 17th-century church and even a hair salon. Visiting market stalls occupy the “place” (square) a couple of times a week. If you go in summer, there are wonderful convivial “brasucades” – dining and dancing in the park under the plane trees.
The district has many other wine villages and towns, such as Pézenas (Ville de Molière!), Sète (like a mini-Venice) and Bédarieux. My favourite village (apart from Pouzolles!) is Roquebrune in a national park only about 35 minutes drive. Then there are great places to visit, such as Millau Bridge, the ancient Etang de Montady (a huge drained basin), Montpellier (like a small Paree!), the Canal du Midi, and down the coast 90 mins by train, the picturesque arty resort of Collioure.
The House
It is a “maison de maître”, a slightly grander abode compared to a “maison de vigneron”. There are three levels: on the ground is the “cave” where there’s a washing machine and the owners’ cars live; the next floor has kitchen/dining, two bedrooms (one is ensuite) and a sitting room (there’s a small terrasse here, too); the upper floor has four bedrooms (one of them for guests) and a toilet/shower.
Being an old house, this is not luxury accommodation but it contains everything for a comfortable stay. The kitchen is well set up but you’ll have to wash and dry your dishes by hand! This is a home and it feels that way, especially with some old-style furniture and original floral wallpaper. The terrasse has a good table and a parasol. There is a box full of maps and information brochures, and also folders with house information and suggestions for good things to see and do. For the odd rainy day there are board games. Previous visitors have loved the village and the wonderful Languedoc wine region.
Attractions in the Languedoc
Montpellier, Béziers, Sète, Agde, Canal du Midi, Carcassonne, Pézenas (Ville de Molière only 15 mins from Pouzolles), Lac du Salagou, Lamalou-les-Bains, Narbonne, Collioure (Matisse and Picasso lived there, about 1.5 hours by train), Nîmes (Roman amphitheatre), Albi (Lautrec’s birthplace), Minerve (a pedestrian-only village with fine views and a treacherous history), the Pyrénées, the spectacular Millau Viaduct, Roquefort for cheese, Andorra (two hours away) and Spain, an easy day trip, only a couple of hours by train from Béziers. There’s information in the house on all of these.
The Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the biggest wine producers in the world. The quality of its wine has risen steadily over the past 40 years to such an extent that experts say it compares with Bordeaux wines. Pouzolles has a fine private winemaker, L’Arjolle, and a few other private domaines.
House Rental/Conditions – all is included except possibly the stove’s small gas cylinder needing to be replaced. Charges depend on the length of your stay, how many people and if you have visited before.
In general:
One week 700 NZ dollars (400 euros)
Two weeks 1,200 720 euros
Three weeks 1,700 950 euros
Month 2,100 1250 euros
NB: It would be much appreciated if you can let us know in advance if you are unable to visit. This will possibly allow others to visit or extend their stay.