La Felicite

There's no doubt that every guest will find great happiness at this rambling and utterly beautiful farmhouse in a glorious setting with views towards the Pyrenees foothills in south-western France.

After a heartfelt restoration, the owners have created something special at La Felicite. Ideal for a family gathering or perhaps a reunion with friends, this home offers understated luxury with great rustic character. The 16th-century farmhouse has been beautifully renovated alongside three annexes; La Pigeonniere, the original Bread Oven and separate Grain Store, resulting in eight bedrooms for up to 18 guests.

The interiors are wonderful, having retained many of their traditional features alongside hand-crafted additions such as the impressive sliding doors in the master bedroom made out of walnut wood, the elm window seat in the kitchen and the custom-made bunk beds in one of the children's bedrooms including a slide and tunnel. Enjoy a decadent bath by the wood-burning fire in La Pigeonniere before heading to your sumptuous bed on the mezzanine. Kids will also love the characterful bunkbed in the Grain Store whilst parents can climb up to their king-size double under the eaves. Throughout this home you will be amazed by the unique and magical features alongside high-end finishing touches.

The kitchen is a chef's dream featuring brands such as Smeg, Bosch and Nespresso and feasts can be enjoyed along the four metre dining table or al-fresco on the terrace. The living room in the main farmhouse offers ample space to relax whilst a children's playroom is a welcome respite as kids play games, dress up or just relax with a film.

Outside you can swim in the heated swimming pool which has a large shallow end ideal for paddling toddlers, relax by the terrace, find a quiet spot in the orchard, snooze in the hammock between the chestnut trees or have a game of football or badminton in the grassy gardens. As evening approaches, gather by the firepit and watch the sun set before gazing up at the stars in the clear sky.
For a supplement, guests can also hire the villa's air-conditioned barn which has been set up as a fitness room with yoga mats, boxing equipment and mats as well as a games mezzanine with darts, a pool table and more. Alternatively, with prior arrangement and charges, it can be set up as a stunning events space.

This is an incredibly pretty region of France with idyllic medieval villages, countryside walks, cycling routes through incredible landscapes and canoeing along picturesque rivers. There's a couple of nearby villages, one with a cafe-bar, another with a pizza van on summer Wednesday evenings. Enjoy the atmospheric twice-weekly market in historic Caylus, 12km away, or drive to the very beautiful village of Najac, twenty minutes away, classified as one of France's ‘Plus Beaux Villages'.

Other wonderful places to visit include Saint-Antonin Noble Val with it's popular Sunday morning market, near the stunning Aveyron gorges, as well as the 12th century hilltop village of Cordes-sur-Ciel and Albi, a UNESCO listed city just over an hour away.

No matter whether you're enjoying the glorious surroundings of this incredible home or exploring the enchanting region around you, you are sure to create many happy family memories at the joyful La Felicite.

Features

Villa Interiors

Main House

Ground Floor

• Living-dining room with satellite TV, wood-burning stove and large dining table
• Children's playroom with toys, dressing up box and TV/Blue-ray player
• Kitchen with air-conditioning, well-equipped including induction hob, oven, fridge with ice-machine, dishwasher and Nespresso machine
• Utility room with laundry facilities and second dishwasher and fridge
• Bedroom with super king-size double bed and French windows leading to courtyard
• Bedroom with twin beds
• Shower room with walk-in shower and separate WC (shared between two above bedrooms)

First Floor

• Master bedroom with air-conditioning and super king-size double bed. En suite with rolltop bath, walk-in rain shower and WC

• Children's bedroom with air-conditioning and two sets of bunk-beds (four beds) which have been custom designed including a slide and tunnel. Small WC
  La Pigeonniere Annexe 1 (end of main house, via external stairs)

• Sofa area with wood-burning fire and roll-top bath

• Bedroom on mezzanine level (via wooden open-tread stairs) with super king-size double bed

• Shower room with walk-in rain shower and separate WC

Bread Oven Annexe 2 (separate building facing main house)

• Bedroom with super king-size bed
• En suite shower room with walk-in rain shower and WC

Grain Store Annexe 3 (separate building adjacent to the main house)

• Sofa area
• Children's bedroom with bunkbeds
• Small bedroom (low ceilings) on mezzanine level (via steep steps) with super king-size double bed
• En suite family bathroom with roll top bath, walk-in rain shower and WC

Outside Grounds

• Heated salt-water swimming pool (14mx5m which includes a 3mx5m paddling area which is 30cm deep) with automatic rigid safety cover. Open April to end of October, approximately. Heated at set temperature of 26°C
• Al-fresco dining and lounging areas
• BBQ and fire-pit
• Garden
• Play area with climbing frame, slide, swing and climbing wall
• Table tennis
• Skittles, rounders set, badminton
• Football and goal

Facilities

• Air-conditioning (some rooms only, see above)
• Underfloor heating/cooling system
• Fans available
• Wi-Fi
• TVs (inc Satellite TV)
• Blu-ray player (and kids films)
• Board games
• Toys and fancy dress for kids
• Outdoor skittles
• Washing machine and dryer
  An air-conditioned barn with showering and changing facilities is also available for an extra supplement (to be arranged in advance) which can be used as an events space or as a fitness area/games mezzanine. The games mezzanine has darts, pool table and table football whilst the barn has boxing equipment, punch bags, weights, kettlebell, skipping ropes and yoga mats. Please enquire for additional costs and increased security deposit.

Location

La Felicite has a glorious setting on the edge of a little hamlet in the Tarn et Garonne department in the old region of the Midi-Pyrenees. Enjoy magical views of the surrounding countryside as far as the foothills of the Pyrenees from the gardens and swimming pool.

There's a small village 2km away with a little playground for the kids and often a pizza van visits the main square on a Wednesday evening in the summer. Another small historic village is within a five minute drive where there's a bar and pharmacy. The village sometimes hosts a market on a Friday morning so be sure to check the dates when you arrive.

Further amenities including restaurants and a supermarket can be found in the really pretty historic town of Caylus (12km) which has a market on a Tuesday and Saturday morning where you can pick up some wonderful local produce. Najac (20km), one of France's ‘Plus Beaux Villages' is another incredibly picturesque place to visit with its medieval architecture and village chateau. Stop for a coffee in one of the pretty cafes looking over the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Indeed, this region is filled with enchanting medieval villages and historic towns to discover. Saint-Antonin Noble Val (24km) is rich in history and has a great and very popular Sunday morning market. This is a good place to hire canoes or kayaks for exploring the stunning Aveyron gorges and those who love extreme sport can find some good caving and climbing places around here as well as mountain biking and tree-top trails.

Cordes-sur-Ciel (40km) is another amazing 12th century hilltop town with outstanding views whilst further south the city of Albi (64km) is just over an hour away. With a UNESCO World Heritage status, the historic city of Albi is filled with medieval buildings, an impressive cathedral, wonderful viewpoints and lovely cobbled lanes filled with charming shops. Montauban (60km) and Toulouse (115km) are also great days out.

With nature all around you, there are some amazing walks for all abilities. Take a picnic out with the family and wander along the countryside paths or spend time relaxing by one of the region's lakes or river beaches. For more experienced hikers, follow part of the famous Chemin de St Jacques which passes to the north or enjoy many other walks across the region. Cycling is also an extremely popular pursuit with the Voie Verte (between the Mediterranean and Atlantic) passing to the south near Toulouse and Montech.

You can also find horse-riding opportunities in the region and plenty of places to hire canoes and kayaks, not only by the Aveyron gorges near St Antonin but also in Cazals, Penne, Feneyrols, Najac and Bruniquel, all within a forty-minute drive or less. Fishing is also a popular pastime across the Tarn et Garonne.

Finally, the Les Jardins de Quercy need to be mentioned. Just 20 minutes away, spend some time exploring these enchanting gardens.