Beral Farmhouse - sleeps 9
Beral is a privately-owned traditional 18th-century Quercy property with private pool and all modern amenities, located in the hills of the Lot region. Great walking, wine, food....
In the Region of:Aquitaine-Dordogne-Lot and GaronneLotTown:Lascabanes |
 Click to see local map |
Beral Farmhouse - (ref: 527)
4 bed / 2 bath - sleeps 9 - Pool
Price Range:
|
Features:
|
Availability Calendar and Prices | ||||||
Property Description:
The property is set into the side of the hill, protected from the wind and with everything facing south; behind the farmhouse you walk up the path to a grassy sitting-out area, a real suntrap, with lovely views over the surrounding valleys across the fields of sunflowers, with a sturdy wide hammock hanging between secluded trees. Inside, the farmhouse has a large main living-room, with stone and whitewashed walls, a traditional corner kitchen (with cooker, dishwasher, microwave and fridge) and beamed open fireplace (wood supplied for roaring fires). To either side are delightful bedrooms, one with a double bed, the other with a king and a single. All the rooms have views over the valley. Off the main room, the bathroom has a hip bath with a shower, and a toilet. Downstairs (entered separately) are two more bedrooms - both with antique floor tiles and single beds - and a second bathroom, with shower and plumbed-in washing machine and tumble-dryer. The house has been sensitively restored to retain all its ancient character, but with modern facilities, including central heating. Please visit www.beralfrance.com for more details.Area Description:
At Beral, near the village of Lascabanes, the wine region of Cahors meets the plum and nut country of Agen. The Cahors vines ripen on the high limestone uplands of the causse and in the sun-drenched valleys of the Lot as it meanders spectacularly westwards from Cahors, studded with chateaux commanding the heights. This is bastide country, endlessly fought over in the Crusades. In these more peaceful times, the villages luxuriate in their heritage, with local markets for meat, cheese (Roquefort is not far away), vegetables, antiques, and everything else imaginable. The countryside is also great for walking and cycling. From Beral, you can walk straight out onto the oak-strewn landscape of the hills, joining the pilgrim trail of St Jacques de Compostela (GR65) less than a mile away. This is one of the classic walks through France to Spain, a legendary pilgrim route from the Middle Ages. Or drive into nearby Montcuq, 5 miles away, with its shops, cinema and cafes in the village square, as romantic in the sparkling sun as under the late-night stars. Within easy reach are attractions as varied as kayaking on the Lot and Cele rivers, exploring France's most important prehistoric caves at Pech Merle, with their 15,000 year-old paintings, visiting the Toulouse Lautrec Museum in the painter's home town of Albi, and wandering through the exquisite cathedral and cloisters at Moissac. Details of markets, activities, vineyards, restuarants and general attractions can be found at www.beralfrance.com.Area Activities
Local marketsThe local Sunday market in Montcuq is fabulous. It fills the main streets with stalls selling local produce of all kinds - including the honey made by Gilles Garnier who lives next door to Beral. In addition, most nearby towns and cities host markets on certain days of the week. In Prayssac, the market is held on Friday mornings. In Cahors, the covered market (the best place for cheese, and good for wine, meat and vegetables) is open every day at the south end of the Place de la Cathedrale in the old quarter. There is an outside market by the Cathedral on Saturday mornings. Castelnau-Montratier has a Sunday market, and in Luzech it is held on Wednesday mornings.
Vineyards
Beral is situated in Cahors 'black wine' country. Cahors wine, particularly that made from Malbec, is renowned worldwide for its unique style - a perfect accompaniment to the locally popular cassoulet. The Cahors vineyards are everywhere, from Beral to the river Lot. The drive to Prayssac gives you a good view, and the overlook of the Lot valley from Belaye is very special. The Clos de Gamot, outside Prayssac, is one of the most famous, but you are spoilt for choice. If you want to converse in English with an owner to find out more about it, Michael and Susan Spring run the Domaine du Garinet at Le Boulve - good wine in a beautiful setting. You can get a nice 4 litres en vrac from them, excellent bottles of the Cahors red, and - a rarity - a new line of white wine (vin de Quercy). Outside the Cahors region, there are also interesting vineyards around Gaillac, specializing in white wine.
Restaurants
In Montcuq, the main cheap local bars/restaurants face each other in fierce rivalry across the Place de la Republique - the Cafe du Centre and the more touristy Cafe de France. Good local food, including a prodigious salade Quercynoise. North, nearer the river, the Auberge de la Tour in Sauzet serves authentic Quercy cuisine at a generally high standard (05.65.36.90.05). In Cahors, we have enjoyed Le Rendez-Vous, in the Rue Clement Marot, a small lane just north of the Cathedral, with a good 3-course menu at around 25 - 30 Euros (05.65.22.65.10). The gourmet experience nearby is at Claude Marco in Lamagdelaine, just up the Lot river from Cahors (about a 30-minute drive). The Menu Gourmand (5 courses) is currently 43 Euros. Well worth it for a splash out (book ahead on 05.65.35.30.64) . There are also many auberges serving lunches, and countless other restaurants, from pizzerias to Le Gindreau at Saint-Medard near Catus, with its Michelin star and remarkable prices.
Sports
Kayaking is available in Cahors and at various places up the Lot. The local tourist offices (e.g., in Montcuq) will have details and phone numbers for this and many other sporting opportunities. Should you need it, there is a local "plan d'eau" - a swimming lake with sand, boats and so on, just the other side of Montcuq (on the main road, go past Shopi and turn right just before the bend. The plan d'eau will be come visible on your left as you climb the hill.
Attractions
There are too many attractions to suggest more than a few. Among the distinctive villages, you might want to see Lascabanes with its flowers and church; Lauzerte, high on a hill, a carefully restored bastide with a remarkable town square and good festivals; Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, a 45-minute drive up the Lot, is the most famous village of the area, a medieval town in a spectacular cliffside setting hanging over the river - good restaurants too; Montpezat-de-Quercy has a beautiful arcaded square, and half-timbered houses. Rocamadour is not far away. Figeac is worth a visit.
With the porous limestone prevalent on the causse, there are important caves in the area. The two most famous are the Gouffre de Padirac, a set of enormous chambers going on for miles, with incredible rock formations (north of Gramat), and the huge underground village of Peche Merle, with its prehistoric paintings and traces of early man (up the Cele river from Cahors).
The most interesting castle in the immediate vicinity is the Chateau de Bonaguil, near Fumel, an extravagant folly that mixes the medieval and the Renaissance.
The most well-known museums in the area include the Toulouse Lautrec museum in Albi (which also has a wonderful red-brick cathedral), the Musee dex Beaux Arts in Agen, and the Musee d'Ingres in Montaubon. There are many other types of museum covering every aspect of Quercy life.
Among the cathedrals and abbeys, apart from Albi, you might consider driving to the wonderful abbey at Moissac, which also has a stunning set of well-preserved cloisters.
Location informationLake : 9 kmRiver : 8 km Shops: 8 km Garage: 1 km Restaurant: 1 km Cafe: 2 km Airport: 100 km - Toulouse Airport |
|
FacilitiesBarbeque, Enclosed Garden furniture, Car parking, Patio terrace, Dishwasher, Freezer, Fridge, Iron, Oven, Cooker, Washing machine, Dryer, Stereo, Telephone ( incoming, outgoing local, )Also: Outdoor ping-pong table |
|
Special interestsPool : Pool dimensions: 9m x 4.5m. 0.9m - 2.1m depth. Cor |
|
Other ChargesLinens: 25 British pounds per week |
|