Les Cypres is a very comfortable holiday home for up to four people which offers you a wonderful place to simply relax as well as an excellent base to explore Cathare country and the Languedoc. The house has it’s own private area of garden from which a staircase leads to the sunny and secluded balcony with glazed door to enter the fully equipped kitchen/dining room . The house has central heating radiators on the ground floor, making this a very cosy place for winter breaks as well as summer holidays. On the same floor as the kitchen/dining room is a small sitting room (with radio/CD player, TV/DVD player and UK Freesat receiver and a small library of holiday reads and books about the local area) and the bathroom (bath with bath/shower mixer, washbasin and W.C.). The first floor has two double bedrooms (one with double bed and one with twin beds) and a WC/washroom. Outdoor furniture and BBQ is provided for the balcony and the garden. Laundry facilities are provided in an exterior utility room. Wireless internet access. Les Cypres forms part of a larger property, (dating back to the mid nineteenth century) the remainder being our home. The whole property is set in sunny, south facing grounds of about a hectare, leading down to the river Argent-Double. Part of the garden is set aside as a small plant nursery, with a demonstration garden containing over 500 varieties of plants, the remainder is garden consisting of mown grassland and young trees and shrubs. Guests are most welcome to stroll around and use the whole space, loads of room for children to play.
There is also a five by eleven metre swimming pool, depth 1m10 to 1m 80, which is for the use of guests in les Cypres and ourselves. The pool is normally in use from late May until early October. The pool is fitted with a sliding safety cover which conforms to NF. P 90-308.
The property is situated on the edge of the village and is five minutes walk from the village centre. Caunes is a charming and welcoming village with a network of mediaeval streets in the centre around the Benedictine abbey, founded in 790AD. The village is attractively situated, lying at the northern edge of the wine growing plain of the Minervois area, where the land starts to rise up into garrigue countryside (typical of the Mediterranean) and the foothills of the Montagne Noire. On the edge of the village is the famous marble quarry, used since Roman times, which has supplied marble for Versailles and the Paris Opera. The village has everyday facilities including post office, supermarket, épicerie, butcher, baker, pharmacy, bank with ATM/cashpoint, garage, bar/café and restaurants.
The Minervois is a wine growing 'pays' between Carcassonne and Narbonne in the Languedoc region, the tidiness of the vineyards contrasts with the wild countryside that is also typical of the area. Both scenery and climate are typically 'Mediterranean' but the Montagne Noire and the Parc Naturel Regional du Haut-Languedoc are only a few kilometres to the north with shady forests and mountain lakes. The area offers a great variety of potential holiday activities depending on personal preference, the time of year and energy levels! As well as the on site pool swimming and bathing are possible at a number of places. The coast is about an hour away but there are a number of easily accessible lakes or river swimming sites, such as the Lac de Jouarres near Olonzac, the Lac de Cavayére near Carcassonne or the Lac de Pradels, in the mountains north of Caunes. The variety of countryside and scenery makes this a wonderful area for car touring as well as walking or cycling. There are several walks which start in the village itself and many waymarked walks in the area generally. During April, May and June this is a wonderful area for wild flowers and bird watching is rewarding at most times of the year. The Canal du Midi (a UNESCO World Heritage site) is popular, either for a stroll along its banks or for boat hire . There are golf courses at Carcassonne and Mazamet.
The region is rich in natural features such as the caves at the Grotte de Limousis and the Gouffre Geant de Cabrespine. There are also many interesting historical and architectural sites; the Abbaye de Caunes, of course, but also the abbeys at Lagrasse and Fontfroide. The Languedoc is famous for its many Cathare castles and sites; Minerve, Lastours, Montsegur, Peyrepetuse and Queribus as well as the mediaeval walled cité at Carcassonne (also a UNESCO World Heritage site) The Pyrenées and the Spanish border are a little over an hour away. There are a number of local markets, the larger ones include Olonzac, Lezignan Corbieres, St. Pons and Carcassonne. There are many festivals and fetes celebrated throughout the year which can be interesting and fun, with opportunities to sample local wines and produce.
