Maison Lavandes

Restored in conjunction with UTT near Corbieres, Languedoc, South-West France
Guests: 3 Wifi: available Pets? Pets welcome (max. 2 dogs), fee applies

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about the property

Priced for up to 2 staying, sleeps 3. Restored in conjunction with Under the Thatch by friends Diane and Peter in the Corbieres region of Languedoc, France. This traditional holiday cottage sits in a quiet village with a charming interior and short drive to beaches, river bathing, or wine tasting or Carcassonne.

Featured in Top 30 Self Catering Gites in France 2022 - Sunday Times (UK)

"With seven higgledy-piggledy rooms and a street-view balcony, the Maison des Lavande sits at the heart of village life in Thézan-des-Corbières, serving up southern France in all its glorious, sunlit simplicity. Antique bedsteads, window-box geraniums and fresh baguettes from round the corner are all part of the scene here. So, too, is a magnificent array of beaches and ancient monuments." Sunday Times

Maison Lavandes is a beautiful French artisans' residence in the charming wine-making village of Thezan des Corbieres in the coastal Occitanie (Languedoc) region of SW France. A great base from which to explore a fantastic area of beaches, vineyards, river bathing, and medieval towns. There are two remarkable World Heritage Sites within half an hour's drive, Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi.

The compact cottage is a former vineyard workers dwelling built in the late 1700s and has been furnished with a mixture of charming French antiques and practical modern furniture. The rooms aren't large but have been carefully designed and beautifully furnished, and there is a sunny balcony where you can sit and watch village life pass by below. It is also great value - affordably priced to keep it in regular use and contribute to the local economy.

You'll love the area - a choice of fantastic beaches (44 at the last count!), the Canal du Midi just 20 km away, two rivers nearby (St Laurent de la Cabrerisse 7km & Ribaute 16km) where you can experience wild swimming and, of course, you will be surrounded by vineyards where you can buy great wine direct from the chateau door. There are also many picturesque historical sites in this area. Nearby Narbonne was the centre of Roman Gaul and there is a beautiful coliseum in Nimes; there are stunning Cathar castles and amazing medieval Abbeys (Fontfroide & Lagrasse Abbeys are just 11 km & 18 km away) and, of course, there are many medieval villages to explore.

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Many thanks to Diane for her kindness in leaving supplies for us- including both a bottle of wine and a snorkel to borrow for my son (everyone was happy!) and also her great suggestions of things to d...
Helen S, 2023

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good to know

arrival at: 16:00
depart by: 10:00
guests: 3
pets: pets welcome (max. 2 dogs)
bed layout: Master Double, Single

facilities at Maison Lavandes

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wifi broadband internet

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travel info

Fly into:

Carcassonne - 24 miles
Beziers/Agde - 24 miles
Perpignan - 25 miles
Toulouse - 75 miles
Montpellier - 75 miles

Nearest Train Stations: Narbonne, Lezignan-Corbieres

in detail

Ground floor:

Kitchen / Dining: - Electric radiators in all rooms for winter and fans supplied for the summer months.

Small well-equipped kitchen area includes: Full-size electric oven and gas hob, microwave, fridge, sink, cupboards with ample crockery and cutlery
The dining/living area comprises of dining table and chairs, a small sofa, and a dresser (with novels, guides etc.)
Separate room: toilet and washbasin

1st floor:

Living area:

Two armchairs and a sofa plus a delightful sunny balcony with table and chairs (perfect for dining al fresco).
Electric radiator
DVD player & a large library of DVDs, TV on which to watch them (no TV channels, purely for watching DVDs)
There is also a separate shower room on this floor with an electric radiator

2nd floor:

Bedrooms

Double bedroom: Antique double bed and plenty of storage
Single bedroom: Though there is an adult size bed in this room - it is really only suitable for a child as the room is very small

Parking is very easy in the village, the village square always has spaces (and you can park under trees to keep the car cool), it's a minute walk from the house. The 'main' road, within sight of the house, also has parking places available. We have never had a problem with any vehicle left in the village. You can drive up the road to the house and unload but not leave your car there long term as the road is very narrow.

local area

Thezan de Corbieres (Village) has Tabac / Post Office and a grocery store where you can buy your daily baguette and croissant.
There is a cafe bar, Village Pizzeria, situated in the village Place, so 2 minutes walk from the cottage. The Cafe serves simple but very well cooked, food, plus wines and beers. Twice a week vans park in the square and sell groceries and fresh vegetables and fruit. Two major supermarkets are available on the Lezignan Corbieres road (12km) and a further three supermarkets are in the centre of Lezignan - this town also has a wonderful produce market every Wednesday.
Bar/Cafe/Restaurant Le Ptit Motard - 5 minutes walk from cottage - serves 3 course meal of the day for 18.90 (2024) plus evening meals - very good quality.
Carcassonne - Beautiful medieval city & World Heritage Site - 38 km
Canal du Midi - Canal walks/bike rides or boat trips -21 km
Nearest Wild Swimming - St Laurent de la Cabrerisse (7 km), Ribaute (16 km) Lagrasse (19 km)
Narbonne Plage has 5km of beach - 25 km
Fontfroide Abbey - Historic site - 11 km
Lagrasse - Historic site - 19 km

customer reviews for Maison Lavandes

Many thanks to Diane for her kindness in leaving supplies for us- including both a bottle of wine and a snorkel to borrow for my son (everyone was happy!) and also her great suggestions of things to do in the local area. A characterful cottage that quickly felt like home, in a beautiful, rural part of France. We had some busy days out as well as some quieter days relaxing in the cottage. More to do than we managed to get through. Be sure to persist in looking for the cascades de la Nielle, they require a little hunting, but well worth it when found for a most refreshing dip! All in all, a fabulous break, in a less touristy area, although still within easy reach of all those facilities when wanted- Aquajet went down very well with my nine year old.

- Helen S,

2023

Such a pretty little house in a pretty village - tiny, but beautifully and cleverly designed to fit in everything 2 people need to cook, eat, relax and enjoy. Diane is an extremely thoughtful, generous and communicative host and Richard (who handed over the key) was kind and helpful. The house is full of lovely things and lots of useful local information. Note that there are 2 flights of narrow, fairly uneven stairs and the toilet is on the ground floor. As often in rural France, opening hours of small shops and restaurants can be erratic but there are large, high-quality supermarkets a short drive away - and a beautiful drive too, as this is an exceptionally lovely corner of France. A wonderful stay!

- Roz C,

Quaint renovation of house in Thezan de Corbierres. Friendly locals and useful to have small but helpful grocery store nearby. Very restful location and able to get around to rest of Corbierres, Minervois and the Coast really easily .... would definitely recommend Minerve and go to Narbonne on a market day and also take in Les Halles de Narbonne (open until 1.30pm) great place to buy excellent meals ... apricot and fig chicken tagine was superb. For us Carcassone was over-rated and much preferred Minerve. House was a great base to explore from and comfortable with a small balcony. Abbaye de Fontfroide very close and well worth a visit - check their website as we went when they also had a craft and plant fair which added even more interest.

- Nick ruff ,

Beautiful place to stay, couldn't fault the accommodation and the welcome from the hosts, superb location with plenty on the doorstep and the easy access to the motorway should you wish to go further afield, such as Carcassonne, Narbonne and the beaches, love the scenery of the Corbieres and the people are so welcoming and of course there is the lovely local produce. Five stars.. - James

2021

Lovely welcome from Diane, who also left us 2 bottles of wine, tarte aux pommes, milk and water, as well as other daily essentials. The small and cosy cottage is right in the heart of the village with parking, a convenient small store and recycling round the corner. Perfect for 2 adults of average height!

- Graham H,

2019

great location..comfortable accommodation...Diane very helpful and friendly,with a smashing (and unexpected) "welcome pack"

- Jeffery S,

2018

Lovely gite in lovely area, ideal for exploring this part of France. Diane, the host, was very helpful and accommodating.

- Tyrone D,

We had a wonderful week at this delightful cottage. Diane was incredibly helpful with lots of great recommendations - even where the football was being shown! An amazing cake and wine was waiting for us too! I’d highly recommend the cottage this region which we loved and plan to return.

- Ruth hannan ,

We were made very welcome by the owner DIane & given good advice of local beauty spots to walk our dog. The house is lovely as were the local people, who were just going about their daily business as if we had always lived there. Can be very hot of course & so the local water holes near Lagrasse etc were useful. Nice scenery & ambience in the area. Thank you .

- Pierrick W,

What a wonderful stay we had at Maison des Lavande, it was everything we'd hoped for and as lovely as depicted if not better! It was in a peaceful location, but still within easy reach of the most spectacular places in Languedoc. Diane was exceptionally helpful and attentive, with lots of useful tips to get the most out of our holiday, she gave us a list of al the markets within the area, helped us out when we had to call her because we were non-plussed in Montpellier and ensured our holiday home was equipped with everything for a comfortable home from home. There was even a bottle of local wine, an abundant bowl of juicy grapes and an inviting fruit tart provided for our arrival! Thank you Diane, we had a terrific time.

- Samantha G,

2016

Had a lovely time in this quiet village . We had hot weather and the first rain in 3 months apparently . Diane is charming and the house is provided with everything you could need. Including wine, fruit and chocolate flan on arrival . There is a great pizza place in the square

- Jo-anne welsh ,

We had a marvellous stay in this charming three-storey townhouse in a tiny village. Diane could not have been more helpful or kind – a baguette, cheese and wine was waiting for us when we arrived at midnight. And she offered wonderful tips on what to enjoy in the local area. We'd love to go again, and highly recommend!

- Laura potter ,

What a lovely little cottage and what a brilliant welcome by Diane. We arrived on a bank holiday and the shops were closed, no problem, the fridge was full with delicious goodies including local wine and and pastries - what a good start to our holiday. The region is outstandingly beautiful and there is plenty to do, river swimming, beaches, walks,and just reading on the day bed. This is a perfect house for 'getting away from it all' and I would recommend a visit. Karen, Chris and Katie

- Karen knepper ,

What a quirky little hideaway in a friendly little village! There is so much to see and do....highlights for us were river swimming at Ribaute, and day trips to Lagrasse, Narbonne, Carcassone and the African safari park at Sigean. We've had a glorious week in this beautiful part of the world. The Johnson family, July 2016.

- Keri J,

We loved staying in a traditional village, not at all touristy, and the gite was as cute as a button. Our host Diane couldn't have been more helpful, ensuring we had everything we needed....and more besides! Also offering lots of advice on where to visit both locally and further afield. We hope to be returning in the future and wouldn't hesitate in recommending the gite to anyone - can't fault it.

- Cheryl S,

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The cottage was both charming and convenient and the neighbours very friendly. Diane, our host, was really helpful and all the arrangements worked well. We specially liked the opportunities for river swimming in the area, and went most frequently to St Laurent and Ribaute.

- Tony richardson ,

2015

"We’ve been coming to France for years but this has got to be the best part, there is something about it that we just love – the fabulous scenery, the history, the beaches and rivers, the restaurants – they all combine to make it a magical region. Your little cottage is the ideal base from which to explore and it’s such a lovely little property, not your usual holiday home at all, so much thought has been put into the decoration and furnishings – it’s a delight. By the way, we have never stayed in such a friendly village either or felt so welcomed by the locals." Peter & Mike, Manchester

2014

'We loved the rivers best, it was such a novelty to swim in a river and our son so enjoyed paddling around and using his fishing net. We swam at Lagrasse and Ribaute but our favourite was St Laurent which is only 10 minutes from the house’ Joan & John (Manchester)

"The gite is beautifully decorated and has all the comforts you will need for your stay, with a newly added bonus of having WiFi. The village is very quaint, with several shops for essentials if you are caught short. We had a great time and would recommend it to anyone!" Kate & Elliot, Somerset

"The house itself is wonderful, very cosy and decorated with antiques but at the same time very comfy. We loved the bakery few steps away, with wonderful baguettes and croissants. We visited the wineries, medieval villages such as Lagrasse, Narbonne and Carcassonne and enjoyed every minute of our stay." Gudrun, Gummi and Tinna (Iceland)

Maison Lavandes

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