5 Rue Caterine Sleeps 4 (+1)
No 5 is a spacious two bedroom cottage ideal for a family, or two couples sharing. A single sofa bed in the living room could be used to fit a group of five. We also have a cot and a high chair which may be reserved to make the cottage suitable for a family with a baby.
It was originally two artisans cottages built side by side. The long kitchen/dining room extends beneath another flat above. The other side of the cottage is laid out over three floors. A good view is available from the twin bedroom, and the same fantastic view can be seen from the balcony of the double room as from next door in number 7.
On the ground floor there are two front doors (from the original cottages), into the kitchen and into the living room. The living room is a large airy room with an open fireplace containing a wood burning stove (wood provided in the winter). Large shuttered windows opening onto the street allow light to flood in during the day.
A low doorway leads through to the dining room with its vaulted ceiling. It is large enough to accommodate nine people if your party is renting both cottages and wish to eat together. This leads directly into the kitchen area which is fitted with fridge/freezer, full size gas cooker with oven and grill, dishwasher and plenty of pans and crockery. This long area is the perfect place for small people to practice their crawling/walking/hopping/running.
Between kitchen and dining room the second external door opens onto the street directly opposite the door to your private walled garden, which has a large stone table on a shady terrace; the rest of the garden is gravelled. This arrangement gives you easy access to bring food and drinks across, whilst allowing you to leave drinks in the fridge to stay cool. Summer guests regularly enjoy long dinners there.
The first floor contains the marble bathroom with a bath with shower over, toilet, bidet and a large sink.
The twin bedroom is located on the same floor. It is simply decorated. The big windows give a view over the village rooftops to the hills on the opposite side of the valley. The Cévennes mountains can just be seen across to the left.
Up a second flight of stairs the entire space contains the spacious master bedroom, furnished with a double bed, desk, chest of drawers and a walk-in wardrobe.
Sliding doors from the master bedroom open onto the terrace, which is an ideal place to sit and watch the sun rise, or relax with a drink at the end of the day. You can overlook some of the garden from here, and generally look over the roof scape of the village falling away below you to the hills across the rural valley and the Cevennes foothills beyond.
Some comments from our guest book in this cottage...
"We were charmed by the spectacular setting - the amazing architecture, space, views and spectacular design of the swimming pool! ... Most of all we soaked up the atmosphere, French food, markets and countryside - a very special place!"
"An idyllic holiday in a really spectacular setting - we are overwhelmed by the beauty of the château and village and the most beautiful swimming pool I have ever seen. The house is so well designed, comfortable and welcoming."
"Brissac is so quiet and peaceful it was a truly relaxing holiday and a perfect place to read lots of books! The surrounding countryside is very beautiful and empty - such a pleasure!"
"With plenty to keep us amused and the most idyllic surroundings we all had a superb holiday and are already planning our next trip."
"The house is beautiful and the views from the balcony are fantastic - especially in a thunderstorm"
"Our daughter (aged one) has ensured that we've seen the dawn from our bedroom window every morning - quite a compensation for such an early awakening."
"An idyllic place - sensitively restored - the swimming pool is a work of art in itself. A wonderful choice of different spaces to be in."
"We have experienced a lot of Languedoc gîtes (all different and all special) however, for situation and variety of spaces and views, this is the best. We will have long and happy memories of the sun coming in through the open balcony doors."
"A beautiful house and probably the most comfortable bed we have experienced in a French gîte!"
"Fantastic location which has stunning backdrop and views. We only booked for a week, but could easily have stayed for two."
"Being left alone to ourselves - no intrusive music, no TV, no Today programme, no noisy neighbours: bliss!"
7 Rue Caterine Sleeps 2 (+2)
No 7 is a lovely one bedroom cottage ideal for a couple. There are also two extra beds in separate areas of the house, and we have a cot which could be reserved to make the cottage suitable for a young family.
The cottage was originally two artisans cottages built between the street and the enclosing wall of the chateau. A private terrace runs the length of the house, enclosed on one side by the ruins of a mediaeval inn, which opens up to a secluded jasmine-covered dining area with a permanent table and a barbecue for your use.
Although there are two front doors (from the original cottages), entrance is usually from the street via a gate to the terrace and into the kitchen/dining room. The kitchen is equipped with full-size cooker with oven & grill, refrigerator, microwave, & sink, also a full complement of equipment, dishes & cutlery. There is ample space for four people to dine indoors in the kitchen.
The open, airy living room is a couple of steps up from the kitchen. With windows on two sides and height above the village houses, there are also glimpses of the beautiful Cévennes foothills which can also be seen fully from the balcony of the bedroom above. In one corner an open fireplace houses a wood burning stove (wood provided in the winter) which is also a beautiful feature in the summer months. A single bed is available to use as a day bed (with cushions), or as an extra bed depending on your party size.
Upstairs the landing contains another single bed, and also the wardrobe for the cottage. Light comes in through an arched window with a view over the dining area and ruined inn.
To the left the marble & stone bathroom has a marble floor and is fitted with a bath with shower over, toilet, bidet and marble sink unit.
To the right of the landing the bedroom contains an elegant super king sized bed from with views of the Cévenne foothills through the balcony doors. The balcony is usually considered the best part of the cottage, with space for chairs to watch the sunrise from, or sit with drinks in the evening and watch the swallows fly races up and down the Rue Caterine as the sun sets.
Some comments from the guest book in this cottage...
"We loved the cottage and its location. Like previous guests we found the view from the balcony spellbinding. There is always something to watch and hear - from the sunrise - the dawn chorus gradually getting louder, the sun appears as a bright dot behind the hill then rises so quickly and floods the valley with light - to the blackness of night with frog chorus and swooping bats."
"A great way to return to a simpler kind of living - I won't forget looking out of the window on the first morning and seeing a timeless landscape before me. A real privilege to have stayed here."
"This must be the first holiday we have had where we have stayed in most of the week to admire the view."
"After the messiness of modern England this area is good for the soul, and 7 Rue Caterine is a relaxing and lovely base"
"The people of the area seem really friendly and helpful - perhaps it's all that sun and bird song, but everyone has been charming."
"Have thoroughly enjoyed our stay, everyone is very friendly, food is fabulous and so is the wine. Have enjoyed 7 Rue Caterine, especially the wildlife of bats, swallows and frog chorus in the evening around the pool. It certainly is a lovely area with wonderful countryside; a real find"
"Particularly recommended is the walk up past the monastery to the giant Virgin & Child statue atop the hill. A long climb but well worth it! Absolutely breathtaking views but then even the walk down to get bread is picturesque, invigorating, rewarding..."
"A beautiful cottage with stunning views, but anyone who stays here will see that immediately."
Pool
The private swimming pool is behind and above the two cottages, reached through a locked door from the Rue Caterine, and entirely surrounded by high stone walls. With its adjacent rock garden it is a magical place.
The pool is a natural shape, to take into account the rock it is built on. It is approximately 16m long by 6.75m wide at the largest point; the pool is 3.5m deep at its deepest.
Next to the pool is a pool house containing a dining area with basic kitchenette (including a two ring electric hob and a fridge for drinks) furnished with a table and four chairs, glasses, crockery, cutlery & cooking equipment. The pool house also has a bathroom with a toilet and shower and enough space to change in, where clothes and towels may safely be left.
To one side of the pool is a large rock garden filled mostly with local native plants of the Garrigue. A path through the garden gives access to several more places to sit.
Between the pool house and the entrance gate there is a sunbaked terrace with a large outdoor table and chairs for summer dining. The scent of the herbs in the rock garden next to the pool drifts into this area creating a lovely place to laze away from the pool, maybe reading a book...
The pool is shared between the two cottages and any visitors to the adjacent chateau
The water is sun heated so the pool is out of action during colder months. The pool will always be open June through September. If you are one of those super hardy people who likes to swim in the colder months please check with us that the pool will be open before you book.
