In a picturesque Corbieres village this restored old house is suitable for up to 8 people. Comprising a kitchen/dining room and five other rooms, which can be used as bedrooms and/or living rooms to suit your needs the house retains its old character with beams and tiled floors, but with three modern bathrooms, a well equipped kitchen and a roof terrace. Surrounded by vineyards and beautiful rugged countryside of the Pays Cathar the beaches of Gruissan are just 30 minutes away, as is the medieval town of Carcassone and the Mediterranean city of Narbonne. The village is peaceful and historic yet has a variety of shops, a bar, a bistro, a gourmet restaurant and several caves for wine tasting. Unlike many properties in the area our guests can stroll into the village for a fresh baguette, a drink or a meal! Easy to reach, hard to leave.
The house
This house dates back to 1880 and is built with thick walls and large, exposed wooden roof beams. The house has been recently renovated and decorated throughout for your comfort. This is a lovely airy house to stay in. It is situated in a cul-de-sac in the village of Fabrezan. Entering by the front door you come to the kitchen dining room equipped with a cooker (gas rings, electric oven), micro-wave, fridge/freezer, washing machine, dishwasher and dining table. At the back is a large room with glass doors to the outside (wheelchair access) which can be used as a living room and contains a sofa and a (comfortable) sofa bed with an adjacent bathroom. (This room could be used, for example, by senior citizens or those with a disability, as a bedroom). Taking the narrow stairs to the first floor there are two large rooms, with a bathroom between them (you have to walk through the first room to get to the back bedroom), the large back room is equipped with a double bed and the front room with a double sofa-bed, so the front room could be used as a bedroom or a living room. The top floor contains a large room at the front with a double bed. Through this room is a bathroom and another small room, adjacent to the terrace, with two single beds.
The village and nearby
Fabrezan, with its medieval tower and wine caves, is 30 minutes from historic Carcasonne in one direction and the city of Narbonne and the Mediterranean and is surrounded by vineyards, hills and the Orbieu river. It is in the Pays Cathar, in abbeys, castles and other historic monuments. The countryside is rugged and wooded, with river gorges and spectacular medieval monuments. Unlike many villages here Fabrezan has shops and services, you can nip out for a drink, an inexpensive meal or a gourmet feast, there is a local weekly market, more restaurants a short distance away and the small town of Lezignan with everything you would need 10 minutes drive. The beautiful village of Lagrasse with its abbey is close by. A short drive takes you to the Montagne Noire (Black Mountains), the Minervois and the Corbieres Hills. The area is great for culture, wine tasting, history, walking, swimming and other water sports and fishing in the beautiful rivers and lakes or in sea.
About the region
The Corbieres is a famous wine region producing high quality mostly red wines, which can be tasted and bought cheaply at numerous caves. The area is also hilly and rugged in parts with beautiful rivers winding through narrow gorges, great for swimming in rock pools. Corbieres is rich in history, especially from the medieval period when it was home to the Cathars. Many Cathar castles remain along with beautiful abbeys and churches. The coast is about 30 minutes drive to either the busy holiday village, marina and beaches of Gruissan or to quiet beaches on the nearby coast. The Pyrenees are 2 hours drive for mountaineering and skiing and the fashionable city of Montpellier is about 1.5 hours. There are regular markets in Fabrezan and picturesque neighbouring villages and in the nearby town of Lezignan. This area is popular with artists and there are regular artists fairs and exhibitions.
How to get there
The closest airport is Carcasonne (30 minutes), served by RyanAir from London-Stansted and from early 2006 from Nottingham-East Mdlands, Dublin and Liverpool. Toulouse airport is just over an hour away by motorway (A61) and is served by the low cost operators BMIBaby (Nottingham-East Midlands, ) and Flybe (Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paris CDG, Southampton) and EasyJet (London Gatwick, Paris Orly). Perpignan, Montpellier and Nimes airports are served by RyanAir from London-Stansted (and Liverpool and East Midlands for Nimes). Girona airport in Spain is only 1 hr and 45 minutes from Fabrezan and is an easy journey by motorway. Girona (sometimes described as Barcelona (Girona)) is served by many of the low cost operators from a wide variety of UK airports (e.g. Ryanair from Blackpool, Bournmouth, Dublin, East Midlands, Glasgow, London, Liverpool and Shannon). Fabrezan is close to a motorway exit on the A61 (Toulouse to Narbonne) motorway.
Activities
The area is perfect for wine entushiasts as it is in the famous Corbieres region and a few minutes from the equally famous wine region of the Minervois. The village is in the Pays Cathar , with a romantic and rich medieval past well worth exploring. Walks can be taken in the beautiful and unspoilt countryside, including the nearby Corbieres Hills and the Montagne Noire, this area is not inundated with tourists. Fishing and canoe/kayaking can be done in some of the rivers and lakes and the Canal du Midi. There are several fishing lakes in the neighbouring village (trout, carp). Fabrezan has tennis courts and boules, wine caves and a local market. Alternatively, just take it easy in the laid back sun-drenched Mediterranean ambience with a glass of wine and a good book.
Other Activities Wine-tasting, sightseeing,3 0 mins to golf, sea for water sports, horse-riding and 2 hours to Pyrenees (skiing).
