The farmhouse is ideally situated in the Tarn region in the South West of France. It is in the heart of one of France’s most important gastronomic regions – producing wine, foie gras, cheeses, charcuterie, and of course cassoulet – the Toulousain dish par excellence. The location is well connected with Toulouse and Carcassonne airports within an hour drive. The nearest large towns, Revel and Castres are both very picturesque and have all local amenities.
The closest village and offers a lovely viewpoint overlooking the valley and the Montagne Noire. Lempaut has a village shop, a boulangerie, a post office and a bar – although there are much nicer bars in the other local towns!
Revel is a town of approximately 8000 inhabitants situated 9 kilometres from Lempaut. The most notable physical feature of Revel is its central square, which is partially covered by a 14th century roof, supported by wooden pillars and topped by a distinctive bell-tower. Every Saturday morning, a market is held in the square and surrounding streets in which a variety of goods, but especially food and clothing, is on sale. There are plenty of local produce food shops and restaurants and 2 large supermarkets.
Castres is situated half an hour’s drive away from the house. This beautiful city is intersected from north to south by the Agout River. The river is fringed by old merchant’s houses the upper stories of which project over its waters. Castres’ central square has a mouth watering food market on a Saturday. There are also plenty of clothes shops and boutique shops to explore. Castres also possesses the renowned Goya Museum, created in 1840, which contains the largest collection of Spanish paintings in France. A Jaurès Museum opened in 1954 in the house where Jean Jaurès was born in 1859.
There is a boat trip from the centre of Castres (http://www.tourisme-castres.fr/contenu_en.php?nom_page=coche_deau_T) to the 53 hectare Gourjade park which is dedicated to relaxation and leisure and includes a picnic area, rollerblade track, a nine hole golf course par 36, a mini golf course and a miniature train network. Castres also has a swimming complex with a combination of indoor and outdoor pools with slides as well.( http://www.larchipel.fr/ )
Toulouse is an hour’s drive away and its 2000-year-old history shows itself in the architecture of brick and tiles that is typical of the cities, villages and farms of the Midi-Pyrenees region. Reflections of the golden light on the brick of Toulouse have earned it the name of the ‘Ville Rose.’ This very special colouring confers an atmosphere on the city that is at once gentle and warm.
Toulouse is bubbling over with life and well worth a visit if you have time. The relaxed atmosphere of the city lends itself to a gentle stroll around the historic centre, walking alongside the Garonne and the Canal du Midi and lunch at Place Capitole. The city is brimming with welcoming cafés and bars whose terraces spill out onto the streets. All over the city, the ambience is friendly, tinged with the well-meaning familiarity that is particular to the people of Southern France.
Toulouse is also a major shopping destination. All the major internationally-renowned brands in fashion, design, leather goods and jewellery are represented in Toulouse. The city neighborhoods also live by the rhythm of the open-air and covered markets.
Hautpoul is a quaint hill top village about 50 min drive away perched above the wooded valley of the River Arnette with Mazamet below. Its history as a fortress goes back to the 5th century but ended when Simon de Monfort stormed it during the Albigensian Crusade in the 13th century. The inhabitants moved into the valley which actually proved to be more convenient for their occupation of making cloth.
The village’s survival today depends largely on making wooden toys. Visitors can watch craftsmen at work in the Maison de l’Artisnat craft shop. In the valley La Maison du bois et du jouet is a vivid modern exhibition about wood, including toys from around the world http://www.hautpoul.org
Carcassonne is a fortified town about 40km away transports you back to the Middle Ages. Carcassonne is the largest fortress in Europe and has 14 towers. A fantastic city to spend a day walking through the medieval town with its narrow, winding streets and many interesting shops (crafts and souvenirs etc) and numerous restaurants.
Saint-Ferreol lake is 15 minute drive away and is set among pines trees and surrounded by countryside. The lake is part of an ingenious system created in the 17th century by Pierre Paul Riquet to supply water to the Canal du Midi (classified by UNESCO as a Worldwide Heritage Site). The lake at Saint-Ferréol merits visiting at any time of the year.
The site includes an 80 hectare park, cascades, a geys er and shady paths and offers the joys of swimming in the lake, fishing and exploring nature, together with the possibility of practicing a great many sports: boating, wind surfing, tennis, horse riding, walking, crazy golf, mountain biking and rock climbing. There is also a small high wire course for under 8s. A walk around the lake takes about an hour and is shaded most of the way round apart from 800m along the spectacular dam. The track is suitable for prams. The area can get busy on sunny days in Summer so it is worth getting there early to beat the rush. http://www.france-voyage.com/guide/lac-saint-ferreol-877.htm and for details of the activity club http://www.basedeloisirs-revel.com