Millepetit Ensoleille, A newly refurbished "gite" on the banks of the Canal du Midi near Carcassonne in France

Bienvenue a Millepetit

Our Gite is almost uniquely located in a handsomely restored 18th century rustic farmhouse on the banks of the picturesque Canal du Midi on the ’Domaine de Millepetit’, only a few kms. from Carcassonne. The farmhouse has been refurbished for the coming season, which of course means an upgrading of facilities, making ‘Millepetit’ an even more attractive choice for your holiday anytime of the year. The farmhouse has been restored with 21^st century comforts in mind, creating a welcoming home from home, whilst retaining much of its French country charm, with stone features, wooden beams and rafters set in the most superb canal-side location on a small working farm.

Millepetit

Location of Farmhouse

The farmhouse is situated, on a small working estate in a picturesque setting, south facing, right on the banks of the famously picturesque Canal du Midi, which dates from 1667 and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The holiday cottage is adjoined to a working barn, which is in turn is part of a larger farmhouse, where we also offer Chambre d’Hote through out the year. The gite and main farmhouse directly overlook the farmyard and the Canal du Midi…we are almost next door to the beautiful Chateau of the Domaine with it’s fabulous historic 12th century tower. A few friendly families live on this small estate and depending on the time of year you’ll also find some seasonal workers resident on the farm. During the summer months the domaine is a little livelier with farming activity and of course during the month of September we have the wine harvest or ‘vendange’. This makes Millepetit an ideal opportunity to sample rural life in the Languedoc-Roussillon at first hand, though the ‘bright lights’ of Trebes, our local canal port are only a 3.5kms walk away along the old tow paths, so don’t forget your torch for that late night stroll home. You can also buy your fruit and vegetables directly from the farmer…a fresher source would be hard to find.

Accommodation

The first floor lounge is bright, spacious and comfortable, retaining lots of character with wooden beams and rafters and the original stone sink, now a feature of the room. There are cosy sofas to curl up on, whilst relaxing or watching TV…we have installed British Sky satellite, a new addition for the coming season and of course there is French terrestrial TV for your enjoyment too. We also have a DVD player, a stereo CD system plus if required, a video player is available on request. You’ll find a broad range of books, puzzles and board games, some of which will take you back to your youth, We also have a small library of current films on DVD but don’t forget to bring your favourites.

Millepetit through the trees

We offer our guests two spacious double bedrooms, both furnished in the French ‘country style’. Our generously proportioned ‘family’ bedroom has a larger ‘queen’ sized bed for added comfort, plus a double bed…with ample storage for your holiday requirements plus space for our baby crib should it be required, all bed have new mattresses and linen, with lots of soft pillows to fall in to after a hard days sightseeing.

The other double bedroom is equally comfortable with all new furniture, mattress and bed linen, lots of storage and wardrobe space, again, overlooking the famous Canal du Midi.

Please note: the nets around the beds are for decorative purposes only, the area around the farmhouse and on this stretch of the canal is a mosquito free zone.

There is a large family sized shower room located close to the bedrooms fitted with a modern powerful shower, hairdryer and lots of space for your holiday toiletries plus a baby bath if required.

Downstairs, also facing the canal, you’ll discover a large fully fitted modern kitchen, a mix of old and new retaining the beams and rafters, with all modern conveniences to maximise your time in the sun, including a dishwasher. There’s a pine farmhouse table and chairs, with a dining area for baby too, the kitchen facilities have again been upgraded for the coming season. The farmyard is outside your front door, with the canal only a few steps away. The ground floor area also comprises a separate utility room with washing machine, with iron, ironing board, airing rack etc. There is an outside drying area for washdays.

This year, we have installed a lockable safety deposit box for you valuables, the use of which is complimentary. We hope we haven’t forgotten anything but let us know if you think we have, we always welcome our guests suggestions.

We very comfortably accommodate 4 adults, though we can with ease cater for one more (five adults) plus a child or baby with the addition of our new ‘family room’. Most rooms in the cottage overlook the Canal du Midi and have both…cooling fans for balmy evenings and reliable portable heating for out of season rentals, for which we have to make a small charge. We can accept payment in both euros and £s sterling.

Refurbishment

Year on year the cottage undergoes refurbishment, as we constantly strive to upgrade facilities with our guests comfort in mind, please do feel free to give us your suggestions for any further improvements we can make…your input is always welcomed.

Canal-side Terrace

There’s a private canal-side terrace, with table, chairs and parasol, an ideal spot to enjoy a glass of local wine, watching the boats go by…it’s life at a slower pace.

Canal-side Garden

We also have a large private garden with fruit and olive trees, next to the shaded area, under the almond tree you’ll find a pergola with a table, chairs we can even supply sun loungers if required, from here you can enjoy the fantastic views of the Alaric mountains just beyond the garden.

Local Sports

Fishing enthusiasts take note, don’t forget your rod…we are only a few minutes walk from the River Aude and fantastic fishing on the Canal du Midi itself, with sea fishing less than an hour away, you can also use the man-made fishing lake in nearby Trebes during your stay, all you need is your permit.

Golfers are not excluded, with the fabulous golf course at the ’Domaine de Auriac’ no membership is required, it’s open all year round and it’s only a few kms. away from your holiday cottage. For those of you interested in either hiking or cycling, there are 245kms of flat canal towpaths to explore…and for winter sports enthusiasts, why not combine a winter City break in Carcassonne with a few days skiing nearby; the nearest Ski stations being only 70kms from us at Ax-les-Thermes.

Nearest Towns

An idyllic 3kms walk or cycle ride along the old canal towpaths takes you to our nearest town, the canal port of Trebes, a little further a field, 5kms, you’ll find medieval Carcassonne ‘La Cite’, which in turn, overlooks the bustling town of ‘modern’ Carcassonne with its markets, stylish shopping, varied cuisine, culture and history.

You’re in the heart of Cathar country, and from here you can explore the Canal du Midi, experience first hand the inspiration of best selling books such as ‘Labyrinth’, set in ‘La Cite’ during the time of the 13^th century Cathar siege, the 'Da Vinci Code’ and also the 'Holy Blood and the Holy Grail' with it’s links to the village of Rennes Le Chateau, explore the Minervois wine region, only a few minutes drive from us, with it’s beautiful circular, fortressed villages and Cathar strongholds … soak up the varied culture of this part of France.

Your French Odyssey

Both the farmhouse and vineyard were recently seen in TV chef Rick Steins ‘French Odyssey’, as he motored past in his rented barge. This BBC series celebrated the gourmet delights and sights of 245kms of the Canal du Midi.

This unique part of the Languedoc-Roussillon also inspired another celebrated British TV chef to produce his own television series. John Burton Race recorded a year of relocating to France with his family in Montferrand, in his Channel 4 TV series and book entitled ‘French Leave’.

Wine Tasting

The nearest ‘Cave’ for a ‘dégustation’ or tasting is only 10 minutes walk from the farmhouse…your neighbours at ‘Millegrand’, they produce amongst other varieties an award winning ‘Merlot’ and the domaine is well worth visiting.

An ideal Location

From your base here at Millepetit) we offer you an ideal location and comfortable base from which to explore the stunning countryside and history of the Aude and Languedoc-Roussillon in general. We are set in a rural, though not remote location, close to the sea and mountains, history, culture and many visitor attractions.

Refurbishment

Year on year the cottage undergoes refurbishment, as we constantly strive to upgrade facilities with our guests comfort in mind, please do feel free to give us your suggestions for any further improvements we can make…your input is always welcomed.

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