Welcome to Pyrenees View, hopefully the photos will explain the choice of name! The view changes from minute to minute you never get tired of it and the sunrises and sunsets can be stunning. If you are looking for somewhere to stay near The Pyrenees look no further.
We moved here from the UK in 2020 and have been converting our barn into quality holiday accommodation that merges the lovely old stone barn and its features with modern facilities. We are proud to now be able to offer you our first gite called Hoopoe, which is named after a very cute little bird which we often see in our garden. The barn has walls which are about 900mm thick, making it cool in summer and warm in winter. The conversion work has been carried out with great love and care and we have tried to combine all modern conveniences whilst keeping the historical features of the building and including antique pieces of furniture. It is a first floor apartment suitable for two people or a couple with an older child. Due to the stairs Hoopoe is not suitable for young children or people with mobility issues.
Over 50 square meters the gite comprises a large open plan area with kitchen, bedroom, dining and lounge areas, the bathroom has a door. It is a lovely airy space with ceilings over 3m high and exposed very old oak beams. There are two double glazed windows which give you amazing views of The Pyrenees. The floors are solid wood.
The kitchen includes a fridge freezer, washing machine, microwave, toaster, kettle, cooker and is stocked with all the usual cutlery, crockery, pans and glassware etc that you are likely to need.
In the bathroom you will find a generous corner shower, washbasin and toilet. Towels are included.
The dining area has a lovely antique dining table and cupboard.
The lounge area has a modern two seater sofa, soft lighting and a flat screen smart TV and from the desk, which can be used for work, you have an amazing view of The Pyrenees. Who wouldn’t want to watch this view while working? The socket nearest the desk has a USB point. Fibre Wi-fi is available.
The bedroom area has a vintage double bed, 140x190, with new firm mattress and pure cotton bedding, also included. There is a wardrobe, antique bedside tables and bedside lights with double sockets and a charging point. The position of the bed has been chosen especially to give you a stunning view of the mountains. We can accommodate a 3rd person in the same room on a small sofa bed, 10E extra per day.
We have a gorgeous wooded garden which has lovely trees including oaks, chestnut, apples, figs, plums and walnuts. Special visitors to the garden include deer, red squirrels, wild boar, foxes, pine martins, badgers and owls as well as the adorable Hoopoes. Above the house you will see the amazing Red Kites which add to the beauty of our home. We have very little light pollution and the stars at night can be stunning. The garden is available to guests and the apartment comes with an outside eating area which includes a table, chairs and a BBQ. For photography fans, painters or just those who want to sit and watch the stunning scenery you don’t even have to leave the garden!
There is plenty of off road parking and an internal storage area for bikes, skis etc.
Our nearest town, Saint Gaudens, is just a four minute drive away and has everything that you would need including supermarkets, hospitals, dentists etc. Our area is predominantly farming and our sleepy town, home to 11,000 people, comes to life on Thursdays with the big local weekly market which is open all year round and you can buy anything from a loaf of bread or dress to a live rabbit! People from all over the area come to Saint Gaudens on Thursdays and there is a great community feel. There is also an indoor market, open every day including Sundays which is in the converted old market building. In the indoor market you will find a lovely butcher, fishmonger, cheese shop, baker and gorgeous hand made chocolates and a lovely café serving cakes, pancakes, waffles and chocolates! Most Sundays the indoor market is home to free musical events. The local church in the centre of town is beautiful and the square next to it is a lovely place for an alfresco lunch or dinner. If you fancy walking into town it’s a 25 minute walk, half of it on very quiet country roads.
Each May Saint Gaudens hosts a big Jazz Festival which draws in visitors from around the World.
Our nearest big city is the ancient city of Toulouse, the city of aeronautics which is home to the Aeroscopia Museum and also the airport with flights daily from most major European cities including London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester. Flight time from the UK is under 2 hours. Toulouse is a one hour drive along the motorway which you can get onto in about five minutes from the apartment. To the west is another ancient city, Tarbes and the world famous Lourdes.
We are approximately a 40 minute drive to our nearest ski resorts, Super Bagneres and Le Mourtis. If you fancy lunch in Spain you can also be there in about 40 minutes! The Garonne, our local river, is a few minutes from the centre of town and is good for fishing, kayaking etc. In the hunting season there are regular hunts for deer and wild boar. Obviously cyclists and walkers are very well catered for and Saint Gaudens is regularly included in a stage of The Tour de France. In 2021, we hosted a stage finish and the next day the cyclists raced through the centre of town. In 2022 we hosted a stage start. There is always a Tour stage less than an hour away and for the keen cyclist who wouldn’t like to cycle some of the most famous routes of The Tour without even having to take a car! We are more than happy to give you suggestions of routes, all personally tested! You can cycle the Col de Mente, Superbagneres or the Port de Bales to name just a few, from the gite or how about a ride into Spain! The roads around here are very quiet and are a cyclists paradise. Not only are there the harder routes but there are miles of cycling routes for a more leisurely or family ride.
The spa town of Bagneres de Louchon is about 40 minutes drive away and is reopening its therapeutic spa this year. They have a very pretty flower festival in the summer.
The locals are very friendly and if you fancy a taste of real French country life you can join one of the many local festivals, usually free, and join the locals for a meal, obviously not free but a meal with wine will normally cost you around 15E! Food in the local restaurants is good hearty local meals, mainly meat which is lovely quality and usually local. Most restaurants are very busy at lunchtime and expect to see local workmen in their having their lunch. Most restaurants are family run and lunch will cost you, including 3 courses and wine, less than 20E. Don’t expect a big choice of dishes but what you get is usually fresh that day and home cooked. There are also local sushi restaurants and a great family run Lebanese restaurant which does a great vegetarian meze!
There is a swimming pool three minutes from our house which has an indoor and an outdoor pool, depending on the weather, but if you want a quick dip to cool off we have an 18ft above ground pool which you are welcome to use. Later in 2023 we will be adding a much bigger pool.
We live on site so if you have questions or just need a cup of sugar, restaurant or shopping tips we are usually at home.
To save you shopping as soon as you arrive we offer food starter packs. If you would like details just message us, we need one week’s notice please if you do want to order a pack.
Sorry no pets.
If you would like details about our prices and/or availability please message us. We hope to hear from you and to welcome you to Pyrenees View.
