• A corner of paradise (especially for cyclists)

  A corner of paradise (especially for cyclists)

  • Guest Traveling Tandem Team
  • Date of stay 12/14/12
  • Review Submitted 01/08/13
  We recently spent three weeks at Lou Recantou and enjoyed the experience tremendously. Everything was just as we expected it would be, based on the photos and information provided on the web site. As well, Susan sent very helpful information, before we traveled, to make sure we were able to easily reach our temporary home in Oupia. On arrival, we found an extremely useful binder full of information about the house, nearby services, restaurants, things to do and see - everything you might need, really. And in our case, the section of suggestions for bike rides was particularly helpful! The gite is very well-equipped and it was spotlessly clean. Susan and Tim have thought of everything in building and equipping Lou Recantou. The kitchen area was plenty large enough for my husband and I to both enjoy putting meals together and we had everything we needed. While there were good restaurants in the neighborhood, it was so much fun to go to the market and to cook at home that we mostly ate in. Bicycling was a focus for us for this holiday and we were not disappointed. There are many, many routes to follow in the immediate vicinity with a great variety of terrain ranging from flat runs along the Canal du Midi and challenging climbs into the nearby hills - something for everyone! The roads are quiet and in good condition and if a car goes by we found the driver was usually very courteous. It is a dream location for cycling. Susan and Tim live next door which means they were quite available if we had any questions. Otherwise, they were "invisible" - we felt that the house was ours and we were very comfortable there - no sense of anyone looking over our shoulders to see how we looked after things. There is a lovely private courtyard and pool as part of the property (see photos on web site) and, while it was not swimming pool season, we did enjoy being out in the courtyard on sunny days. This was our first experience of a self-catering/gite type of holiday. We consider it was very successful and we are sure that it is the thoughtful preparations of Susan and Tim that made it work so well. They may have spoiled us for any other accommodation, though! We hope we may have the opportunity to stay there again. We would not hesitate to recommend it to family or friends.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• Superb!

  Superb!

  • Guest skm
  • Date of stay 05/28/12
  • Review Submitted 01/08/13
  Our home away from home.... we will be making our 6th trip in five years this spring! The cycling is key for us with challenging scenic rides as well as leisurely routes. Sue and Tim know the region intimately and share their knowledge enthusiastically! On our return from our rides the reward is the fabulous fresh food available at the many markets in the region, especially the Olonzac and St. Chinian markets. They are a must for anyone visiting this agrarian area. The cheeses, the olives and the fresh produce provide just a few of the amazing tastes awaiting. One must not forget to mention the lovely wines and numerous wineries in the area. We love cooking in the well equipped gite but have enjoyed many lunches at the recommended restaurants throughout the area. We have visited Lou Recantou spring, summer and fall.... each season bringing new discoveries!

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• An ideal location for a holiday in the heart of Cathar country

  An ideal location for a holiday in the heart of Cathar country

  • Guest John
  • Date of stay 08/18/12
  • Review Submitted 01/06/13
  If you love France, and particularly the magic of the Languedoc, and if you love completely worry-free holidays, it is hard to imagine a gite better located and appointed than the Wallis' Lou Recantou in Oupia. We spent the first twenty-four hours there attempting to find something that wasn't made available to us, and thought we'd found a winner in the absence of a hand-held blender -- until we found it, neatly tucked away in its own box in the kitchen. Books, magazines, local travel destinations, restaurant suggestions, CDs -- they are all there, neatly organized and indexed for the days when simply walking down to Sophie's local epicerie for a glass of wine, a tranche of local bleu, and a loaf of bread isn't enough. Sophie herself is a delight -- she'll teach you basic French nouns in exchange for their English equivalents. The other pleasure of Oupia is a meal at l'Asphodele -- as good as any you will find in the region (which is saying something, since we visited just about every small town in a 50 km radius and ate like kings at each and every one. It is difficult to find a poor meal anywhere in the region. And to work off all that gourmandise, there are options, starting with walks through the valley and the Serre which looms over the village from the south. A short mountain bike ride will take you to the regional market town of Olonzac and, a little further south, the Canal du Midi - where you can settle down for lunch at any number of excellent restaurants alongside the canal. For more serious riders -- and Susan and Tim are serious riders -- they will guide you up the twisting, challenging roads climbing up to the spectacular village of Minerve (and the Montagne Noir beyond). It is hard to over-praise the privacy afforded by the courtyard, and the thoughtfulness behind each detail of the cottage interior. It is impossible to over-praise the welcome and the support the Wallis' provided during our three weeks there. Always careful not to intrude, they were nevertheless there whenever needed, and by the time we left we considered them good friends.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• Wheeling through France's quiet beauty

  Wheeling through France's quiet beauty

  • Guest H Glenn
  • Date of stay 07/07/12
  • Review Submitted 12/19/12
  Cycling!! A great cycling domain. Challenging ascents & descents abound. Susan & Tim are terrific guides and if you want to hammer Tim will oblige. Spectacular views from above and wonderful villages to visit. The hills and valleys offer cycling for all capabilities. The region is one of the best France has to offer and not overrun with tourists; at least not yet. Wine is abundant with superb vintages, small beautiful villages dot the countryside, the locals are pleasant and helpful, and many small restaurants offer wonderful and reasonably priced fare. Lou Recantou is well situated in Oupia for day trips in all directions with lots to explore and history to learn. Highly recommended !

  Recommended for: Age 55+, adventure seekers, sightseeing.

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• Three Wonderful Weeks in Langeudoc

  Three Wonderful Weeks in Langeudoc

  • Guest Martha and Glenn Griffin
  • Date of stay 07/07/12
  • Review Submitted 12/11/12
  My husband and I and another couple spent 3 incredible weeks at Lou Recantou in July 2012. The gite was incredible and has set a new standard for holiday accommodations. Susan and Tim are wonderful hosts- full of information on the surrounding country side, markets and restaurants. They have prepared binders full of resources for their guests. We enjoyed visiting local markets- St. Chinian and Olonzac were particular favourites- we went 3 times to Olonzac! It was such fun to have pate, cheese,breads and incredible wines in the comfort of our pretty yard by the pool. There is no shortage of pretty little towns to visit, as well as larger centres like Carcassonne. The cycling is also superb. We will be back! Martha & Glenn Griffin Trenton, Ontario

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• The ultimate gite!

  The ultimate gite!

  • Guest Frantastic
  • Date of stay 05/12/12
  • Review Submitted 12/04/12
  12th – 26th May 2012 Our sixth visit and still plenty to record!! Our first visit in the wettest May on record, but it still reached 30?C in our last week. With lower temperatures we were able to do plenty of “pottering” and enjoyed the Nightingales and the Hoopoes! Subject to the car making it back to the U.K., we are pleased to break our current record with 197 bottles of local produce being exported …… for drinking before we return in 2014 to restock. With love & best wishes from Paul, Fran, Claire, Simon, Chris & Sue Yaxley, U.K.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• A great week for three generations!

  A great week for three generations!

  • Guest Bill
  • Date of stay 10/20/12
  • Review Submitted 12/03/12
  Lou Recantou was a perfect home for the six of us, from three generations. We cherish the time here – full of explorations, wonderful food, markets, games between grandparents and grandsons on rainy afternoons. The remodeled accommodations combine great charm and functionality. Some of the adjectives that come to mind are airy, quiet, clean, comfortable. Susan's guide materials were wonderfully detailed and helpful. We biked, hiked, boated, shopped at farmers' markets, saw the sights, tasted the wine, relaxed. Our hosts could not have been more hospitable and helpful. Ann & Bill Wernz

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• Our high expectations were met and more!!

  Our high expectations were met and more!!

  • Guest Vancouver 2010
  • Date of stay 05/22/10
  • Review Submitted 07/25/10
  Who would have thought that two weeks would have left us wishing we had more time to enjoy this lovely part of France. The location is ideal with the perfect blend of peace and tranquility in the gîte, yet there is quick access to wherever we wanted to tour for the day. We loved the farmers markets and they were so plentiful in this region. Susan, we know you have made it your mission to make your guests' vacation as effortless and comfortable as possible. You have succeeded. The amount of information you had at our fingertips ensured we didn’t get lost or have any poor meals in restaurants. All the other little touches you provided, too numerous to mention, really enhanced our vacation. You and Tim are so discreet we hardly saw you, however, you were available for our many questions. We appreciated all the meal reservations you made, as we know we were given very desirable tables because of your making the calls on our behalf. The gîte has everything one could want, is very clean, and is actually more spacious than the photos portray. The kitchen so well equipped you could cook a gourmet meal from scratch. We really enjoyed having a computer at our fingertips - a big bonus for further researching as there is always more to do even after reaching the destination! Thank you too for putting us onto Gerry for the wine tour. It was most enjoyable and informative. Tim, you have done an incredible job restoring your gîtes! Thank you both for such a great holiday. We hope to return and will continue to recommend you.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• This one is a must!

  This one is a must!

  • Guest Canadians on the move
  • Date of stay 05/09/09
  • Review Submitted 04/09/10
  Little did I know 1½ years ago that this vacation to the south of France would be so fantastic - wonderful yes, but not so full of superlatives. Our accommodation was everything you said it would be and more. Partly the reason for so many fabulous days was Susan researching the area for restaurants, bike routes, places of interest etc. - a collection accumulating over the years. Everything we needed was at our fingertips. We didn’t have to experiment and maybe experience a few duds. Everything was top notch giving us a full 3 weeks of fabulous memories. Who would have thought that there would be so much to see and do from a little town (Oupia) in the middle of God’s country. Thank you Susan & Tim for your help, suggestions, detail and kindness (we loved our flowers & card for our anniversary & my birthday wishes) in helping to make this our home away from home." We have shared your site with many of our friends in case they plan to travel to the south of France. Hope to return again in the future and renew our acquaintance with you and this beautiful and interesting region.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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• Paradise in Southern France

  Paradise in Southern France

  • Guest R C N
  • Date of stay 08/15/09
  • Review Submitted 03/28/10
  This was our first gîte experience and we now believe it has ruined it for all others. We spent 3 wonderful weeks at Lou Recantou and at the end started referring to it as home ... if only! We were uncertain as to how to re-enter our normal lives after spending 3 blissful weeks there. Thank you so much for all your help and advice. Thank you for treating our children and us like gold. Thank you for listening to endless stories from Ruby and for watching Drew inflate his balloon. Also thank you for the wonderful conversation and interesting stories. But, most of all, thank you for bringing Lou Recantou to life and allowing us to call it home for 3 weeks. We are already planning our return!

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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As of Feb. 22 2013, we are fully booked for 2013.  Our 2014 plans are uncertain.
We're keeping the ad up for a while in case of cancellations.
Rates depend on no. of guests & the season. Payment possible in several currencies
All utilities, linens, bikes, internet use & more included.
Minimum booking required:  two weeks.
Increasing discount for stays of 3 weeks and more.
25% to be paid initially, the remainder 8 weeks before arrival.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.