Stylish house with heated pool in centre of medieval Bize next to river swimming
- House2152 sq. ft.
- Sleeps: 8
- Bedrooms: 6
- Bathrooms: 4
- Min Stay: 5 nights
Village House in Bize Minervois, Nr. Narbonne, Aude, Languedoc Rousillon, France - Stylishly Renovated Large House With Pool In Medieval Village Near River And Restaurants.
Bedrooms
Owner
Libby Spratley
- Languages:
- english, french
About Libby Spratley
We are a professional couple who work in marketing, who both love this region of France as it is unspoilt and easily accessible from the UK. We bought Tom Foolerie as a wreck and have completely renovated the property, adding a heated swimming pool recently.
Libby Spratley purchased this House in 2006
Why Libby Spratley chose Bize-Minervois
We used to holiday in the area before we got married, as my parents had an apartment in Gruissan, so when we decided to buy our own property it was natural to look close by. We fell in love with Bize because of the swimming in the river - and its proximity to the Mediterranean coast and the mountains for skiing. We have made lots of friends in the village, so that it really is our second home.
What makes this House unique
It's perfect having the river so close and all the amenities that Bize and the surrounding area has to offer. And having the pool is great. It's a really spacious house too, with plenty of room to relax after a day sightseeing or going to the beach. If we have nothing planned, there's nothing better than lounging around in the morning by the pool, going out for lunch or having a bbq at home, then meeting up with friends by the river later on in the day.. or playing tennis on the free courts nearby. Our pricing has no hidden extras too!
Amenities
Featured
- Swimming pool
- Internet
- TV
- Satellite or Cable
- Washer & Dryer
- Children Welcome
- Parking
Bathrooms
- 4 Bathrooms
House Rules
Please consider the following guidelines when booking this property:
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date. 50% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date.
16 Reviews
Just fabulous!
We spent the last two weeks of August at this fabulous home and thoroughly enjoyed everything the house and the area had to offer. The house is well loved with a lovely creative flair and lots of small details which added to the enjoyment of our stay. The bathrooms are all exquisitely fitted and the bedrooms equipped with stylish and quality bed linen. If you enjoy cooking, the kitchen is equipped with all your needs for al fresco and indoor eating. The pool was a refreshing retreat from the heat and well maintained.
Having the beautiful river nearby as an alternative venue for a refreshing dip was a delight. Our children (19, 17 and 9) all enjoyed invigorating river swims and lazy picnics on the riverbank. The area is also great for cycling fans and our son clocked up many miles exploring the quieter villages nearby. Having a choice of good restaurants within walking distance added to the delights of the village. The owner recommendations of where to go and what to see are well thought through and invaluable. The owners were great at communicating beforehand, during our stay and since we have arrived home. Can’t recommend this home enough, hope to be back here.
Dear Sara
Thanks for your warm review - great to hear that you love the house and area as much as we do. We are so lucky to have found a beautiful house which is also in a village where there's lots to do. Glad that the cycling was a success for your son - he may have inadvertantly done some of the Tour de France route, as it passes close by!
Hope to welcome you back in the future.
Kind Regards
Libby
Amazing house in Bize - we'll be back!
Everything about this house is superb. The location - 1 minute from river with rope swing and fresh water swimming. Quaint village with bar, restaurants, shops etc...but what really makes it is the house. It is equipped with everything you would want, the pool is perfect, the rooms spacious and beautifully decorated. Libby leaves you details of where to visit, what to do etc...We loved it so much we want to go back!
Dear Matt
So happy to hear that your stay was everything that you were looking for, and that you made the most of the fab river swimming. It's always good to get positive feedback on the house too, especially on it's decoration/art.
We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Kind Regards
Libby
PS. Next time bring your bikes for local exploring and you can store them in our neighbour's garage!
Superb property in beautiful friendly village
Want to relax? Stay here! Had a fabulous family holiday at this well appointed village home with the perfect sized pool to cool off in the heat of the day. Lots of places to explore both in the friendly village and in the local area. House was clean and stylish with modern bathrooms and very well appointed kitchen completed with wine fridge suitable for foodies. Beds were comfortable and house stayed cool (despite the 42c heat) with tiled floors and a light breeze coming through the shutters. House has all the attributes of a family home rather than a stark holiday let, so there is a small library of books, games, DVDs, floats for the pool and beach chairs and mats for visits to Gruissan plage. The village had a great selection of restaurants, a village mini supermarket, bakers and swimming lake. Our teenagers aged 14, 18 and 19 enjoyed; trips to Carcasonne, days at the beach doing all the watersports, Narbonne market and cocktails at Le Grange. The village Olive Oil Festival was 12 hrs of fun and a real highlight and so were the summer festivals at Salleles -d'Aude and St Chinian complete with wine tasting! Came home feeling refreshed and both before and after the owners were helpful and attentive. Highly recommend this spacious property to any family looking to relax and have fun!
Dear Cherry
Thanks for the fantastic review! It's lovely to hear that you had a great time and it sounds like you love the house and village as much as we do! It's such a bonus to have lots of things to do both in walking distance and a short drive away. And although the river swim is just minutes away, it's nice to have the privacy of your own pool and a house large enough to have your own relaxation time in, with a good book and glass of local wine!
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Fete de l'Olivier in the village and explored some cultural sites as well as taking advantage of the proximity of the long sandy beaches!
Hope to have you back to stay in the future.
Kind Regards
Libby
Oasis in Occitanie
Our family spent a great week staying at this property. It is in a lovely little town within reasonable distance of all sorts of historical, outdoor and culinary activities. We found ourselves short on time to experience all of the different things the area had to offer! The location is ideal for visiting local olive and wine growers, visiting sites like Cathar castles and the medieval city of Carcassone, and relaxing at the beach or around the pool.
The house is great for a large group. The bedrooms and living spaces were very comfortable and accommodating for a family on holiday. All of the bathrooms are recently renovated. The kitchen was spacious, well equipped and opens up to a beautiful outdoor living space around the pool. The owners have done a great job decorating the house with tastefully selected antiques and comfortable textiles.
The owner’s guestbook/guide was our go-to resource when planning meals or outings. We were grateful for the restaurant and beach advice, the recommendations were spot on.
We would recommend this house for any group traveling to Languedoc!
Dear Leni and Michael
Thanks for the great review - we are so pleased that you had a successful stay in Bize and made the most of all that's on offer in the area. We love Bize and the coast, and have done our best to provide the ideal setting for a holiday break in our home.
We look forward to welcoming you back in the future!
Kind Regards
Libby
Spacious and beautiful
I had a wonderful summer holiday in Bize-Minervois. Attending a couple village festivals was fun and a great opportunity to immerse ourselves in french culture. Going boating in the sleepy town of le Somail, a short drive away, on the famous Canal du Midi was another highlight of our fortnight stay. Also we had an excellent meal at La Grange, a 15 minute walk from the house. The property is spacious and light and fully equip, plus the modern art on the walls is great and I recognised a few pieces to be a local artist's work that is exhibited at l'Oulibo the local olive grove and gift shop. Reading in the courtyard in the afternoon sun by the pool is bliss. I couldn't recommend this holiday home more.
Glorious few days in a fabulous location
We spent a few days in this amazing house - wonderfully situated in beautiful village with friendly bars and restaurants. There was a midsummer festival during our stay - such a dramatic spectacle. Local supermarkets had great variety of fresh produce and wine from the local cave was delightful! Worth visiting Narbonne and the lovely al markets in Olonzac - we will be back - thank you for a wonderful stay!
Dear Charlotte
So delighted that you enjoyed your stay in Bize and joined in the local events, which are always such fun! We are so lucky to have a choice of restaurants in walking distance, plus the village bar of course - and it's great to see the wine that you are drinking is actually growing around the corner. Bize has lots to offer, the beautiful river (when you fancy a change from our pool), walks/runs as well as lots of historic sites and the Mediterranean Sea a short drive away.
Hoping to welcome you again in the future.
Kind Regards
Libby
Map
Special interest holidays:
Cookery - 1/2 day or days workshop on regional cooking at local restaurant (price tbc)
Art Class - 1/2 day or days art class with a local artist (price tbc)
Birdwatching at Gruissan - Wild flamingoes/egrets etc (tbc)
There are also several pilates mats available for use in the property
Bike hire can be organised in advance and will be delivered to our home for you.
Coast/Beach:
Bize River Cesse beach a minutes walk. The water is tested daily for cleanliness and there is a lifeguard July - August. Also other lovely swimming areas nearby.
The Chalet Beach, Gruissan 40km/45 mins - Large sandy beach with houses on stilts, great restaurant on beach. Watersports close by.
Leucate Plage - 60km/50 mins Charming sandy beaches with restaurants
Narbonne Plage/Valras Plage - 40km Large sandy beaches with cafes/restaurants opposite
Lac Jouarres 15km/10mins - Sailing etc
Travel:
AIRPORTS
Carcassonne 58km/49 mins
Beziers 58km/49 mins
Perpignan 83km/60 mins
Montpellier 106km/1hr
Toulouse 154km/1hr 54 mins
Girona 186km/1hr 54
TRAIN
Narbonne - 21km/25minutes (TGV to Paris 4 hours)
Car hire is recommended so you can explore the beautiful countryside, coast and historical sites close by and make the most of activities. Otherwise there is a taxi company in the village.
Or there's a shuttle bus from Carcassonne airport to Narbonne then take a taxi to Bize.
Distances:
Oulibou (3km/3 mins) Olive oil tours/shop
Amphoralis (12km/15mins) Roman pottery museum
Le Somail (8km/10 mins) On Canal du midi, restaurants, antique bookshop
Minerve (16km/25) Cathar village with cave, Mediterranean garden, restaurants
Narbonne (20k/20min) Cathedral town on canal du Midi culture shops market
Carcassonne (58km/49mins) Events in the castle or Aquabranch in the trees
Roquebrun (34/43mins) Kayaking/Canyoning
Gruissan (42km/46mins) Picturesque village, beach, watersports
Further Details:
The main draw of Bize is the river, where you can bathe in the cool clear water - we even have a lifeguard in July and August, and that's just a minutes walk away from our home. It's a lively village, where there is something always happening such as Festivals in the square, wine tasting, exhibitions and jazz evenings at St Michel Archange around the corner. Bize has a choice of 4 restaurants, the best being stylish La Grange, where you can eat excellent local food in a great ambiance. There is a small supermarket, 2 boulangeries, pharmacy, dentist, beautician, hairdresser, post office and large medical centre, 2 garages, local internet access and a local bar. We also have a small weekly market. In the village there is a horse riding stable, tennis courts and bouloudrome. And for the more adventurous there is Aquabranche, Kayaking, Canyoning and Sailing a short drive away and all the usual watersports can be booked in advance at Gruissan Plage.
The closest large supermarket is 10 mins drive away at Saint Marcel, otherwise there are some excellent markets including Les Halles indoor market in Narbonne every morning, or traditional French markets at Olonzac or St Chinion.
Bize is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, and it is famous for it's Luc olives, which can be bought locally.
It's a great area for cycling and there are many lovely local restaurants and attractions you can stop at, either on the Canal or up in the countryside. We can organise bikes for you.
The area is steeped in history, and in addition to Carcassonne Cite, don't miss the Benedictine Abbey at Lagrasse, the impressive Peyrepertuse and Queribus castles or Minerve, with its amazing cave.
Or if you prefer to just to relax, why not choose a book and lounge by the pool with a glass of the local rose...