La Calvetié nestles in the lovely hills of the Tarn, 50 miles to the east of Toulouse, surrounded by open fields, woodland and its own wildflower meadow, and with a magnificent view towards the Pyrenees.
The property occupies about one acre of land. The house has been entirely restored to create a beautiful, light, relaxing environment, sleeping ten people in comfort. It is fully equipped with all modern conveniences and has its own private pool (8x4m) and two terraces for dining and for sunbathing. The pool has a child safety cover and a safety fence has been installed; the fence can be easily removed, in minutes, by tenants who do not want it and easily put up again by tenants who do. There is also a sandpit and paddling pool for toddlers, bicycles for grown-ups, badminton equipment, indoor games, TV, DVD and internet, and miles of countryside to explore. Near the orchard is a boules court, with a sitting area where you can enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sun go down.
We live here ourselves for four months a year and have rented it out for the summer holidays for the past three years.
The house is arranged over three floors.
Ground floor
On the ground floor, there is a large open-plan sitting room/dining room/kitchen, with an open fireplace (not needed in summer!) and two french windows leading to the south-facing garden. There are two large sofas and two armchairs. The dining area has an extendable table for up to 12. The fully equipped kitchen includes an electric cooker, dishwasher, fridge and coffee maker.
Next to this is another large room, providing an extra sitting room and also giving the opportunity for children to have their own space. Again, there are french windows to the garden. The ground floor also features a downstairs loo and a utility room, with washing machine, ironing facilities, microwave, a second fridge and separate freezer, and storage.
Bedrooms
On the first floor, there are three double bedrooms, all with south-facing views, one of them reached by its own private staircase. They have full length mirrors and good storage space. The beds are all exceptionally comfortable. Bed linen and towels (plus pool towels) are included in the rental charge. Each of these bedrooms has an en suite bathroom. In one of them, the bath and shower are separate; in the other two, the shower is within the bath. The water pressure in all of them is fantastic!
There are two bedrooms in the attic. In each of these rooms there are two single beds, which can make one double bed if required. These two rooms share a bathroom, again with an integral shower in the bath.
Outside
Next to the south face of the house, there is a large dining terrace with table and chairs, and with fabulous views over open countryside towards the Pyrenees (which are sometimes visible in their full glory). While the kiwi plant grows to cover the terrace, there is a large parasol to provide shade. Adjacent to the terrace is a barbecue area.
A few yards down the hill from this top terrace is the 8x4m (1.2-1.6m deep) swimming pool, landscaped into the hillside. There are portable parasols for the immediate pool area, and fixed parasols on the grassed lower terrace just above it, providing plenty of shade for everyone. The pool has a Calypso fixed cover for child safety, as French law requires, easy to remove and replace as needed. It also has a safety fence that can be easily removed, in minutes, by tenants who do not want it and easily put up again by tenants who do. There is lighting and power sockets for music at the poolside.
Other services
Wi-Fi connection, UK and French TV, central heating (unlikely to be required in summer), high chair and travel cot, a blow-up toddler bed, a stair gate to protect young children, a cleaning and bed-changing service each Saturday, swimming pool maintenance each Saturday, garden maintenance once a fortnight, indoor and outdoor games and two bicycles. There is a parking area for two cars, and room elsewhere for others. Our letting manager is also our neighbouring farmer and can sort out any unforeseen problems.