Pech du Fournel. impressive setting:

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1 Pech du Fournel This beautiful south-facing stone farmhouse is set in 18 acres of rolling hillside and oak woods, and occupies an elevated position at 350m (1150ft) altitude. The property benefits from truly impressive panoramic views, and on a clear day the outline of the Black Mountains can be seen at a distance of 100km no less. At night one can enjoy the peace and quiet that le Pech offers, and admire the starfilled sky. It is well worth visiting our website in order to fully appreciate the impressive setting: The property stands alone, 100m off the end of a small tarmac rural lane which itself terminates in woods behind the house, so there is no through traffic. The nearest neighbour is one full kilometre down the road, en route to the village of Verfeil-Sur-Seye, 4km away down in the valley. There is a small grocery shop there with vegetables and a bakery, a small garage, a bar with modest restaurant and a public tennis court.

2 The House Inside The ground floor kitchen, newly fitted for 2009, features the usual conveniences, including fan oven and gas hob, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine. All cooking / dining utensils are provided. The kitchen is open plan with the diner. Near the kitchen, there is a further toilet / shower room handy for swimmers after they take a dip in the pool. On the first floor there is the master double bedroom (in the eaves), one twin bedroom, and a further double bedroom. (Please note that it is possible to alternatively configure this bedroom as a family room with TV / DVD for children - please enquire). A cot may be provided upon request. The adjacent bathroom has a bath and separate shower, basin, toilet and bidet. Also on the first floor, and accessed from either the stairs leading up from the kitchen diner, or from outside the house via stone steps, is the lounge. This enjoys a television with English channels available by satellite, DVD and video player, and a range of films for parents and children to enjoy. The chestnut floor, stone sink ( evier ) and impressive fireplace with wood burning stove create a characterful living space.

3 From the lounge, stairs lead to the second floor, where there are two single bedrooms and a bathroom comprising toilet, basin and bath with shower over. The house is centrally heated with hot water on demand. The Pool At 14m x 6m, this is a large domestic pool. Guests are therefore able to swim fully, as well as simply using it as a plunge pool to cool down. It is uniquely built into the hillside using an impressive stone structure the objective being that guests should be able to enjoy the tremendous views whilst in the pool. It works well. Furthermore, if taking a dip at night (there have been many pool parties over the years), you can enjoy the fantastic underwater night light. This illuminates the entire pool, and is really quite special.

4 The pool is heated when required between June and September, although guests staying in May are also welcome to use it. It is handled by a local manager who calls by occasionally to check the temperature of the water, and to ensure that the automatic cleaning robot is keeping the water crystal clear. Note that the pool features a diving board and children's slide, and has shallow and deep ends. Swimmers may enter the water via pool steps at the deep end, or via the Roman steps at the shallow end. Poolside loungers, garden furniture for outdoor dining and barbecue are all provided for use by guests. Outside The area immediately to the front of the house may be used for outdoor dining as well as parking for numerous cars. Garden furniture is supplied. The garden area extends to the rear of the house through a stone archway. At the end of the pool, stone steps lead to a further grassed area.

5 The grounds which accompany Pech extend to 18 acres in all, of which around two thirds is woodland. To the rear of the house, there is an extensive wooded area. To the side of the house, and opposite, there are fields which form a part of the property. The road, which terminates at the front of the house, turns into a footpath leading up to the village of Espinas after around 1km; this is a pretty woodland walk. A telephone is available for local and emergency calls. Further facilities are available upon request - we try to be flexible to suit all parties, so please contact us if you have any special requirements.

6 The Midi-Pyrenees Region This region offers a huge diversity of scenery, cuisine and activities to suit all tastes. This is a very rural region and there are birds and wildlife in abundance, making this area a paradise for nature lovers. There are also activities for the whole family, including swimming, canoeing, horse riding, golf, shopping (especially local markets), cycling, walking, and for the more adventurous, hang gliding. French cuisine is of course served at local restaurants, with regional dishes of cassoulet, foie gras and regional cheeses. Due to the extensive agriculture in the region, fruit and vegetables both from the restaurants and shops are most often very fresh. The local wine growing regions of Quercy and Gaillac just to the south are not far away, and some offer tours of their vineyards. A car is advised when staying at Le Pech. However, getting around by car is straightforward, with a good network of roads which are generally kept in good condition. Once past the winding lanes (5 minutes drive), good progress can be made on what are often very straight Roman style roads. Many find the occasional drive out a good way to see the local architecture, rivers and impressive landscape.

7 The Immediate Locality The immediate area surrounding Le Pech comprises wooded hills divided by valleys with small rivers: the Seye, Baye and Bonnette all give in to the Aveyron. The deep gorges cut into the chalk are a wonderful scene as you travel from the house to the local town of St AntoninNoble-Val. The views as you travel from here onwards are equally spectacular as you rise out of the valley on your way to Negrepelisse, the market town of Caussade and the department capital ( la Prefecture ), Montauban. St Antonin-Noble-Val (15 minutes by car) At a distance of 12km is this small medieval town set alongside the river Aveyron, where it is joined by the Bonnette. St Antonin was so styled by the Romans (nobilis vallis) because of its impressive gorges of the Aveyron which rise up on both sides with viewpoints atop each well worth a visit. St Antonin has 2 butchers, 2 bakers, a garage with petrol, several cafés / bars and two medium-sized supermarkets which stock most items one might reasonably need. It is the oldest town in the region with old stone houses, narrow winding streets and France's oldest city hall. A wander round the streets of the old town centre will reveal very few houses built after AD The town offers a variety of traditional shops and a renowned Sunday market selling fruit, vegetables, cheeses, meat, fish, wines, clothes, jewellery and local crafts a must for all market lovers. Other activities available in St Antonin-Noble-Val include canoeing for either a half or full day, as well as other specialist activities such as hang gliding. The local tourist information centre (the Syndicat d Initiative ) provides information on local attractions.

8 Caylus (12 minutes by car) This small medieval town at 7km distance is also worth a visit for its characterful buildings, its couple of bars and restaurants, and its small Monday morning market. A "Casino" food mini-market has recently opened, and is handy for fresh vegetables, bread, frozen / non-perishable food and wine. Nearby There are many wonderful Bastide villages to visit such as Penne, Bruniquel, Najac (shown right) and Cordes. All are places of outstanding beauty, marvellous architecture and historical interest. They are also simply great places to visit as you relax with a Café Crème or glass of wine as you admire the scenery. Slightly further afield The tallest bridge in the world at Millau (shown below, left) makes a good day trip, as does the space centre in Toulouse. For those who like driving, the Mediterranean and Pyrenees are both within easy reach. A trip to Carcassonne is well worth a visit. Finally, don t forget the wine a visit to the vineyards of Gaillac and Quercy is recommended (shown above, right).

9 The Countryside The countryside is extremely pretty, with predominantly rolling hills, small rivers, and of course the gorges of the Aveyron river. Though still prevalent, there is less agriculture than in the past: beef cattle Blond d Aquitaine predominate locally with a few flocks of sheep. Here and there are crops of barley, oil seed rape, sunflowers, alfalfa, maize and sorghum. Please be aware if you have pets or children that the local farmers will be tending to their animals in nearby fields during your stay. However, we find this an attractive feature for those wishing to experience rural France.

10 How to get there By Car It is Autoroute most of the way, and the journey within France will take between 8-10 hours, depending on where you cross. The ferry ports of Le Havre, Caen and St Malo are between 700 and 800 km from le Pech. Boulogne and Calais are around 900km away. Carcassonne Airports: Pech du Fournel

11 By Air Toulouse (90km / 2 hours drive ) - from Birmingham - from Manchester - from Gatwick and Bristol - from Gatwick - from Dublin - from a variety of UK airports via Paris Rodez (70km / 60 minutes drive) - from Stansted - from a variety of UK airports via Paris Car Hire Car hire is available at just about all airports, including the small but relatively close airport, Rodez. By Train It is possible to take the train to Toulouse (Eurostar from St Pancras International Station to Paris, then the TGV from Paris to Toulouse), and it is also possible to switch to a local train service, which arrives at Montauban (just 40 minutes away). Car hire in Montauban is available. Although this seems like an unlikely option, French trains are very comfortable and reliable, and this can be quite a relaxing alternative to flying or driving.

12 Activities Sports: Tennis Horse Riding Golf Canoeing plus: Verfeil (4km), St Antonin Najac (25km) Albi, Montauban (45 60 minutes by car) St Antonin-Noble-Val (15 minutes by car) Fishing, Cycling, Watersports, Hang Gliding, Walking General: Markets, each held on different days of the week. These include: - St Antonin (Sunday) highly recommended - Villefrance-de-Rouergue (Thursday) highly recommended - Caussade recommended for clothes especially - Caylus small market, but local Activities at le Pech: We appreciate that many guests will have children. We therefore provide a range of activities which will help to keep them occupied, even if the weather is not perfect on occasional days. These include: - Inflatable pool toys, table tennis, bat and ball games, vecro darts, TV / DVD player plus a range of films and several board games to suit a variety of ages. Of course, the pool with children s slide, diving board and fantastic underwater light should keep everyone happy, and loungers, garden furniture and two barbeques are provided for guests. A small field to the side and another opposite the house are available for guests to use as well if they so wish. Restaurants: There are many restaurants in the area, serving French cuisine, as well as Chinese / Thai / Italian etc. Some represent excellent value for money, and being France, one can eat out just as well at lunchtime as in the evening. Further Information: A pack containing information on local activities, restaurants, services, and on details of facilities at Le Pech is provided in the house. If you have any further questions, our English-speaking managers are on hand to offer help and advice.

13 Booking Information Rental Rates All rates are shown in pounds sterling. Conditions: Changeover day: Letting period: Pets: Arrival: Departure: Smokers: Linen: Towels: Monday 1 week minimum Please enquire Not before 4pm on day of arrival No later than 10am on the final day Welcome, but they should smoke outside the house Provided Not provided Booking procedure: A 20% deposit is payable upon booking. No later than 8 weeks before the date of arrival, payment of the balance of the rental sum should be made. A 200 security deposit should also be paid at this point in order to cover potential damages which occur during the let (if paid by cheque then it will not be cashed at this point). The 20% initial deposit may be retained should the reservation be cancelled less than 8 weeks before the day of arrival and the property fails to re-let. All payments may be submitted by PayPal, cheque or internet transfer. Contact: John Fuller pech@jfuller.plus.com phone: