House for Sale by Owner 175000 Near Miélan in the GERS Department of SW France FLOOR PLANS & GENERAL INFORMATION This three-bedroom house is in a secluded position on the edge of a village. It is located on a plot of just under 7500 m² with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside of the GERS Department and the Pyrenees. The House- 150 m2 Downstairs : Three bedrooms, lounge, dining room, bathroom, kitchen, breakfast room, bedroom/reception room, laundry room and patio. Upstairs : Three bedrooms, bathroom, shower room/toilet ensuite, studio. Contact: For more details of the property, and to put your questions directly with the owner, please email : corfdir.annie@orange.fr More pictures on pages 5. 1
Downstairs floor plan of main house 2
Upstairs floor plan of main house 3
Diagnostic de Performance Energétique The house is well insulated and centrally heated by radiators. SERVICES Mains electricity. Mains water. Fosse Septic tank with filter bed and soak-away. Telephone Line & Broadband available. The area has good mobile phone coverage. 4
House for Sale by Owner Near Miélan in the GERS Department Getting There: The property is located near the pretty bastide (fortified) town of Miélan, a short distance from the Route Nationale highway RN21 which links the cities of Auch and Tarbes. From nearby airports, the distances are: _ Toulouse Airport - 120Km (75 miles or 90 minutes drive); _ Pau Airport - 65Km (40 miles or 60 minutes drive); and _ Tarbes Airport 34Km (21 miles or 35 minutes drive). Local bus services link Toulouse with Auch and, via Miélan, Auch with Tarbes. The western side of France is served with fast auto-routes giving good access from the Channel ports and from Bilbao and Santander in Spain. 5
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The Local Area The Occitanie Region France is a big country and what was the Midi-Pyrénées region has been extended from eight departments (equivalent to English counties) to thirteen and renamed Occitanie. The region is located between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The Gers Department was one of the original eight departments of the Midi-Pyrénées. The region is essentially agricultural with high-quality food and wine production, but the aeronautics and space industries are important sectors of the economy with worldwide market penetration. Airbus, one of the world's leading aircraft constructors, has a major production base (for which, tours can be made) in Toulouse, the regional capital. The regional borders to both the north and south are mountainous with the Pyrénées forming a majestic frontier with Spain. The Pyrénées National Park is a protected nature site ideal for summer hiking. Winter sports and fishing are popular activities with a choice of many resorts in the Pyrénées. Places to visit include the observatory on the majestic Pic du Midi, reached by cable car from the ski resort of La Mongie. Further south into the mountains, you will come to the breathtaking Cirque de Gavarnie and its high waterfall, a vast natural bowl of grey and pink limestone carved by glaciers. The Tour de France cycle race also passes each year through the Pyrénées. Excellent motorways (autoroutes) connect the channel ports and Spanish ports to region. The property is well located for visits to the Pyrénées, the Atlantic and Mediterranean beaches, and to Spain. The Basque region of Saint Jean de Luz, Biarritz, and San Sebastian on the Atlantic coast can be reached in about two hours. In the opposite direction, you can get to the medieval walled Citie de Carcassonne, Narbonne, Perpignan, and the beautiful Mediterranean resorts of Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure. With little traffic on the roads, long-distance driving through France to and from the property is both practicable and enjoyable. The Gers Department The Gers (rhymes with chairs with a soft G) is located just north of the central Pyrénées and takes its name from the Gers River that runs through the department. Historically, this part of the region was known as Gascony, often compared with the Italian Tuscany because of its gently rolling hills, rural landscapes and pretty villages. The population density is 7
among the lowest in France with towns and villages nicely separated ideal for those seeking a relaxed pace of life. The local economy is mainly agricultural with farms and vineyards producing cereals, fine wine, cattle and a significant amount of duck and goose products particularly the famous pâté de foie gras. Popular local wines include the Madiran appellation and the Cotes de St Mont. Perhaps better known is the department's brandy, Armagnac, which has been produced since the 14th century. With no heavy industry and with little traffic, Gers benefits from some of the cleanest air in all of Europe. The rural tranquillity and the wonderfully clean water from the mountains, contribute to an exceptional quality-oflife. Local records show that the residents enjoy a life expectancy longer than in any other region in France. If, due to polluted cities, you are an asthma sufferer, this is the place to be! With over 2000 hours of sunshine each year, you will find the Gers weather to be very acceptable with reasonably mild winters, little snow, and only occasional periods of freezing conditions. Summers are delightfully warm. July will suit those who like it hot. In most years, unlike the south-east of France with its parched landscapes, the prevailing winds from the south-west bring refreshing rain that helps keep the Gers countryside green. There are good areas for walking, climbing and mountaineering together with quality golf courses. It s a wonderful area where you can relax and enjoy nature, wildlife, sunsets and amazing star lit night skies. In winter months, the mountain resorts of La Mongie, Barèges, Cauterets and St Lary offer excellent skiing and snowboarding. Local Towns & Villages Miélan The town nearest the property is Miélan, population about 1200, being 4 km away and located on the Route Nationale RN21. It is approximately midway between Auch and the city of Tarbes. Miélan is a thriving bastide (fortress) town set high on a hill with a weekly market, a rugby stadium, a village hall (Salle de Fete), secondary school, bars and restaurants. Also, you will find a supermarket, a doctor s surgery, essential shops and services, a garage and a small lake resort with its own motel and fine restaurant. During the summer months, Miélan offers you fetes, fairs, discos and dances often with a meal provided on a terrace below the town hall or in the covered market place. 8
Miélan can be reached from either the airports of Toulouse (Blagnac), Tarbes or Pau each being served from UK and other European airports. You won t need to traverse the busy city of Toulouse. The N124 road to/from Toulouse has been, and continues to be, significantly upgraded to support the overnight movement of Airbus aircraft components. At the moment, your journey time by car from Toulouse to the property will be about 90 minutes but improving each year as the N124 is upgraded. Mirande Mirande is a commune about a 15 minute drive north of the property. It is a larger town than Miélan with several large supermarkets, a good choice of restaurants plus the local council and tax offices. The Monday morning market is popular with everyone and many people meet for coffee and a chat in the market hall. For entertainment during the summer months, the "Ludina" aqua park is a very popular swimming facility. In the recent past, the town came really into its own in July when the Country and Western Music Festival was in full swing. It is quite bizarre to see the French locals wearing their western outfits with Stetson hats, boots and spurs! Auch Auch is the Gers departmental capital with over 21,000 inhabitants. In the historic medieval centre of Auch you will find the Cathedral of St Marie with its magnificent stained glass windows and 113 carved oak choir stalls which relate the stories of the Bible. A grand stone staircase from the Cathedral down to the river Gers offers wonderful views of the Pyrénées. On the way down, you will pass a statue of D'Artagnan, one of the famous three musketeers from the area. Marciac Marciac is a medieval lakeside town about a 20 minute drive north-west from the property. Like Mirande, it has a water park swimming facility adjacent to a pretty lake. It is an attractive town with a central square surrounded on four sides by shops and restaurants. The town is world-famous for its annual Jazz- in-marciac Festival, a fortnight of concerts in July/August under a marquee, "Le Chapiteau, which can seat an audience of 4000. In the town square, free jazz performances are provided every day of the festival and you can enjoy many stalls and temporary restaurants both in the square and the 9
surrounding streets. These smaller jazz performances spill over into some surrounding villages. Tarbes You can drive for about 30 minutes to the south-west to the major city of Tarbes. It is situated in the adjacent department of Hautes Pyrénées but within the historical region of Gascony and located at the foothills of the mountains. With a population of more than 75,000, Tarbes is a thriving city with a very attractive centre hosting fine shops, restaurants and public facilities. Its railway station offers direct connections with Bayonne, Bordeaux, Toulouse and Paris plus other regional destinations. Tarbes connects with the pilgrims city of Lourdes and, via the A64 autoroute, to Bayonne and Toulouse. The local airport, about 10 km from the city centre, has flights to Paris and other major cities plus seasonal but limited connections internationally. The city is probably better known because of its own rugby union team- Tarbes Pyrénées. Vic Fezensac This nearby town is famous for its annual Tempo Latino festival held at the end of July. Here you can join the party to wine and dine and dance in the streets to Latin American music. Other Nearby Towns and Villages Within 10 to 15 minutes driving distance, you will find Trie-sur-Baise, Tillac, and Villecomtal. Each has local shops, restaurants, services and active market days. Further afield, there are medieval towns and beautiful villages to discover and explore. Almost every weekend in summer, you will find a town or village celebrating with fêtes, dances, music from local bands, or vide greniers (car boot sales). Also, at weekly markets, you can get your provisions of fresh bread, cheese, meat, vegetables and other local produce. If you prefer, you can simply relax at a local wine bar or cafe and watch the world pass you by. What a great life to enjoy! Contact: For more details of the property, viewing arrangements and to put your questions directly with the owners, please email corfdir.annie@orange.fr 10