The Site:
Built in 1876, it is the principal property of the Hamlet of Mazères, known locally as the "The Château". It was the principle employer of the village inhabitants prior to World War II. Originally the property had about 300 hectares and was mainly devoted to wine growing. Today the site is 1.5 hectares, situated just next to the medieval church Saint Jean Baptiste. It is rumored that the house was built upon an old Priory dating back to the The Knights Templers Saint Jean de Jérusalem, with three mills under its supervision. Sadly, we have not been able to verify the story as yet, but no smoke without fire…
The main house:
Passing through a gated arched entrance building, you enter the vast courtyard surrounded by beautiful outbuildings. On the north side lies the main house, a completely renovated Maison de Maître, with its big lawn leading to the swimming pool.
The Gîte:
The building on the west side of the courtyard, turning left after the gated arched entrance, houses the Gîte. It is the old Guardian's apartment, fully renovated and expanded, on two floors. The Gîte has been tastefully refurbished, modernized with a mix of ultra modern and traditional.
Gite Terrace: Some 12 x 5 meters, has table and chairs for 12, sun loungers, awning and charcoal barbecue (bag of charcoal is supplied) Big arched glass doors connect you to different rooms on ground floor.
Ground Floor:
Open Plan Kitchen and Dining Room The kitchen is of a modern design and new, it includes a large Fridge/Freezer, Miele Double oven, Miele Dishwasher, Espresso Machine, Induction Hob, Micro Wave, fully equipped including a full selection of Le Creuset pots and pans. Kitchen bar with bar stools, a dining room with Danish Piet Hein's designed elliptical table, seating 10 (at a pinch). Big arched french windows lead onto the terrace.
Sitting-Room: The Sitting Room comprises two futon settees (turning into 2 double beds), two easy chairs or more if required. Flat screen television with DVD and CD players, the fireplace has a wood fired stove. Door leads onto the terrace. Stairs to the upper floor.
Shower Room, Utility Room and Toilet There is also shower room and basin off the hallway between the sitting room and kitchen. You will find the toilet, basin and washing machine off the sitting room in the utility room next to the stairs.
Reduced mobility and/or Elderly Access The Gîte is not specifically constructed with disabilities in mind. The sitting-room is equipped with two Futon sofa-beds that convert into double beds, and the downstairs shower, sink and toilet are suitable for guests with reduced mobility, but not suitable for wheel-chair access.
Upper Floor:
Bedrooms Two spacious double bedrooms with double beds. Extra bed(s) and bed-linen can be supplied and there is plenty of room for one extra bed or two in each double room. One of the bedrooms is accessed via the children's room which has a double bed with bunk bed on top accommodating up to 3 children.
Bathroom - Bath/shower, basin, toilet, heated towel rail and hair drier.
The Garden:
Heated Swimming Pool and Jaccuzzi (heated during the summer season if we have a cool period, call for info if the pool is open). The 12 by 6 meter swimming pool is designed with children in mind and has a shallow area of 1 meter running for approximately 4 meters, a panic ledge of 1 meter deep runs around the entire interior of the pool and the shallow end shelves gently towards the center of the pool. The pool is fitted with an electric floating semi-rigid cover controlled by a key and out of reach of children; this is believed to be a safer option than alarms and fencing. Pool house includes sun loungers, a hot and cold shower and changing area. (Pool house kitchen, bar and barbecue are for the owners' use unless by prior arrangement). Guests have shared use of the pool until 1800 hours, including all pool side facilities but use of pool can be extended by mutual agreement as we are flexible unless we ourselves have dinner guests etc. The SPA/JACCUZZI is available as above at a cost of 150€ per week and 225€ per week between 1st October to 30th April.
Amenities: We have a trampoline with safety netting, also a quantity of bicycles for adults and bike accessories for babies, full size badminton court in the old stable building with a full-size badminton court, table football (baby foot), table tennis, etc.
We also have a quantity of children and baby accessories including baby seats for cars, buggy, toys and cots which are available.
Animals and Pets: There are chickens, two pygmy goats, two cats and our Labrador girl Charlie. Therefore, it is not always possible to accept pets except by prior arrangement, also there is a possibility that horses can be liveried, but again only by prior arrangement.
Why choose Mazères?
Lying almost exactly on the Greenwich Meridian Line, Mazères is a hamlet of some 17 houses with a most unusual and magnificent fortified church - Saint Jean Baptiste de Mazères - classified as a Historical Monument. During the first part of the 12th century, the sections above the entrance and the chevet inside the church were carved by some of the best sculptors of the time who had already worked on the Saint Semin Basilica in Toulouse, the Abbey in Saint Sever in the Landes, and in Spain. The church also boasts its own stone sarcophagus with the the relics of Saint Liberat. This young saint, virgin & martyr, was decapitated in the woods near by in the fifth century, as was her sister Saint Quitterie who is being worshipped today in her own sarcophagus at the church in Aire sur L’Adour. You will find numerous towers, fortifications, bastides & roman churches along the pilgrim route Saint Jacques de Compostelle passing us only 15 km away, in Maubourguet. Major routes lie nearby, leading us to shrines in Pyrenees some 1.5 hours’ drive including the more recent site of Lourdes and Spain. We, in fact, lie on a minor pilgrim route (hence the fortified church) and have had pilgrims from as far off as Holland.