Holiday rental in the beautiful Bize-Minervois

Description from the owner

Holiday rental in the beautiful village of Bize-Minervois in the Languedoc, Aude region.

The village is child-friendly with unique safe river swimming.

Bize-Minervois – situated on the River Cesse – is arguably the prettiest village in the renowned Minervois wine growing area.

The house is only a 2 minute stroll from the pool at the river and close to all the village facilities. Bize is located at the foot of the Black Mountains and is within easy reach of the beaches of the Mediterranean, La Cité at Carcassonne, Narbonne, Beziers and many other areas of interest.

The house is available to rent all year round. It... is located a stone's throw from the main street, and is just a few minutes away from the swimming pool at the river. During the peak season (July and August), rentals are from Saturday to Saturday. Negotiable dates at other times of the year.

GROUND FLOOR:

Entry, hallway

Large well-equipped kitchen/dining room, including dishwasher and washing machine.

Roomy and comfortable lounge room with TV (English-language channels)

Shower room and WC

FIRST FLOOR

3 double bedrooms

2 extra bedrooms – two single beds in each

Large sitting room

A balcony with seating leads off the sitting room and overlooks the courtyard.

Main bathroom with large walk-in shower

Separate toilet

All linen and towels (but not beach towels) are provided.

The owner lives nearby and is available if needed. English spoken (with an Australian accent), and a little French (with an excruciating accent…)

The house is ideally situated near to the heart of the village.

ABOUT THE VILLAGE:

Bize-Minervois is arguably the prettiest village in the renowned Minervois wine growing area. It is situated on the River Cesse – the house is only a 2 minute stroll from the river pool which provides unique safe swimming.

A natural swimming pool has been created within the bed of the river. There is a grassed area and a pebbled ‘beach’ with a life guard on duty between 1.30 pm and 7 pm every day during the summer months. The water is tested by the local authorities and is constantly being refreshed as the river flows downstream.

The village is very well serviced. It has: • 3 restaurants • 2 general stores • 2 hair salons • wine shop • butcher • post office • café/bar • excellent bakery • pharmacy • beautician • local cinema in the village hall • medical centre • small local market each Wednesday

All are within a few minutes’ walk of the house.

At one time, the hills surrounding Bize were famous for growing garlic. Now these terraces are overgrown, returned to woodland or put to use as vineyards.

The river was used to power the mill at the Logis de Colbert - a factory that produced flags and textiles for Louis XVII. At the centre of the walled village is the church that dates back to the 13th century.

The Surrounding Area

2 kilometres from Bize, just off the main road between Beziers and Carcassonne, you will find l’Oulibo, a cooperative that produces some of the best olives and olive oils in France.

Bize is part of the Minervois region that includes the village of Minerve 10kms to the north which was the site of a famous siege by Simon de Montfort and the consequent martyrdom of the Cathars.

Nearby are Beziers (35 minutes) and Narbonne (25 minutes) with cathedrals, excellent markets, shops, museums, and much more.

Ten minutes drive further are the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean that run from Cap d'Agde to Gruissan, and further north and south. Bize Minervois is situated just south of the Black Mountains and the Languedoc Regional National Park, on the edge of the flat plain of the Minervois wine region. It is only a few kilometres from the Canal du Midi which meanders through the countryside until it reaches the Mediterranean at Sete.

The Pyrenees Mountains and the Spanish border are less than a 2 hour drive. The new bridge at Millau is under two hours away.

The Languedoc is an ideal area for bird-watching – one of the most diverse regions in Europe.Read more

Additional Location Information

Bize-Minervois is located 23 kilometres from Narbonne, is within 40 minutes of the Mediterranean, Beziers and Carcassonne.

Location Type River, Rural, Village

Additional notes from owner

A security deposit of 200 Euros is required in case of, for example, damage to the property or its contents. This deposit will be refunded if all is found to be well on departure of guests.

What Past Guests Are Saying

Overall Rating

• wright family
  derbyshire

  fantastic family holiday in great rental property and location

  Left on 09/27/2012 for a stay in August 2012
  
  

  Overall this was an excellent rental property in a great location to make the perfect holiday - for those with or without children and lots of space for more than one family to share. It was a traditional old french property which had lots of space, traditionally furnished, comfortable and very clean, well equipped including two very good showers, and english TV available. The bonus for this type of property was the outdoor space - a small courtyard with large table for alfresco dining and a lovely upstairs terrace with comfy seating great for relaxing out of the sun and in the evening. Nearby prking was not a problem and it was a very short walk to the village amenities and river. We loved it down by the river - oooling off in the (very cold) water and having a picnic on the riverbank - it was popular with families. The friendly/helpful owner lived behind the property but this did not encroach on our privacy and was useful if we needed any assistance. The lovely quiet village provided bakers/butchers/basic grocery shopping and 3 very good restaurants with lots of other options not too far away by car. The only disappointment with it was the lack of a snack bar/cafe faciltiy for a quick coffee/snack or early evening drink. Great location to enjoy the varied activities on offer in the aude/Herault,an easy 30/40 minute drive to wonderful coast and Carcassonne.

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Families

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• ThamesPathwalker
  Chester

  Helpful owner & felt like home

  Left on 09/11/2011 for a stay in September 2011
  
  

  There were only 2 of us,despite the many bedrooms,but the house is cosy & so we didn't feel that we were rattling around!The best 'room' is the balcony overlooking the courtyard...what the website pictures don't show are the comfortable chairs up there!We spent our free time up there with books (of which there are plenty & a good variety),mugs or wine glasses,once watching the lightning!(which preceded a glorious week weatherwise).Apart from the morning schoolrun traffic,it is quiet & well located.There are loads of places to see,even very nearby,without setting off on major journeys,I am sure that if you had any problems,Debra would sort them out immediately,she is very friendly & approachable.The reasonably house is very reasonably priced & has everything you need & the beds were very comfortable & everything was clean.Good choice of restaurants,especially for such a small place & the staff are friendly at those too,so this is a good choice for a relaxing break.We still have things we never did after a week of exploring!

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• Muireann
  Dublin

  Summer sunshine & relaxation in Bize

  Left on 08/02/2011 for a stay in July 2011
  
  

  We really enjoyed our time in Bize - the gite is absolutely great & had all the facilities we needed for a family. The old house & shutters really kept things cool even when temp was reaching mid 30's. My own favourite was definitly the upstairs sitting room & balcony - perfect for relaxing & holiday reading, with the children during the odd mid-day siesta or ourselves later in the evening. Just a short drive from Carcassonne with its wonderful castle. Bize has a lot to offer with the lake for swimming at your doorstep (life guard a big bonus), nice walks, restaurants & tennis courts too! Minerve, Aigne, Carcassonne & the beaches of Beziers/Narbonne are all close by. We would love to have had more opportunity to visit some of the regions chateaux & vineyards but for us it wasn't really an option with the four children ... it's on the list for next time we're in the region!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Friends, Tourists, Families w teenagers, Romantic, Families w children, Rugged

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• Jane R
  Dundonald, Ayrshire

  Beautiful Bize-Minervois

  Left on 07/03/2011 for a stay in April 2010
  
  

  Finding accomodation for a larger group can sometimes be difficult however this beautiful traditional house in the small French village of Bize-Minervois proved ideal. There was plenty of room for the 8 of us, all rooms were comfortably furnished & the house was well equipped. Bize itself is simply charming & gives a real feel of traditional French village life. Surrounded by beautiful countryside & vineyards it even has it's own river pool to swim in. Easy commuting distance for nearby towns of Carcassone & Narbone & further afield excursions to Cathar country.
  

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• C & C
  Albany

  "A fabulous experience"

  Left on 06/16/2011 for a stay in April 2011
  
  

  Accommodation was great, loads of room for just the two of us.Our host could not do enough to help us with advice on what to see and do! The village is wonderful,there is a river running through it with great swimming,it is close to Narbonne, Carcassonne,Minerve,Spain with loads of stunning scenery all within easy driving distance. The local food and especially the wine are fantastic. You have to try the sausages from the local butcher, best ever.A very positive experience, we'll be back!

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• Michael
  Australia

  An authentic Rural French Experience

  Left on 06/15/2011 for a stay in April 2011
  
  

  Our Gite owner and host, Debra, allayed any fears we may have had about being non French speaking tourists. From the onset we were treated to an abundance of hospitality more in keeping with a family get together. Indeed, we were guests at one of her social gatherings where we met and were welcomed by locals and her family.
  
  The Bize Minervois region represents the best of Rural France. With a Population of under 1,000 we experienced a true "French Countryside" holiday. Local wines, local food and quite stunning scenery surpassed our expectations, and the accommodation (five bedrooms for two of us!)was perfect. A large, beautifully equipped kitchen allowed us to enjoy many days of true domestic bliss in an authentic French village.
  
  No negatives, perfect in every sense.

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