Polfages French Gites between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, Aude, France - Mazamet Reviews

One of the prettiest locations we have found in our years visiting France, perched on a hilltop, surrounded by rolling countryside and mountain views to the North and South. We loved Polfages so much last year, that we immediately re-booked for summer 2016 upon returning to England, and will be booking flights and organising diaries for summer 2017 before someone else gets in there first.

We absolutely love staying at Mazamet, and once again the place was beautifully clean, well decorated and stocked ready for our visit. The gite is so relaxing and calm, and we love the views from the bedrooms particularly waking up to sunshine coming through the shutters. It is very useful having three bathrooms, and all the rooms are a very good size with very comfy beds and lots of towels and everything required for a comfy stay.

The kitchen has everything you need to cook every day, the children enjoyed the pizzas made by Andrew and Jo and especially the baking and puddings on offer. The weather was glorious we spent most of the week by the pool and in the garden, but we enjoyed our daily drive to Mirepoix for provisions, and we did drive to Lac Montbel one day to swim in the lake and sit on the beach, so well worth a visit and probably only 40 minutes’ drive from the house.

Castelnaudaray is well worth a visit and the drive there is very pretty. My husband spent all week cycling and hired his bike from a local company which for the second year has been excellent with the bike being dropped off and picked up from the house. Andrew was very kind again to take delivery of this for us on the day before we arrived. We didn’t do as many day trips this year, but Carcassonne is lovely, as well as Narbonne and a trip to the Plage. We watched the Medieval procession in Mirepoix which was very authentic, and some amazing costumes, music and street acts.

The boys loved meeting Dip Stick and talked about nothing else for the last year but Carmen and Rufus and Sebastian (please get another guinea pig before next summer?!), as well as wanting to see Andrew and Jo again and take advantage of their wonderful hospitality. Andrew and Jo are so welcoming and helpful and nothing is too much for them, to ensure you enjoy your stay in their beautiful home. We can’t wait until 2017 when we can return again.