Castelnau de Montmiral is a magnificent 13th century bastide (fortified town) perched on a hilltop with views over the fields and vineyards of the Vere valley, in the Tarn region. Castelnau was chosen by the government in 1991 as one of the most beautiful villages in all of France, and it was among the villages on the route of the Tour de France in 2011.

Our three-story stone house has four bedrooms (two with queen beds, two with two twin beds each) and two baths, as well as a living/dining room, full kitchen and a balcony overlooking the village esplanade, with sweeping views of the countryside. The house is fully furnished, with a well stocked kitchen, linens, towels, wireless internet access and a small collection of CDs and books, including local guidebooks and maps.

There is also a newly renovated, fully furnished studio flat with one queen bed, ensuite bathroom and kitchen and private patio suitable for 1-2 people available for rent either together with the main house or separately. The flat is below the main house and opens onto the village esplanade. See photos and rate sections for details.

The house is on Rue de la Porte Neuve within the village walls, a short walk from a boulangerie, a patisserie, two small hotels with good restaurants, a cafe and and a pizzeria. There is a market every Tuesday morning offering fresh local produce, meats and cheeses, as well as local handicrafts. Castelnau de Montmiral also has a pharmacy, post office, hairdresser, and doctor's surgery. Two painting schools are based in the village, as the architecture and countryside offer ample inspiration for artists. The village is also home to a beautiful church, Notre-Dame-de-L’Assomption, which is home to the 14th century Cross of the Counts of Armangac, studded with 310 jewels.

The area surrounding Castelnau de Montmiral is rich in cultural, gastronomic, and outdoors offerings. The village is in the heart of the Gaillac wine region, which has been producing excellent wines for more than 1000 years. There are dozens of wineries in the nearby countryside offering degustation (tastings).

The town of Gaillac is just 13 kilometers (eight miles) away, with its Musee des Beaux Arts, natural history museum, and tenth-century Abbaye St. Michel on the banks of the Tarn River. Gaillac hosts a large, colorful market every Friday morning. The city of Albi is less than half an hour away, with its elegant squares, many cafes, the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum and the impressive Cathedrale de Ste. Cecile, the world's largest brick cathedral.

The village of St. Antonin Noble-Val is half an hour north of Castelnau, overlooking a gorge with the Aveyron river below. This is home to a popular Sunday morning market, as well as hiking, canoeing and kayaking trips and good fishing opportunities.

There is also a lively performing arts scene in Gaillac, Castlenau and the surrounding bastide towns, with theater performances, jazz, and classical music festivals throughout the spring and summer months.

The area offers many outdoor diversions as well - hiking in the adjacent Gresigne forest, and swimming, boating and fishing in the lake at the Base de Loisirs, just two kilometers from Castelnau. The country roads around the village are excellent for cycling and running (bicycles can be rented in Gaillac) and there are facilities for golf, tennis and horseback riding nearby.

Keywords: House, Gite, Village, Vineyards, Tarn, Languedoc