“A peaceful haven in a small village lost in the vineyards” (review July 2025).
This charming stone cottage offers an idyllic blend of village life and peaceful seclusion.
Sleeps up to four — ideal for exploring Carcassonne, Mediterranean beaches, Abbaye de Fontfroide and Cité de Minerve. Enjoy wine tasting at local châteaux.
Relax in the sauna, on the shaded terrace, or work out in the airy yoga studio. Free parking, fast Wi-Fi, and easy self-check-in. Perfect even for remote working.
The space
HOUSE:
An authentic stone cottage (a previous ramonetage - vineyard worker’s dwelling) attached (via two huge rémises - outbuildings) to the original vintner’s house. The cottage was converted with care and creativity into a contemporary home around 2010 and the whole house, smaller barn and garden are entirely yours to enjoy.
GROUND FLOOR:
KITCHEN: You will enter the house via the large fully-equipped kitchen. Plenty of opportunity here for you to create lovely meals with fresh produce from the many local village street markets - electric oven, double gas hob.
Socialise with friends and family around the large solid oak dining table. All the amenities are here for you - double sink, large fridge/freezer, microwave, dishwasher, coffee station.
SALON: Enjoy the spaciousness of this peaceful living room, with large comfortable sofa, wood-burning stove, desk, dresser with books and board games. Soak in the view across the garden through the glass door.
STAIRCASE: Follow the attractive curved sarrasin staircase from the kitchen up to the first floor. Stairs are shallow.
FIRST FLOOR:
BEDROOM 1: You will first come to the larger bedroom with a floor to ceiling window overlooking the terrace. You will find a private space behind the screen with king-sized bed, bedside tables and lamps. Across the room you have the guest hanging space for your clothes.
BEDROOM 2: Through the doorway and past the toilet and bathroom, you come to the second bedroom, also with king-sized bed and view over the garden.
BATHROOM AND WC:
These are in between the two bedrooms. In effect, they are en suite to the second bedroom which can be curtained off for privacy.
EXTERIOR:
TERRACE: Relax with a glass of wine or dine al fresco around the large outdoor table shaded by the ancient vine.
GARDEN: Enjoy the privacy of the large, secluded garden with shrubs and fruit trees. Sun yourselves in deck chairs on the lawn.
WC:
You will find the second toilet in the barn to the right of the house.
SAUNA:
Sweat it out in the wood-fired sauna in the barn to the right of the house then cool down under the outdoor shower.
LAUNDRY:
You will find the washing machine in the barn to the right of the house - the washing line and pegs can be found above it. Stretch the line across the garden for easy drying.
PARKING:
Entering the property from the neighbouring Lotissement, the driveway is bordered by trees and shrubs which shield it from the neighbouring village boules terrain (little used), the back of the primary school, and Salle de fêtes (also little used).
The driveway curves round to the right and you will see the house and garden in front of you. It then curves to the left and you are welcome to park in this area in front of the larger outbuildings.
AMENITIES HIGHLIGHTS:
- Fast WiFi
- Free parking
- Rural area
- Many lovely routes to walk or cycle
- Sauna
- Outdoor Cold Shower
- Great Base for Sightseeing
- Secluded Garden
- Large shady terrace
- Two King Sized Beds
- Two Toilets
- Bath tub
- Washing Machine
- Dishwasher
- American-style Fridge Freezer
PARKING:
You may drive right up to the house and park in front of the stable or leave your car(s) in the free car park less than 100m from the house, directly across the boules terrain.
LOCAL AREA/LEISURE:
Escales village is small, peaceful and authentically French with a population of 480 (according to the latest government figures - January 2024). It is situated in the “département” of Aude, one of the more sparsely populated areas of France, with only 376,000 inhabitants total.
Nestled among the vineyards and halfway between Carcassonne and Narbonne, Escales has many narrow crooked streets to explore with beautiful old buildings including the Romanesque church.
The social central part of the village houses the Mairie, well-stocked and friendly épicerie, café, post office, church, village square and wine-making artefacts.
Within five minutes' walk you can be out in the countryside wandering alongside the vineyards and climbing La Garrigue up to the Tour d'Escales and enjoying beautiful views of the surrounding area right across to the Black Mountain in the Natural Regional Haut-Languedoc Park.
Beautiful beaches, eg Gruissan with its famous Plage des Chalets and Narbonne, are around 45 minutes' drive away and there are several public swimming pools in the vicinity, eg Gruissan, Carcassonne and Peyriac-Minervois.
The house makes a great base for sightseeing - see Guidebook for ideas for days out.
TRAVEL/SIGHTSEEING - a few examples:
Chateau de la Bastide - 2.3km
Chateau de l'Horte - 1.9km
La Redorte (Canal du Midi and nearest supermarket) - 5.8km
Lézignan-Corbières (nearest railway station and large shops) - 8.2km
Cité de Carcassonne - 31km
Abbaye de Fontfroide - 30km
Cité Médiévale de Minerve - 21km
Narbonne - 28km
Beziers - 50km - and its airport - 73km
Perpignan - 89km
Toulouse airport - 136km
Guest access
HOUSE AND GARDEN:
The whole house, garden and sauna are yours to enjoy; self check-in via key safe :)
Other things to note
You can drive your car right up to the property if you wish; otherwise there is a free public car park less than 100m from the end of our driveway.
There is no public transport to the village; a taxi from Lézignan-Corbières costs around € 25.
There is no air conditioning nor insect screens. We advise guests to bring their own insect repellent.
Any sports equipment we may provide is used at guests’ own risk.
Commercial photography is not permitted.
Some photos have been taken with a wide angle lens in order to give a view of entire rooms.
You will be in a quiet residential area. Parties are not allowed and please respect our neighbours by observing quiet hours during the night.
