Traditional Quercy stone cottage - The Lot self catering holiday cottage

Near Cahors, Vallée du Lot Situated within the Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy, Genévrier is a traditional Quercy cottage occupying a secluded, south-facing hillside position above the small village of St. Martin Labouval in the Vallée du Lot. Set in eight acres of its own land amid oak trees, juniper bushes and box together with wild orchids and honeysuckle, Genévrier has all the ingredients for a peaceful and relaxing holiday. Guests have exclusive use of the cottage, pool and grounds. The Vallée du Lot is further south than some people realise, spring comes early, summers are usually hot and dry and autumns are delightfully warm. It is a land of warmth and sunshine and spectacular beauty, scented with juniper and thyme and alive with butterflies, the perfect place to relax and unwind. Providing exclusivity and independence the cottage, which has recently been lovingly restored, offers simple but very comfortable accommodation for five guests and has been furnished as our home as opposed to a ‘holiday house’. Comments from recent guests Turners “This is just a short mail to say how much we enjoyed our stay at your lovely house, even though the pictures on the advert looked very nice they didn't do it justice, we have been to France many times hoping to have the idyllic place to stay but until now have always fallen just short of the mark”. Scards “Thank you so much. We have just returned from a wonderful holiday. Your house and property and the whole area are absolutely beautiful”. Smiths ”We have just returned from the most wonderful week at Genévrier .... we all agreed it was the most beautiful and peaceful place we had ever been and the memory of sitting there in the evening sun with a glass of wine in my hand will stay with me forever. The cottage was all we could have asked for and more”. Newcombes “ ……in 30 years of holidaying in France it was by far the best we have ever had ……

Amenities Daily essentials are available in the village of Cénevières, about 3kms. Whilst the small town of Cajarc, which is an enjoyable 10-15 minute drive along the beautiful, superbly scenic river road, has a wider range of shops and cafés as well as a regular market. An excellent local Sunday morning market is held in Limogne, ten minutes or so away. Cahors is the principle town of the region and a visit to see the beautiful fortified Pont Valentré with its Devils tower is a must. Stroll around the narrow medieval streets of the old quarter, visit the Romanesque cathedral of St. Ètienne and enjoy the colourful market on Wednesday and Saturday morning in the cathedral square. And, during your visit take time out to have a meal at one of the many splendid restaurants or just relax at a pavement café and watch the world go by. Places of Interest Situated within a national park, this is an area of outstanding natural beauty, rich in history and architecture, where rugged limestone cliffs surmounted by ancient, picture postcard villages, rise hundreds of feet above the river Lot as it meanders and winds its way through fields of sunflowers, tobacco and maize. There are many places of interest to visit in this beautiful region. The medieval village of St. Cirq Lapopie, perched on the cliffs high above the river, the prehistoric cave paintings of Pech Merle at Cabarets and the 13th century Château de Cénevières, are all within ten minutes or so drive.

Rental notes: Prices are per week and include bed linens but not towels. A deposit of 30% is required to secure your booking, with the balance due eight weeks before the start of your holiday. Changeover day is a Saturday, with arrival at 1600 and departure by 1000. The cottage will be clean and tidy on your arrival. All we ask is that you leave it in the same condition on your departure No smoking is permitted in the house and we regret we are unable to accept pets. Please note that as a guest you stay and use the facilities entirely at your own risk. You should take proper and appropriate safety precautions during your visit and provide yourselves with appropriate travel, personal and health insurance. Parents have full responsibility for their children at all times particularly in and around the pool area.

The main living area is open-plan with a traditional terracotta tiled floor and a beamed ceiling. The kitchen / dining area to the left of the entrance is well equipped and includes fridge, electric oven, gas hob and a microwave / combination oven. The large old french pine dining table will comfortably seat ten people and at the other end a sofa and easy chairs provide comfortable seating in front of the Jotul wood-burning stove – extremely cosy on those out-of-season evenings! A quality system to play your CDs is also provided. The bathroom with wash-hand basin, shower and loo is also situated on the ground floor. Upstairs there are two delightful pretty double bedrooms with polished wood floors, sloping ceilings and original oak beams. One room has two single antique pine ‘sleigh’ beds with French doors and the other a full-size double bed (and could also accommodate a small child’s bed or cot). Both bedrooms have double aspects and afford superb views over the valley. An attractive extended mezzanine at the top of the oak staircase provides a further single bed if required. To the side of the cottage is a wonderful ‘cuisine d’été’ and is the place that you are likely to take all meals during the hot summer months. This very attractive covered area with its stout oak beams and old canal tiles on the roof provides comfort and shade - an absolute necessity. A round metal painted table enables six to eat in comfort and a number of wicker chairs with squashy cushions gives the opportunity to put your feet up and relax with a glass or three of the famous local Cahors wine and read those books. A ‘baunderie’ completes this area and has a large fridge / freezer, washer / drier and double sink together with plenty of cool storage.

Outside Area:The Pool The exceptional pool area is close to the cottage, sheltered and completely private. The wall of the barn, a terraced wall with lavender and cypress together a lower wall leading off into the copse, bound it on three sides. The fourth side is completely open to the views over the valley. The pool with gated access 10m by 5 m with shallow steps by the barn end and varies in depth between 0.9m and 2.1m. There is a solar heated shower and the pool it self can be illuminated for those night-time dips. For your security and peace of mind the pool is fitted with an AFNOR approved alarm system. The Outside The cottage is approached off a quiet lane and there is ample space for parking. The area within the immediate vicinity of the cottage is grass and has a mixture of mature oaks, scrub oaks, juniper and box bushes. The rest of the land is a combination of woodland, field and ‘causse’. The adjacent barn is used for storage purposes only. Many leisure pursuits are available in the area. The local village has a tennis court and for those who enjoy ‘messing about on the river’, there is canoeing and kayaking on both the Lot and on the shallower water of the river Célè. There are also several natural river ‘beaches’ close by from which you can swim, and the ‘plan d’eau’ at Cajarc offers water-skiing and wind surfing. Cycling too is a delightful way to explore the countryside and its peaceful villages. Genévrier is situated near the confluence of the Lot and Célé rivers. The lovely and charming capital of the Lot, Cahors, is a leisurely forty minutes drive west along the wonderfully scenic river valley road. It is approximately nine hours driving time from Calais. Toulouse airport is approx 90 mins with Rodez 1 hr.