The South of France is one of the best places to visit in the world. Famous for its stunning coastline and delicious food, this region should definitely be on your bucket list. If you’re looking for a special villa in the South of France to rent, here is one of the best luxury French villas, together with tips on renting a holiday home in France.
Southern France has two regions: Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Languedoc Roussillon. While Provence is famous for towns such as Cannes and Saint-Tropez, Languedoc deserves to be better known. This charming area has many attractions such as the medieval town of Carcassonne and the scenic Canal du Midi.
Renting a Villa in the South of France
In case you’re wondering how a villa differs from an apartment, villas can be defined as a freestanding family house, compared to apartments which are housing units within a building. Here are some key points to bear in mind when renting a holiday villa in France.
Size of your group – work out how much space you need for your family and friends and whether they need private bathrooms.
Decide your non-negotiables – for example, a villa in the South of France with a private pool and a tennis court.
Consider renting a villa in a lesser known area – in the Languedoc region of Southern France, you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck.
Read reviews of the property that you are interested in renting. Does the villa host speak English? Are they based at the property?
Are guided tours bookable for an extra cost? What is the condition of the appliances and soft furnishings?
Check what is included – for example, daily housekeeping, electricity, a welcome pack…
Make sure you have a signed agreement in place. This should specify what is and is not included and what happens in the event of cancellation or damage to the property. Consider getting travel insurance if your credit card doesn’t cover vacation rentals.
Book early to avoid disappointment – the best French villas get reserved a long time in advance.
Luxury French Villa with Pool
One of our favorite villas to rent in France is La Fraissinède, or La F for short. This former wine store in the Aude department has been lovingly converted into a magnificent family home which retains many original features.
This gorgeous private villa in the South of France is located in the Corbières region, known for its wine and unspoiled countryside. It’s close to the pretty village of Montlaur, which has a bakery and grocery store and just 26km from Carcassonne. You can reach La Fraissinède easily from Carcassonne or Toulouse airports, as well as Montpellier and Béziers.
Set in 120 acres of land, with olive trees and fragrant lavender, there’s ample space to unwind. This beautiful house dates from the 18th century and was once a barn containing wine tanks, known as cuves a vin in French.
The open plan ground floor has double height ceilings, giving a great feeling of space. Patio doors lead to several sun-kissed terraces and a charming garden, bringing the outdoors in.
The highlight of this luxurious villa could well be the 15 metre heated swimming pool. It has an electric cover and is protected by a gate, so is perfectly safe for families.
For those seeking a villa with private pool, it really is ideal.
Next to the pool, you’ll find a comfy area where you can sit in the shade, and a fully equipped bar.
There’s a hard surface tennis court, so you can play in all weathers.
La Fraissinède has room for up to 16 guests, in 8 bedrooms. 4 of these are on the first floor, while 2 are located in the garden wing and 2 are in a separate apartment.
This will come in handy for those groups who have guests wanting their own space or who have staff accompanying them. The apartment has its own kitchenette as well as a shower room, and the garden wing has a games room and living room.
The villa staff include an English speaking live-in couple and a housekeeper who comes in daily. If you need additional services, a chef or nanny can be arranged.
The guest bedrooms each have their own style and are all tastefully decorated. Interior designer Samantha Todhunter, a former editor of Vogue Living Australia, has infused luxury and glamour into the apartment.
Back in the main house, we love the vibrant pink tones of this guest bedroom. It has a separate sitting room with a daybed and a marble bathroom with a separate shower.
The master bedroom boasts a roll-top bath, Emperor size bed, oak beams and a marble en-suite shower room. All of the bedrooms have DVD players and satellite television.
Guests will also find a gift of a lavender bag on each of the beds, as well as handy yellow tote bag.
You can look down at the ground floor from the atrium at the top of the staircase. Running the entire length of the villa, this living space will delight those who like their own space, as there are several cosy areas.
A Moroccan inspired cinema snug is perfect for relaxing, while a spacious lounge has comfy sofas and doors leading to one of the terraces. With underfloor heating and three open fires, it’s as welcoming in the cooler months as it is in Summer. A stylish bar area has a wide range of mixers and spirits, just replace what you finish.
The professional kitchen has everything you need to rustle up a meal, and a large dining area. Guests can help themselves to tea and coffee. There’s also an outside kitchen and fireplace in the sheltered outside courtyard.
A large vegetable and herb garden is situated next to the tennis courts.
Facilities at La Fraissinede
- Outdoor heated swimming pool
- All weather tennis court
- 120 acres of landscaped grounds
- Petanque court
- Outdoor dining terraces and bbq
- Courtyard with an outdoor kitchen and ping pong table
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Underfloor heating and 3 fireplaces
- Office
- Home cinema equipment and DVDs
- Bar
- Games room
- Pantry
Experiences at La Fraissinède
From cooking classes to holistic retreats, there are lots of unique experiences at the villa.
French Cooking Classes
Another popular activity at the villa is cooking courses, tailored to your requirements but always fun. Guests visit nearby markets with a chef and then prepare seasonal dishes using local produce.
Wellness Retreats
An exciting new option for this year are the wellness retreats at La Fraissinede. These include daily yoga classes and healthy meals prepared by a chef.
Wine Tastings
As we mentioned, the Corbières region is known for its wine. There are several wine roads in the area, including the Lake and Sea Route and the Cathar Castles Route.
The owners of La Fraissinède have partnered with the knowledgeable guides at Vin en Vacances. Together, they offer tailor-made wine tastings at the villa and vineyard tours for guests.
Wendy Gedney, author of The Wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon and her team will pick you up at the property in their comfortable minibus. They adapt each private tour to your particular interests.
Suitable for wine novices or experts, this is a tour where you’ll learn not just about wine but about the history of the region too. The tours include visits to Wendy’s favorite local vignerons, or winemakers, who are experts at their craft.
You can see picturesque local villages such as Minerve in the neighbouring Minervois department, and come away with tips for restaurants and other places of interest in the area.
Back at La Fraissinede, why not sample the villa’s own red and white wine, sold to guests at cost price.
Outdoor Activities
At La Fraissinède itself, guests can enjoy the pool, tennis courts, games room, ping pong and a leisurely game of petanque. If you can tear yourself away from this luxury villa, there are many wonderful activities nearby. Here are a few of the options:
Cycling
The Tour de France passes through the Aude each year, close to the villa. The uncrowded roads make this a great place to cycle. You can rent electric, road or mountain bikes from Lagrasse nearby, or have them delivered to the villa.
Hiking
There are several walking trails near the villa, including one leading up from behind the house. Some of the hikes are part of the Grand Randonnées walking network. The Cathar Trail takes you through picturesque villages and mountain peaks including the Pech de Bugarach.
Wind Tunnel
You can even get a taste of skydiving without jumping out of a plane at the vertical wind tunnel in Lezignan-Corbières, 25 minutes away.
Water Sports
Close by, you can experience canoeing, canyoning, kayaking and rafting. Head to Gruissan and Leucate, 45 minutes away on the coast for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
Less than 20 minutes away, you’ll find a beautiful lake and waterfall at Labastide-en-Val. For outdoor swimming or sunbathing on the rocks, the neighbouring village of Ribaute is a great option.
Fun Things to Do Near La Fraissinede
This part of South France is a real hidden gem, with historical attractions galore. Here are some of the most interesting things to do nearby.
Culinary Attractions
Among the best food markets in Languedoc are:
- Carcassonne – held in Place Carnot on Saturday mornings. There is also a covered food market, Les Halles Prosper Montagné.
- Lagrasse – organic market on the covered place des Halles each Saturday morning.
- Lézignan-Corbières – At the Cours de la République on Wednesday mornings.
- Narbonne – covered food market dating from 1901. Les Halles de Narbonne, 1 Cours Mirabeau every morning.
There are also some great local restaurants including:
- Bourdasso – Italian specialties at Pradelles en Val, with a charming terrace and its own herd of buffalos from whose milk they make buffalo mozzarella.
- Comte Roger – we liked the terrace at this stylish restaurant in La Cité, Carcassonne.
- Les Calicots – in a former haberdashery in the pretty village of Fabrezan.
- Le Clos de Mauzac – the insider’s tip, with a spacious terrace at Camplong-d’Aude, a ten minute drive.
- Le Parc Franck Putelat – in Carcassonne, with 2 Michelin stars.
Medieval Villages
The Cathar site of Minerve is known for its early twentieth century viaduct.
Lagrasse is just 11 km from the villa and has an impressive Romanesque Benedictine Abbey. The drive takes you past the beautiful Gorges du Congoust river bed.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Languedoc-Roussillon boasts several UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Carcassonne and le Canal du Midi. Author Kate Mosse says, “All of my novels are love letters to Carcassonne”. We can certainly see why she likes the city so much.
Carcassonne is split into two parts, the fortified hilltown of La Cité, and the lower town known as La Bastide. Allow at least two hours to explore the historical city, although you could easily spend a whole day here.
In July each year, Carcassonne Festival stages 100 performances of dance, theatre and music. 80 of these performances are free.
White Sand Beaches
Just 45 minutes drive from the villa, you’ll find the wide sandy beaches of the Mediterranean. Some of the most popular are Gruissan, Leucate, La Franqui and Narbonne Plage.
There are some good beach clubs, including Restaurant le Pilotis in Leucate, which is on stilts. If you visit Gruissan, don’t miss the Ile Saint Martin salt marsh.
Le Salin de Gruissan turns an astonishing shade of pink due to algae in the water. There’s a charming, casual seafood restaurant overlooking the salt marshes, La Cambuse du Saunier. You’ll also find a fantastic shop selling fleur de sel, the world’s finest salt and many local delicacies, as well as an art gallery and ice cream shop.
As you can see, there’s so much to do near this South of France villa that you’ll want to return here time and time again!
La Fraissinède, near Montlaur, 11220 Montlaur, France
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- Holiday Vacations of a Lifetime
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- Paris Hidden Gems
- Things to Do in Languedoc Roussillon
Read all our French travel features.
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