The stuff of storybook dreams, Domaine d’en Roques rises from a green pasture with dramatic views of the rugged and often snowcapped Pyrenees mountains. Its 19th-century stone façade is visible beyond its formal French garden, flowering banks of white rose bushes, and long pergolas draped luxuriously with wisteria. 

Behind its doors and French windows bordered with timeless white shutters, the spacious farmhouse sleeps 11, wrapping guests in French country style grandeur. A heated pool is hidden behind the main building, surrounded by gentle embankments and flowering shrubs. It's ideal for resting and sunbathing until it's time for aperitifs.

Kids of all ages will love playing the ping pong, baby foot and other recreational games available, best of which is the gravel pétanque court that stretches into the formal French garden in front of the house. All around the home, sweet flagstone pathways lead to intimate seating areas, allowing for simple contemplation under centenary trees.

Behind the historic doors, a massive stone staircase leads to the upper floor where five bedrooms and two bathrooms sleep 11 in four double beds and three singles. Each bedroom is distinctive and unique. One bathroom is equipped with a bathtub, the other a shower unit. A comfortable den and game room anchor the upstairs area, outfitted with a giant TV screen ideal for family movie nights. Shelves are filled with books and toys. A large living room lined with a bay window allows you to enjoy the breathtaking view of meadows and forests.

On the ground level, this vacation home for rent in France has a large kitchen equipped with a long solid wood dining room table, typical of the mansions of Occitanie. Next to it, a green living room has a large fireplace and more classic antique furniture. The entrance hall is decorated with antique mirrors and paintings. Overall, the ambiance is one of simple elegance with timeless and casual sophistication.

AROUND

This vacation home for rent in France offers countryside living at its finest. The gardens immediately surrounding the home provide places for manicured relaxation and easy outdoor leisure under shade trees and at outdoor dining areas equipped for barbecues and al-fresco meals. Beyond the pergolas and flowering beds, some 60 hectares of woods, meadows, and rolling hills stretch out into the countryside, ideal for walks, picnics, and exploring on horseback or mountain bike. There are also two golf courses nearby.

The home is located near Carcassonne, famous for its walled fortifications, ramparts, and medieval watchtowers and lookouts. Also accessible a quick drive away are picturesque medieval villages along the iconic Canal du Midi, and Cathar castles dating from the time of the Crusades dot the hills to the south. 

This is the south of France, so gastronomy and wine tasting options are abundant—the home is located at an oenology crossroads, between le Minervois et les Corbières, with their deep, tannic wines and the lands southwards towards the Mediterranean, where rosés and mineral-y whites are plentiful. Also located at a culinary crossroads, the foods of the Pyrenees and Occitanie offer a taste contrast, with delicious fruits, fresh fish and shellfish. The home is situated about an hour's drive from both the Mediterranean coastline and the Pyrenees.

LOCATION

Carcassonne, Occitanie, France. Nearest airport: Perpignan or Toulouse; Carcassonne has a small airport.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: June to September