'BelleBize' - Romantic Stonehouse with River Bathing

Description of Property:   'BelleBize' - this charming, characterful large stone house has preserved its eigtheenth century features (elegant terracotta tiles, large rooms, high cellings, marble fireplaces, old door locks and a lot of other lovely features). The house looks directly over the river Cesse and its lake where locals swim in the crystal clear water and sunbath on the single beaches over the summer time. It has a central heating system with oil and is charmingly and completely furnished in Mediterranean French style.
The terrace in front of the house with table, 6 chairs and comfortable basking seating provides a unique view over the river and the village. Doors from the terrace lead directly into the kitchen and lounge offering a very useful space for enjoying the days and - over the winter time the evenings with a cozy fire in the open fire place. Beautiful roses and lavender grow on the side of the house and underline the beautiful charm of the romantic house style.
The house is within a minutes walk of the local shops, bar and three restaurants! Fresh bread and croissants can also be bought from the local backery (a fantastic one!) a five minute walk away. A market comes to the village every Wednesday selling local products.

THE HOUSE

Ground floor: Dining room, kitchen, living room and entrance hall. This beautiful airy room at the front of the house opens on to the terrace overlooking the river and village. You have a lovely view through the windows already while breakfast in the morning.
The dining area has a table for 6 people, has 2 windows and lets the morning sun come in. The new kitchen is well equipped and offers all facilities (hob, oven, fridge/freezer). The living room has a very beautiful and well working fireplace (perfect for wintertime in addition or as an alternative to the central heating system), comfortable seatings and a flat screen TV with Internet TV showing french, english and german programs. Free WiFi access (high speed).

Terrace: The terrace in front of the house is well equipped with a table, chairs for 6 people and comfortable basking seating. The river outside the house on the other side of the street provides a clean bathing pool, perfect for swimming or sunbathing. Swimming is supervised in July and August.

Barn: A large barn attached the house where guests can store bikes and sports equipment. This area also houses a washing machine and a tumble dryer as well as ironing facilities.

First floor: Three bedrooms: The Master bedroom offers a 4 poster bed with en-suite bathroom with a large shower, washbasin, bidet & WC. The two further bedrooms share a separate bathroom (shower, washbasin), separate WC. Each room has a built in wardrobe, vanity unit, comfortable seating and bedside tables. Corridor with reading corner.

THE OWNERS

We are Germans who lives and works most of the year in Germany. We saw this house and immediately fell in love with it. Especially Heike has the house not gone out of her mind. The unique location on the river, the architecture with the stones and the many special details inside the house are just wonderful. With its old doors, old door-locks, the high ceilings, the stone walls in some rooms inside, the old squiggly window closings ... there would be still a lot to list. If you sit on the terrace of BelleBize with a glass of wine, look over the river and simply enjoy the moment, you will understand what we are talking about.
Especially the location of the house is absolutely unique. It overlooks the River Cesse. Already when you sit at the breakfast table (whether in the house or on the terrace) you can enjoy the magnificent view over the river to the village. In the summer, the river offers a truly unique bathing spot right in front of the house. We use it to jump with the swimming trunks directly from the house just across the street into the crystal clear water of the river. It is really unique to take a refreshing bath in this natural environment. The pastures with their drooping branches invite you to a relaxing yoga session with a view over the water in the early morning hours - what a setting! Directly behind the house are the first foothills of the Cevennes. Cycling tours of all difficulty levels are possible. Heike is a rider and has already found her favorite horse in a horse stable a few minutes away.

The French have preserved this "je ne sais quoi": in the hearts, in lifestyle, but also in the furnishing and decoration of their homes. The so-called "French Chic" stands like no other for good taste and a sense of style. We picked up on this style when we designed 'BelleBize'. The French-style interior not only looks great, it's a look for all the senses. The living room, the bedrooms - furnished in Mediterranean French chic - radiate warmth, smell of lavender, taste of heavy wine and sweet latte. Tables, seating furniture and beds score with lived history and that certain something.

The house with its generous construction is the perfect opportunity to spend a relaxing time there. Also for a multi-generation holiday.

The house offers a separate apartment on the second floor under the roof, which we use as owners as our own holiday apartment and rent it out while we are not in France. There is a common entrance and the stairway is used together. And it's a wonderful life style - living together with another partie in the house has a bit of the character of a French Chambre d'Hotes. You meet from time to time in the hallway or in the stairwell... and if it suits you, you can enjoy a glass of wine or a nice meal together from time to time. For us, at least, we really enjoy living together in this style in the house.

Basically we prefer long term rentals, because we believe that in this case our beloved home is handled with responsibility.

Outside Amenities:  The terrace in front of the house is well equipped with a table, chairs for 6 people and comfortable basking seatings, ideal for meals outside and barbecue. The river outside the house on the other side of the street provides a clean bathing pool, perfect for swimming or sunbathing. On the house plot there are 2 parking spaces.

Surrounding Area:  Bize Minervois is a lovely small village with a clean river flowing through and offers a dazzling array of possibilities. There are 3 restaurants, a bar, a post office, a pharmacy, two very good bakerys and a supermarket. Strolling through the narrow streets of Bize Minervois or other smaller villages in the area, it is almost like a journey into the past. A past with history, charm and a special feeling for all the beautiful things in life. You live directly on the river with a superb bathing area. You can enjoy the fresh river water in drink water quality at any time.

At the Center of the walled village is the church that dates back to the 13th century. Bize Minervois is part of the Minervois Region, that includes the captivating village of Minerve 10 kms to the north, that straddles two deep river gorges and was the site of a famous siege and martyrdom of Cathar Parfaits by Simon de Montford. The famous Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is only 10 minutes away. The canal meanders through the region and you can rent a boat for a romantic and relaxed trip. Alternatively you can relax in waterfront cafes and bars and watch the world go by.

Bize Minervois is in the heart of Languedoc Rousillion – one of the sunniest parts of France with over 300 days of sunshine a year. It is near to Narbonne, Beziers, Minerve, Carcassonne and 35 minutes to the Mediterranean with the beaches. Bize Minervois has about 1100 residents and about 300 of them are British. A good place for immersing yourself in rural village life and enjoying this beautiful region. Numerous fetes, concerts and village festivals take place in Bize Minervois and the surrounding villages during the summer. But the normal village life continues in the winter and there are also a number of events run by the local community associations. Nearby there is the shop Oulibo - a cooperative that produces some of the best olives and olive oils in France.

In Beziers and Narbonne there are splendid cathedrals, excellent markets (where you can buy daily-fresh fish and seafood), shops, museums and much to see. Ten minutes further are the seemingly endless beaches of the Mediterranean that run from Cap D'Agde to Gruissan and further north and south.

To the west, about 40 minutes drive, is the Medieval city of Carcassonne that featured in the Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie as Nottingham Castle. The city is a marvel to see, with magnificent walls, views, shops, restaurants, museums. Carcassonne is the second most visited French city, following Paris and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For castle worshippers - go to the Corbieres and visit the dizzying peaks where Queribus and Peyrepertuse are found. Two castles that defy gravity and provide stunning views over the surrounding hills, valleys towards the Pyrénees and Spain. Bize Minervois is just 75 minutes to the Spanish border. The nearest Ski Station is in the Pyrenees at Mont D´Olmes. Nearer are beautiful abbeys such as Frontfroide and the village Lagrasse, where there are pottery fairs in the summer months.
The direct environment offers many opportunities to hike and ride a bike. There are many lovely places to swim in local rivers with cascades and natural rock pools. 10 minutes away there is an excellent possibility of horse riding with very well bred and trained horses. There is also a possibility to give your horse accommodation there.

Bize Minervois is close to motorway exits at Narbonne (20 minutes) and Beziers (25 minutes). The region is very well connected to airports and train stations in the UK.

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Heating system:	Central heating (Throughout the house; oil; modern high performance system). A very atmospheric and well working open fire place in the living room.
Services / Facilities:	Mains water. Mains drainage. Electricity. WiFi Broadband Internet Access. Television. Fibreglass Internet
Kitchen Facilities:	Conventional oven. Hob. Combined Fridge/Freezer. Dishwasher. Washing Machine. Tumble Dryer. Well equipped with dishes and other commodities.
Additional Info:	Children welcome. No smokers. Pets may be allowed by prior agreement. 60 € per month Storage facilities in the barn are available for bikes and other sports equipment. Off-road parking.

Distance to Nearest (in kms):

Pricing Info:  PRICES:

- Longer lets from four months upwards:
January and December 1550 per month
February to March, November 1850 € per month
April to October 2500 € per month

- For stays from one to four months:
January to March, November and December 1850 € per month
April to October 2850 € per month

Internet TV (with international program selection and Netflix) and Internet are included. Renters pay for gas, electricity, water and garbage - in the winter months additionally for oil and wood.
Very pretty bedding and towels provided, washing machine and tumble dryer for laundry.

Rent payable monthly in advance. A prepayment to secure the booking and a deposit against damages etc. is required.

Availability: This property is available year round for longer lets.

Long term lets are only available to renters with principle residence elsewhere.

This property is available for weekly summer holiday rentals.

Please check availability first before contacting the owner - Click for Availability -  

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