Le Puech Haut ~ The Main House

The heart of the house is the huge L-shaped living/dining room, which opens onto the kitchen. Here is a two-metre by three metre traditional fireplace, seriously comfortable armchairs, a library of cookery books, a sound system with hundreds of CDs, and wide-screen Sky TV. The dining table seats ten adults comfortably and up to fourteen for a full house.

The arched door opens to the South Terrace where there is another dining table to seat ten, in the shade of the huge plane trees.

kitchen

The large kitchen has been superbly designed and arranged to provide maximum labour saving for family life and entertaining.

There is a double Rosières Paul Bocuse range with two electric ovens, four gas burners and a griddle top, and a Scholtes electric four ring halogen counter top unit. There are two traditional china double sinks, two separate food preparation areas, and two dishwashers. There are three large fridges with separate new deep chill facilities which can store meat dairy products fruit and vegetables for a large family for extended periods, and two large capacity freezers.

The basic equipment is complimented with a Nespresso coffee and cappuccino machine, electric blenders, whisks and an ice cream maker. The Laundry and Larder room features Miele washing and drying machines.

drawing room

The 5 by 5 metre drawing room is a cool, peaceful retreat from the summer heat and the bustle of a busy household. With elegant decoration, a large and eclectic library, giant sofas and huge armchairs, it is a haven of calm. Next to it is the study and music room which is usually locked for storage during lets.

There is a downstairs cloakroom and WC.

First floor:

All the bedrooms have their own private bathroom, and lead off a stunning central landing which runs the breadth of the house.

Bedroom One
Facing south over the main garden, the principal bedroom, with a huge double four-poster, and antique furniture, has white linen curtains and bed hangings Beyond is the large bathroom with both bath and shower, dressing room and hanging wardrobes.

Bedroom Two
The Green room, facing South, has a large double bed, large antique chest of drawers and a huge wardrobe. The ensuite bathroom has bath, lavatory and washbasin

Bedroom Three
The Indian Room has an original Jaipur brass double bed, antique bedside tables, wardrobe, and dressing table, and Indian pictures and hangings. The 3 x 2 metre bathroom has shower, lavatory and washbasin.

Bedroom Four
The Blue Room, is beautifully furnished, with original antique opera posters and portraits. There is a large double bed with oak side tables, and a French hanging wardrobe and large chest of drawers. The large bathroom has bath with shower, bidet, lavatory and antique wash basin.

Around The Property

The hamlet of Real is surrounded by farmland and wooded countryside, and the 3-hectare property itself has an extensive garden, planted in the last fifteen years by the owners. Although there are neighbours across the lane at the end of our drive, towards the church, both houses and the pool area are well sheltered from outsiders’ gaze, and the main gates are shut between dusk and dawn.

Both the main south terrace and the Beffroi terrace have outdoor dining tables and furniture. There is a barbecue and plenty of sun beds and outdoor furniture for both shade and sun terraces and the pool deck. On the Beffroi main terrace are three sun loungers and four sun chairs, plus a dining table and chairs. Beside the terrace, Le Beffroi has its own separate gardens and lawns, with a private pathway leading to the pool area.

The Pool

The pool and its deck have a beautiful setting, surrounded and sheltered by oleanders, olive trees and bamboo, and with extensive views south towards Roquemaure and the Pyrenees. The pool itself is 12m x 6m with a salt water electrolysis system, and a constant depth of 1.5m. It has a child-proof closing roof, and conforms to the obligatory safety regulations to the norm of NFP 90.

The Casbah

Next to the main house is "The Casbah" former home of sheep, goats and hens, now restored to make a one-bedroom summer pavilion, with kitchen and bathroom With a folding door which opens completely to the south view, the Casbah provides a large indoor/outdoor space, where the terrace stays cool and shady nearly all day. On several occasions over the last fifteen years, when a summer storm has threatened, we have successfully moved dinner parties from the South Terrace into the Casbah. The bedroom, kitchenette and (disabled access) shower and WC work well for overflow guests, or for guests’ own staff such as a nanny or resident cook.