Chez Astride - Gîte avec vue unique

I spend 3 weeks in September in this lovely gîte. I felt very welcome. The hosts are very sympathetic. The house is comfortable and authentic and has an incredible view of the mountains. An ideal place for a relaxing holiday. There are lovely towns nearby.

We were a party of three adult couples and found the accommodation perfect. Three large bedrooms allowed each couple to have their own space, there was a lounge where we could congregate to watch TV or plan daily excursions, a kitchen -dining area big enough for us all to sit around the table and beyond the kitchen, under the shade of a tree, a pleasant spot for alfresco dining with an ever changing view of the distant Pyrenees. The restored farm house has a rustic simplicity you can find in houses all over rural France, and in the Gite at Gensac, you are living the experience. Boulogne sur Gesse, about five kilometres away, is a small, modern town with shops necessary for provisions and restaurant meals. The gite is nestled in the quite, rolling hills of the countryside and is ideally suited for sightseeing and visiting ancient and historic towns in the Gers, Ariege Pyrenees and Haute Garonne regions in south west France. Klaus and Astrid couldn't be more helpful with advice and shared a glass or two of wine on the terrace and advised on the Bastide towns. The furtherest away we travelled from Gensac was to Larrasingle, a tiny fortified town, and on another day we stumbled upon market day in Samatan, quite an experience.

What a beautiful quiet part of France. We had a great time in this well equipped, nicely renovated old farmhouse, with its wonderful uninterrupted views of The Pyrenees from the garden, where we enjoyed many a glass of wine. The owners Klaus and Astrid couldn't have been more friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble. Astrid speaks fluent English as well as French and German. There was plenty to do and see in the area which is totally unspoilt and in the middle of the most beautiful countryside. The only sounds are cow bells, ducks and owls that seem to be awake during the daytime! Klaus renovates classic cars and as an extra took us out for a picnic by a nearby lake that has a good beach with all amenities. He will take you wherever you want, sightseeing, the Pyrenees, etc. There is a good swimming pool in the nearby town of Boulogne Sur Gesse. There are local markets in the surrounding towns and villages, Samatan was particularly good. Toulouse, Carcasonne, Lourdes and the Atlantic Coast are all easy to get to. The Bastide towns in the nearby Gers are a must to see. A lovely place to stay, we would certainly recommend it.