Villa Pastel

About this property

A short stroll from a charming village and French restaurant, Villa Pastel is a wonderful holiday home bordering the Tarn River, set in glorious gardens with a heated swimming pool and close to some of this region’s most beautiful towns, less than half an hour from rose-hued Toulouse.

Having undergone a recent extensive renovation, we love the contemporary interiors of this air-conditioned villa from its stylish décor and artwork to high-quality furnishings and fittings. The living, dining and kitchen space is bathed with light from sliding windows opening out to the terraces and garden whilst the games room downstairs is sure to provide hours of fun for every age including home-cinema and a 55-inch video screen (bring your own consoles!). Or you may just prefer the villa’s table-football, pool table, table tennis and unique all-weather croquet pitch for games between family and friends.

Across the house and it’s self-contained apartment you will find six gorgeous bedrooms, each one featuring high-end bed linen and premium towels alongside an en suite bath or shower room. One of the doubles is part of a suite featuring a lounge with a sofa-bed, Smart TV and pretty terrace whilst a seventh bedroom can be created in the games room, allowing this brilliant abode to sleep up to 18 guests.

Amidst the two acres of gardens you can choose to bask in the luxury of the 6-person hot tub then relax your shoulders beneath the fountain in the 18m long heated swimming pool as kids paddle in the shallow end. There is ample room for al-fresco dining and relaxation or picnic by the century-old oaks in the landscaped grounds. The more active of guests can enjoy swing-ball, badminton and a leisurely game of boules.

Surrounded by orchards and woodland beyond, stroll down the country road and within 500m you will reach a bridge over the Tarn which leads you to a characterful village where you can enjoy home-cooked food in a popular restaurant. There’s a supermarket 2km away and further shops, restaurants and a lovely weekly market in Saint-Sulpice, under a 10-minute drive away.

Play golf or enjoy lunch out at the clubhouse of the championship golf course around 9km by car, then explore the nearby forest, classified as a Espace Naturel Sensible, for long walks and cycle rides, followed by a trip to its Maison de la Biodiversité to learn all about the forest’s rich flora and fauna.

Head to bustling markets in local villages – there’s one nearly every morning of the week in places such as Bessières, Villemur-sur-Tarn and Lavaur. Wine connoisseurs will be keen to visit the wineries in and around the magnificent town of Gaillac, home to France’s most historic vineyards that date back to pre-Roman times.

Albi and Cordes-sur-Ciel, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, complete the ‘Golden Triangle of Tarn’ and can be reached within an hour. Alternatively, stay slightly closer to home by hopping on a train from Saint-Sulpice to Toulouse for a day out in this beautiful city admiring its architecture, sailing down the Canal du Midi, soaking up the lively ambience by the banks of the Garonne and taking advantage of its vibrant restaurant scene.

On the border of the Haute-Garonne and Tarn departments, Villa Pastel enjoys a beautiful setting within two acres of gardens, less than 1km from a characterful riverside village. On one side of the garden is the Tarn River, protected by a steep bank of shrubs and trees, whilst on the other side is a little stream.

You can stroll down the country road (no pavement) to a handsome bridge that leads to a small village, home to a traditional restaurant serving good French food inside or on its shaded terrace. Just beyond the village centre, around 2km away, is a large supermarket and pharmacy or drive onwards to Saint-Sulpice (5.5km) for further shops, restaurants, a lovely Wednesday morning market and a train station with regular departures to Toulouse.

Golf-lovers note that a championship 18-hole course is 9km by car, also a good spot for lunch in its clubhouse, whilst walkers and outdoor adventurists will appreciate the close proximity of a vast forest which is classified as a Espace Naturel Sensible. Nature lovers young and old should visit the Maison de la Biodiversité where you can learn all about the forest’s fascinating flora and fauna, or set off and discover the glorious landscapes on foot or by bike/mountain bike.

Wine connoisseurs will be familiar with the wineries around Gaillac (26km), home to France’s most historic vineyards that date back to pre-Roman times. Visit Gaillac’s Maison des Vins to learn all about its wine heritage before exploring the historic town on the banks of the Tarn River with several interesting museums and historic sites including Abbey Saint-Michael. It’s Friday morning market is a delight to experience; also look out for concerts as well as local food and wine events during the summer months.

Continue onwards to the incredible city of Albi (51km), a unesco World Heritage site. It is a beautiful city with its rose-brick cathedral, cobbled lanes, inviting restaurants and covered market as well as gorgeous vistas over the Tarn River.

Also part of the ‘Golden Triangle of Tarn’ and another unesco World Heritage site, Cordes-sur-Ciel (54km) is an idyllic hilltop town that dates back to the 12th century – if you approach it on a misty day it often peaks above the clouds.

Elsewhere, slightly closer to home, enjoy a day in the city of Toulouse (31km) reached by car or via train from Saint-Sulpice. Take a boat tour along the Canal du Midi, admire its rose-hued architecture, soak up the atmosphere by the banks of the Garonne and dine out in one of the city’s Michelin starred restaurants.

Foodies have a great choice of restaurants dotted across this region from authentic bistros serving home-cooked fare to high-end establishments. Not forgetting the wonderful local markets too – head to Bessières (5km) on a Monday morning, then Verfeil (20km) on a Tuesday before experiencing the bustling ambience in Villemur-sur-Tarn (19km), Lavaur (22km) or Lisle-sur-Tarn (17km) at the weekend.

Accommodation

Villa Interiors

Ground Floor

-    Lounge and dining area separated by double-sided fireplace
-    Kitchen, well-equipped including breakfast bar and doors leading to poolside terrace
-    Bedroom (14m2, accessible to guests with reduced mobility) with double bed (160x200cm), door leading to south-facing terrace/garden and en suite shower room with shower, sink and toilet
-    Bedroom (11m2) with double bed (160x200cm, can be split into twin), door leading to south-facing terrace/garden and en suite shower room with shower, sink and toilet
-    Self-contained ground floor apartment (independent entrance) with bedroom with double bed and sofa-bed, kitchenette, bathroom with shower, sink and toilet and private terrace 

First Floor (via open-tread stairs)

-    Mezzanine area with desk
-    Suite containing bedroom (15m2) with double bed (160x200cm) and separate lounge (30m2) with sofa-bed, two single fold-out chair beds and Smart TV. Both rooms have access to south-facing upper terrace. En suite bathroom with bath, shower, sink and toilet
-    Bedroom (13m2) with double bed (160x200cm, can be split into twin), south-facing view and en suite shower room with shower and sink
-    Bedroom with double bed (160x200cm, can be split into twin) and en suite shower room with shower and sink
-    WC (on landing, shared between above two bedrooms)

Lower Ground

-    Games room (or seventh bedroom) with two double sofa-beds and doors leading to lower terrace
-    Shower room with shower, sink and toilet

Please note that some of the bath/shower rooms are partially open plan to the bedrooms
Outside Grounds

-    Heated swimming pool (18x5.5m, depth: 1-1.9m) with fountain (for shoulder massages) and electric safety shutter. One end also features a paddling pool for toddlers (1.2x5m). Open approximately mid-April to mid-October. Only heated until it reaches a temperature of 26C
-    Poolside terrace with sun-loungers
-    6-person hot tub
-    Pool house with changing room, shower, sink and toilet
-    Gas barbecue
-    Al-fresco dining terrace
-    Large garden (2 acres) bordering River Tarn and a stream
-    Croquet pitch (all weather)
-    Swing ball and badminton
-    Table tennis
-    Boules court
-    Water feature
-    On-site parking

Facilities

-    Wi-Fi
-    Air-conditioning and heating
-    3 x Smart TVs and home-cinema with Canal + and Netflix
-    55-inch video games screen (bring your own console)
-    Outdoor hot tub
-    Boules and all-weather croquet
-    Pool table/billiard table
-    Table football
-    Table tennis
-    Badminton
-    Board games

The owner asks that under 12s are supervised by an adult in the games room and when playing boules/croquet.