I have been asked to describe our house in Murviel and here it goes – in English, as it needs to be understood by people who do not normally read my blog – welcome, by the way!
Ours is an old wine merchant’s house in a village in the heart of the Languedoc in southern France. The house was built sometime in the late 19th century and has been continually renovated in the last 20 years to modern standards and comforts.
The old wine cellars remain, as do many of the old features typical of the era when the house was built.
The house sits on the main street on the outskirts of the village, within a short walking distance of restaurants, boulangeries, and a couple of small supermarkets.
Behind an old rusty and squeaky gate, there is a garden with winding stairs,
which lead up to a pool area, where you find a heated pool, an outdoor kitchen, and a poolhouse with a bathroom, guest room and a living space, which opens up onto a sunny patio.
The village itself is an old circulade village dating back to the middle ages. It is situated on a hill surrounded by endless vineyards and on a clear day you can see the Pyrenées in the distance.
The Mediterranean beaches are half an hour’s drive away and the beaches are vast and you find both secluded and more busy spots, where restaurants and shops line the beach front.
The villagers themselves often take to the river Orb for water sports and swimming. There are also several places close by where the bold can go white water rafting or canoeing. Murviel lès Béziers is also the perfect starting point for all sorts of outdoor activities, such as trecking, horse riding, cycling and mountain biking.
For those who prefer a more quiet holiday, lounging poolside, eating lovely fresh produce and gulping down the odd glass of local wine, is also an option. More often than not we have found that our guests prefer whiling away most of their holiday in the garden and no amount of cajoling has made them budge.
This is our paradise. Maybe we will see you there?
