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Sleeps 2 adults and 2 children plus infant in 2 bedrooms, 1 double and 1 bunk bed room. |
 | Beautifully landscaped heated outdoor pool with summer kitchen and gas barbecue and fantastic views to savour. Swimming pool area has secure fence, and child proof handle on gate. Gate is always double locked with key when under 5's are in residence. |
 | Each cottage has a toy chest with a selection of toys, plus a small selection of baby/ toddler books in the children's' bedrooms and a DVD library. |
 | Lots of inflatables at the pool and pavement chalks which can be used very creatively on the sandstone slabs in the gardens and up at the swimming pool. Pre- bookable bike hire from local company who offer baby seats, helmets, tag alongs and trailers to make use of safe, flat cycle track from Montengrand to Mirepoix. |
 | 3 very tame but slightly stupid sheep, 2 ponies, 4 cats, plus a very friendly & intelligent dog called Lucy- the animals are a big hit with littles ones who enjoy petting and feeding them. |
 | There are WiFi hotspots at Montengrand. |
 | 5 minutes away from the beautiful mediaeval, bastide town of Mirepoix, with its spectacular covered walkways, twice weekly markets, numerous restaurants, bars and pavement cafés. |
 | The following are always found in the cottages: toddler steps in bathrooms, toddler table and chairs, hand blender, sippy cups, plastic crockery, plastic cutlery, night lights & socket covers. The following are always available for those who need them and put in the cottages on request:wooden Cots, high chairs, booster seats, stairgates (top and bottom if required), baby bath, bath seat, non-slip bath mats, microwave steriliser, bed guard, potty & audio baby monitors. |
 | Montengrand has a small roster of trusted, local, English speaking, baby sitters. |
 | Home-made meal delivery service available. Pre-arrival grocery shopping service. Local farm shop delivery, for free range poultry, eggs, rabbit etc. Daily bread and croissant delivery. Plus, a large organic vegetable patch to plunder. |
 | Each cottage has a private garden/terrace. |
Arrivals and Departures:
Check-in time: 16:00
Check-out time: 10:00
Payment:
Reservation Deposit: 30%
Balance: 56 days prior to arrival
Capacity:
Sleeps: 4 +
It’s no exaggeration to say that the word "paradise" is often heard at Montengrand and its easy to see why; This picture-perfect row of five romantically quaint but beautifully renovated 2-3 bedroom cottages, nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees and within minutes of the medieval bastide town of Mirepoix, enjoys a setting so breathtakingly beautiful it could motivate the most reluctant artists, and views that could well put pay to poolside plans to get through the most gripping of blockbusters.
Set on a 30-acre domain of wildflower meadows and woodland, this tiny and charming hamlet of cottages has a magical quality that will have a wind-down effect on even the most frazzled of families. Even in a rundown state, several years ago, it cast its magic on its owners Nicki and Adrian who sold up and moved out of Fulham to pursue the idea of transforming Montengrand into exactly the kind of holiday they wished they could find for themselves and their, then toddler, daughter Mo. If the visitors book is anything to go by, they have certainly succeeded in answering the prayers of most parents and their offspring. In fact, Montengrand has become something of a closely guarded secret amongst families who return year after year. July and August dates are often booked up year in advance, but get in early enough and an early summer or warm September stay could well be yours.
The five cottages sleep for 4-6 and are a homely but stylish mix of Cath Kidston meets French country chic and wonderfully in keeping with the pastel-coloured scenery that surrounds them. Each has a large double bedroom and a twin, whilst some have additional beds in large, safe, mezzanine sleeping areas or in bunk rooms. Kitchens are well-equipped with gas hobs, electric ovens, microwaves and dishwashers, whilst all bathrooms have both baths and showers. Some cottages also have en-suite facilities. Their thick stone walls ensure that they are cool even in the height of summer and warm and cosy in the winter months, with the aid of log burning stoves and electric radiators. All come with boutique hotel-style luxuries in the form of comfortable beds with crisp Egyptian cotton bed linen and fluffy cotton bath towels. There's even a daily fresh bread and croissant delivery, a pre-arrival grocery and baby essentials (nappies, wipes, formula, jars etc.) service, optional home-cooked meal deliveries, plus a mid and end of stay maid service - adding to the hotel-type experience. Plus, a brilliantly comprehensive list of baby and toddler equipment and toys is an added bonus for young families and testament to Nicki and Adrian's first-hand experiences.
No matter how enchanting the interiors of the cottages, it’s their exteriors that often provide the best memories. Each has a private, furnished terrace or garden with BBQ leading off their south-facing open-plan living areas, which are ideal for eating en famille or simply enjoying some quiet time together. However, the stunning pool, which is heated for comfortable baby swimming even in spring, is a major draw. Safely gated and fenced, it benefits from amazing views and a brilliant summer kitchen where impromptu communal BBQ nights often take place. Then there's the 18ft tepee often adopted as a den by junior guests in the day and sometimes used by families to 'camp-out' at night, cooking up sausages and beans over the campfire and taking in the star-filled skies.
Petite Maison- The smallest property in the terrace,it features a spacious open plan kitchen, dining and living space on the ground floor which opens onto the private, south facing garden. There are two bedrooms on the first floor, one with a six foot double bed and and the other with a bunk bed. There is also space for a toddler bed (suitable up to 4 years) in the second bedroom, or a cot may be placed in either bedroom according to preference.Sleeps 2 adults &2 children, plus baby or a child up to4 yrs
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Once they've arrived and become enchanted, few families venture far from Montengrand although the very charming and well preserved medieval town of Mirepoix is just five minutes away by car and crammed with pretty shops, useful services (banks, pharmacies, doctors etc.) and family-friendly cafes and bistros. A trip to the Monday morning market which fill the town square and the cathedral forecourt, is not to be missed, neither is the annual puppet festival, which takes place in the first week of August, or the Jazz festival in April.
Beach bums and water sports enthusiasts will enjoy the sand-fringed 600-hectare La Montbel (10-20mins drive), whilst the Mediterranean beaches can be reached in just over an hour. The incredible La Cité at Carcassonne is only a 40-minute drive away and, during the winter months, the family-friendly ski station of Mont d’Olmes about the same distance.
Food lovers should not miss the opportunity to book a babysitter and visit the restaurant at the nearby Abbaye-Chateau de Camon, which, although reasonably priced (approx 40Euros for 4-courses) is highly acclaimed and has seating in the wonderfully atmospheric cloisters in the summer. Also highly recommended is the restaurant at the vineyard of Domaine Gayda.
Nearest Medical Services: 2 English speaking doctors in Mirepoix (5mins) & emergency department at Foix hospital ( 35- 40 mins)
Getting There: Flights - Carcassonne’s 'Salvaza' Airport is within 40-mins (served by Ryanair), Toulouse 'Blagnac' Airport is 1 hour away ( British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2.com & Flybe). By Rail: Take the Eurostar to either Paris or Lille and take the TGV to Toulouse. There is also a sleeper train from Paris to Carcassonne.
Past Guest Ratings: * (5 guests)
*Rating collated since Feb '10.
All verified as genuine BFB guests who experienced the accommodation with young children.
Awards:
Ranked amongst BFB's 10 Best Rated by Past Guests in 2009 & 2010
Our stay at Montengrand couldn't have been more relaxing and the place and hospi...
Our stay at Montengrand couldn't have been more relaxing and the place and hospitality surpassed all our expectations. Would thoroughly recommend, at the risk of making it more popular than it already is - and never getting availability ourselves in the future! Nicki and Adrian have hit the spot exactly with this place
Overall Experience Rating: 100%
Completely fantastic. We loved it and it was perfect for our girls (18months & ...
Completely fantastic. We loved it and it was perfect for our girls (18months & 3). The sheep, rabbit & chickens were a total hit & Nicki & Ady were wonderful hosts.
Overall Experience Rating: 100%
Without doubt the best family holiday we've had so far. The owners couldn't hav...
Without doubt the best family holiday we've had so far. The owners couldn't have been more welcoming; the location is beautiful; and the kids loved the animals and the freedom to run around and explore. It's well worth taking advantage of the catering provided as all meals were of an excellent standard and freshly cooked to order and delivered the same day.
Overall Experience Rating: 100%
Without doubt the best family holiday we've had so far. The owners couldn't have...
Without doubt the best family holiday we've had so far. The owners couldn't have been more welcoming; the location is beautiful; and the kids loved the animals and the freedom to run around and explore. It's well worth taking advantage of the catering provided as all meals were of an excellent standard and freshly cooked to order and delivered the same day. Overall experience: Excellent
Overall Experience: Outstanding!...
Overall Experience: Outstanding!
Nicki and Adrian have worked hard and thought of everything that parents with li...
Nicki and Adrian have worked hard and thought of everything that parents with little ones need on holiday. We all really enjoyed our stay at Montengrand and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to good friends.
Montengrand was just fantastic and we have just booked for next year. Our daugh...
Montengrand was just fantastic and we have just booked for next year. Our daughter Mimi enjoyed every moment, feeding Bisous the horse, visiting the sheep and playing in the the wonderful Tipi. THe heated pool is also absolutely beautiful. We have stayed at a lot of places that market themselves to be kiddy friendly but Montengrand far exceeded all our expectations. It was just perfect and we really couldn't think of a greater place to stay for the summer! The cottages are very luxurious, with champagne on arrival which was very special. Nicki, Adi and Mo are great hosts sand we cant wait for next year, we will be going back year after year!
What a magical holiday! Second year running and we're hoping to go again next ye...
What a magical holiday! Second year running and we're hoping to go again next year! In fact we took three other families with us this year and they are itching to get back too! It is the living. Nicki and Adrian are perfect hosts and Mo is wonderful - she taught Jude (our 2 year old) to love the water like a little fish! It is difficult to find somewhere that caters perfectly for children but means you do not compromise at all on the quality of your holiday - Montengrand does it all in beautiful style. Bring on our return!
Nicki, Aidy & Mo make Montengrand a magical place to be. We've just come back f...
Nicki, Aidy & Mo make Montengrand a magical place to be. We've just come back from a fornight staying in La Bergerie, the newest of the 5 beautifully restored cottages that form part of this haven. There are 5 of us in our family: me (Mum), Dad, Emma (our beloved nanny), Rosie (age 2) and Lois (age 1) and the cottage provided a perfect home from home for us. We had some great days and evenings out: Mirepoix (especially fun on market day), the beach, the lake, Carcassonne, Gayda vineyard & the Abbey (for a romantic meal for Mum and Dad) but it was Montengrand itself that won our hearts. We were out there with 3 other familes we knew the 1st week, so there was lots of communal eating and late nights round the campfire, but we made new friends in the 2nd week and Rosie had her 1st holiday romance! The girls also loved the super friendly dog Lucy, Bisou the horse and the various sheep, bunnies etc. Personally I thought the morning bread and pastry delivery was a bit of a highlight! I could go on forever, but suffice to say we loved it and hope to return for many years to come to see all Nicki & Aidy's wonderful plans for even more delights at Montengrand develop.
What a fabulous family holiday destination! We joined friends at Montengrand fo...
What a fabulous family holiday destination! We joined friends at Montengrand for a week's holiday in September and cannot wait to go back! Its so far removed from a 'resort' type holiday, its bliss. Its a classy, but incredibly family friendly place, perfect for babies and young children - you don't have to pack a thing as everything for your baby or child has been thought about - toys, books, DVD's, sterlisers, highchairs, cots, booster seats - I could go on. The cottages are beautifully designed and equipped (we stayed in the Hayloft with our 2 year old daughter) and the communal feel to the place is there if you wish to indulge with your neighbours or there is sufficient privacy to enjoy your holiday on your own. There are probably 3 things that stand out for us that make this the fabulous holiday destination that it is 1.its rustic nature and the beautiful surroundings that Montengrand is set in - you can fly 2 hours from the UK and really feel like you are away from it all.2.The swimming pool - the facilities and backdrop are just stunning and finally 3. Nicki and Aidi, along with their daughter Mo, are wonderful and welcoming hosts. They have created a supremely relaxed environment for children and adults to enjoy and the subtle special touches are first class - you'll have to book to find out what they are! Our daughter had a wonderful time playing in the wigwam, swimming in the pool and saying goodnight to the animals and as she was happy, it made it a very, very enjoyable holiday for us all!
