La Poumayrette is a days drive from the Channel ports or just one hour from Toulouse International Airport. Budget flight airports Carcassonne and Rodez are not far away.

The area of the Midi Pyrenees is famous for its hundreds of medieval towns known as 'Bastides'. Perched high on rocky hilltops, villages like Puycelsi, Penne, Bruniquel and Cordes have kept watch over the surrounding countryside since the 13th century, protecting their inhabitants in times of conflict.

Deserving a special mention is Cordes-sur-Ceil, one of France's most beautiful towns. With its extraordinary wealth of medieval architecture, its many resident artists and craftsmen and its dozens of restaurant it is a magical place to visit.

The location is central to the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts, all of which make for an interesting trip away.

Toulouse is famous for its aerospace industry, but also has a fascinating historical centre and many excellent restaurants. Closer to the house is the beautiful town of Albi with its world famous cathedral and Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition. Around the cathedral a warren of medieval streets contains many high class shops and restaurants. In the other direction the town of Montauban holds an international jazz festival.

Coming closer to home, the nearest shop and bar/restaurant are in Penne. This is a spectacularly beautiful medieval village with its ruined fortified chateau high on a hill, suspended over the gorge of the River Aveyron. This dramatic setting is the site of a twice-weekly son-et-lumiere throughout the summer months. There is also an annual spectacular firework display.

More comprehensive shopping is at St-Antonin Noble Val a fascinating old town sitting on the banks of the River Aveyron (the site is in French, but there is a translate option at the bottom of the page. From here you can also access a range of outdoor activities including kayaking, rock climbing, caving and mountain biking. For the less energetic there is a small air conditioned cinema which shows English films and a wonderful Sunday market!

Palmola Golf Club is a 18 hole golf course between Albi and Toulouse. See the map on the location page