We spent many years looking for our dream French house, a home away from home

We could see it clearly; it would be a stone cottage in an idyllic rural setting. With the benefit of the experience of renting vacation houses over many years in different parts of France, we found we were gradually tweaking our requirements for the French house.

We soon realised that, being practical, the house we were looking for had to be within easy walking distance of a town with restaurants, bars, cultural attractions and of course La Boulangerie, for the morning baguette!

We always found ourselves drawn to the Languedoc region

Every vacation that we spent in France we always found ourselves drawn to the Languedoc region and in particular to the lovely vibrant town of Pézenas. We had found the town - now we had to find the house.

We literally turned the house upside down

The minute we saw the art deco staircase in Maison Rose, we decided this was it. The house had been divided into two apartments. Over the next two years we literally turned the house upside down, converting an upstairs kitchen and living room into a en-suite bathroom and master bedroom and changing the downstairs bedroom into a kitchen.

The garden was a jungle, with waist high exotic weeds and grasses

Maison Rose was built in the 1980s and we bought it in the spring of 2016. Although the garden was a jungle, with waist high exotic weeds and grasses, it featured a beautiful tall mature cherry tree, which provided shade for the south-facing terrace at the back of the house. Unfortunately this tree was diseased and much to our regret had to be cut down the year after we bought the house.

We had a swimming pool installed, along with a new terrace and deck

We spent a year and a half renovating Maison Rose with the aid of builder Roy and his team and getting the garden into shape with the aid of Gary and Matthieu. We had a swimming pool installed, along with a new terrace and deck, lots of new planting and a new pergola to add shade to the sunny terrace.

It really is a joy to cool off by the pool after a busy day strolling through the medieval town centre of Pézenas

All the effort has been worth it. It really is a joy to cool off by the pool after a busy day strolling through the medieval town centre of Pézenas, with its many artisan and craft shops or browsing through the antique and ‘Brocante’ shops, all within walking distance of Maison Rose.

Hiking or canoeing around Lac du Salagou or a day on the beach on the Mediterranean

Picture the pop of a cork and the cool taste of a chilled glass of rosé on the terrace after hiking or canoeing around Lac du Salagou or a day on the beach on the Mediterranean, both within a 30 minute drive. There is so much to do in the area, whether it’s visiting one of the many local vineyards, doing a walking tour of Pézenas or exploring the many restaurants to dine in.

Walking into town for your evening meal and strolling down to the boulangerie in the morning to get your baguette

While Maison Rose is ideally located to explore the Hérault department or the greater Languedoc region, you can also chose to leave the car in the driveway and enjoy a car free few days, walking into town for your evening meal and strolling down to the boulangerie in the morning to get your baguette. There is a good bus service to Montpellier or Béziers.

When we arrive in Pézenas after the drive from Northern France, we like to abandon the car in the driveway for a few days and chill out on the terrace or by the pool. Everything we need is within walking distance, so no need for the four wheels.

Everything you could need for a lovely family holiday

The summer of 2018 was our first time to rent out Maison Rose and hopefully we will continue to rent it for the coming years. It has three bedrooms and is well suited for a family rental with everything you could need for a lovely family holiday.