Welcome to Maison Saraphina

 

Owners Emily and Finnegan welcome you to their guest house located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region (Occitanie). There are many villages on the doorstep such as Cruzy, Quarante and Capestang where you can pick up fresh bread and supplies daily. Capestang has a market on the square every Wednesday and Sunday. We are just 2km from the UNESCO site Canal Du Midi. Opposite the house are vast woodlands perfect for walking and exploring.

The property is in the heart of the countryside situated on almost 3 hectares of land abundant with fruit trees and flowers at every turn. The guest house is perfect for families and friends accommodating up to 10 people between 5 bedrooms with the option to sleep 2 more in our spacious living room on sofa beds.

You have full use of your own 12 x 6m pool which is situated at the end of the garden. Around the pool is our comfortable lounge area in the covered (80 sqm) pool house. You have the choice to bbq at the house or around the pool.

There is a staff member on site to welcome you and show you around and advise you on your daily excursions as well as tending to the garden and pool. You will have the opportunity to add breakfasts, to your package, as well as guided tours in the surrounding area.

The chickens on the property provide fresh eggs and there are two friendly dogs who are sometimes around too.

Emily and Finnegan also operate a hotel barge on the Canal du Midi. Visit Barge Saraphina website for more information.

 
 
 
 
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About the Region

This region is rich with history, bursting with a wealth of culture and entertainment. Offering an eclectic mixture of activities from swimming in the Mediterranean and enjoying fresh seafood, to learning about the history of past settlers, the Romans and the Cathars, to wine tasting in France’s biggest wine region. We are just 2km the UNESCO World Heritage Site Canal du Midi. We are also only 30km away from the seaside, 20km from Narbonne and 55km away from Carcassonne, which are each perfect day trips.

 

Mediterranean - We are just 30 km from the nearest beach, Gruissan Plage, which offers water sports, numerous activities and restaurants in abundance. But why not take your pick of the many beach side towns within an hour’s drive like Valras, Agde or Séte. Moving inland you can discover many other gems of the region. Pezenas is fantastic for artisan shopping, pottery and antique shops. Visit Béziers, the oldest city in France founded in 575 BC and the birth place of Pierre Paul Riquet, the engineer responsible for the Canal du Midi. Roquebrun should be a place on your bucket list, known locally as the Nice of Herault and most visited for its Mediterranean garden and kayaking on the rive Orb. Minerve also makes a lovely day out, and has been selected as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France")

 

 
 
 
Maison Saraphina

Narbonne - Narbonne, a city of just over 50,000 people, was an important Roman seaport, but centuries of silting of the Aude river have left it snoozing 15km inland. Its focal point is the Canal de la Robine, offshoot of the Canal du Midi, The Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Just et Saint-Pasteur was begun in the 13th century but never completed. The grand Palais des Archevêques (Archbishop's Palace) houses archaeology and art museums. The Horreum is an underground labyrinth of ancient warehouses left over from the town’s days as a Roman port. The nearby beach and harbor is at Narbonne Plage. 

Every morning, in Narbonne, there is an inside food market at Les Halles. This is one of the best food markets in France having around 70 stalls - it is not to be missed. Everything is on offer from olives, to fish, to cheeses, to vegetables and fruit, even ready made meals such as tagine and cassoulet. You could combine a visit with the Narbonne street market held on Sundays and Thursdays. Here you will find crockery, clothing, bedspreads, souvenirs, just about anything and everything, it's a great atmosphere.
Maison Saraphina
Carcassonne - Built on a steep spur of rock, Carcassonne’s rampart-ringed fortress dates back more than two millennia. The fortified town is encircled by two sets of battlements and 52 stone towers, topped by distinctive ‘witch’s hat’ roofs (added by architect Viollet-le-Duc during 19th-century restorations). The hill on which the Cité Médiévale stands has been fortified many times over the centuries – by Gauls, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, Franks and Cathars, to name a few. Following the annexation of Roussillon by France in 1659, the castle’s usefulness as a frontier fortress declined and it slowly crumbled into disrepair. It was saved from destruction by Viollet-le-Duc, who left his mark on many of France’s medieval landmarks, including Notre Dame in Paris and Vézelay in Burgundy.The castle is laid out in a concentric pattern, with the double wall and defensive towers designed to resist attack from siege engines. A drawbridge can still be seen in the main gate of Porte Narbonnaise, which leads into the citadel’s interior, a maze of cobbled lanes and courtyards, now mostly lined by shops and restaurants. The castle’s second gate, Porte d'Aude, was partly destroyed in 1816 and no longer has its drawbridge.
 
In between the walls, an interior space known as Les Lices runs for just over 1km around the castle. Though designed as a defensive space to delay would-be attackers, during the medieval era the city’s poorest residents would have built a shanty town of houses and workshops here, which were cleared out during Viollet-le-Duc’s restorations. It’s now the best place to escape the crowds and properly appreciate the castle’s martial architecture.
 

The cottage, pool and garden are beautifully kept and views over fields are wonderful. Capestang is a lively town with several restaurants and two good supermarkets. Market on a Sunday is a bonus too. Approx 2km away so transport is essential. Lots of interesting villages/towns to visit within 20 miles, and beach at Valras-Plage is approx 40 minutes away. We couldn’t be happier with the choice we made. Thank you for letting us stay!

Guest

We had a wonderful stay and loved the location. The gîte was airy and comfortable, with the bedrooms larger than we had expected. It was very child friendly with books, toys, stair gates, bed guards, cot, high chair etc. The garden was beautiful while also perfect for our young children. Lots of space and different areas to allow privacy for other guests and some shade on hotter days. The kids loved the climbing frame and playhouse, and the pool was wonderful. A truly wonderful place.

Guest

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Maison Saraphina