SMALL VILLAGE HOUSE WITH MODERN COMFORTS AND SOUTH FACING PATIO AT THE FOOT OF THE GORGE D’HÉRIC IN MONS LA TRIVALLE.
Sleeps 3-4 in two bedrooms (65.5 m² + patio 27.7 m²).
From £205 to £300 according to the season.
THE PAINTER’S HOUSE,
AVENUE DE LA GARE,
34390 MONS LA TRIVALLE.
FACILITIES: Gallery kitchen with modern appliances and fittings, open plan sitting/dining room with log fire insert, ground floor wet room, south facing patio, twin bedroom with two beds, single bedroom with one bed, two double airbed/mattresses, modern bathroom, playroom/study. WI-FI Internet access. Floors are tiled throughout the ground floor with polished wooden floors upstairs. All windows are double glazed and have electric shutters. Electric radiators throughout.
EQUIPMENT: TV with video player. Radio/CD player. Washing machine. Dish washer. Expresso maker. Hairdryer. Fridge/freezer. Counter top convection oven & grill. Iron and ironing board. Garden furniture. Parking outside the property.
View of house at end of terrace Mons la Trivalle
Mons La Trivalle is a sleepy village situated right in the centre of the Parc Naturel Regional du Haut-Languedoc, one of the most striking and least developed areas of Mediterranean France. The village is surrounded by cherry orchards and vineyards and sits at the foot of the Gorges d’Héric and the 1100m Massif du Caroux, "Montagne de Lumière". This is one of the country's oldest geological formations, with a wealth of mineral deposits, thriving flora and fauna. Mons is situated to the north of Béziers and about 50 minutes from the Mediterranean beaches.
Bathed in warm Mediterranean sunshine, the village is spread out over the flanks of the Caroux Mountains with a mixture of pretty stone clad houses complemented by several new villas on the outskirts. There is a bar/restaurant and a small number of shops and facilities for every day needs. The medieval village of Olargues where more shops, bars and restaurants can be found is 10 minutes away.
Mons has direct access to the Gorges d’Héric, a nature lover's paradise, with spectacular mountain views. These gorges resemble a huge sabre slash penetrating 5 kilometres into the southern slopes of the Monts de l’Espinouse and are one of the most outstanding beauty spots in this mountain range.
Les Gorges d’Héric
This is a fantastic area, and the Parc Naturel Régional status ensures that the dramatic landscape remains unspoiled. The mountains are exhilaratingly wild without being intimidating, there's boar and mouflon in the hills, wild mushrooms and chestnuts by the paths, trout and crayfish in the streams, eagles and kites above.
A “piste verte” walking and biking trail runs westward from Mons along the valley following the old railway route to the north of St Pons.
This part of France is famous for the marvellous quality of its light, a gentle luminescence which owes something to the mountain air, something to the sun's heat and not a little to the complete absence of pollution. John Hansen the Danish artist, known for his memory pictures and larger canvases which use nature and light as their theme, has chosen to base himself here for part of the year in order to fully experience the beauty of this light through his artwork (see www.galleriehansen.dk.) The Painter’s House is John’s Mediterranean base and you may therefore find the odd spot of colour on the walls showing its use as a studio when he is here. As his family often visits with him the house also has all the comforts of a family holiday home. John exhibits regularly in France as well as internationally and examples of his work are displayed throughout the property.
The Painter’s House is situated in a cul-de-sac at the centre of the village, diagonally opposite the old station which is now used as a salle polyvalent (village hall) and which is the centre of several summer village fetes.
La Salle Polyvalent North view from the House South View
On arrival you can park directly outside the Painter’s House besides the sunny patio which has views south to the Avant Montagnes and north to the Caroux mountains.
The accommodation is in a typically Languedocian small, end of terrace village house, which like many French houses has a plain exterior. The interior has been recently renovated to a good standard whilst retaining its local charm. The house is simply but pleasantly furnished and works well on a practical basis. Three to four people can be accommodated in one single and one twin bedroom (provided that the fourth person is happy to use an inflatable air bed.)
The main entrance leads directly into a light and airy open plan lounge/kitchen/dining room.
This spacious ground floor room (18.8 m²), decorated in muted and complementary colours, has a dining table with four chairs, a rocking chair, a TV and video recorder and Radio/CD player. It also has an insert log fire which creates a lovely cosy atmosphere in winter. The lounge area has views to the lane at the rear of the property, with a leafy fig tree framing the more distant views to the vineyards.
A large wet room/utility room (10.3m²) is situated to the left of the dining area with a shower, W.C. hand basin and washing machine and cleaning equipment. Additional storage is provided by storage cupboard at the entrance with hanging space for coats, and shelves with games, boules etc. There are also storage cupboards by the fire which contain all the crockery, glassware etc. necessary for a comfortable stay.
Between the dining area/studio and the living area a cleverly designed galley kitchen (3.4m²) has been fitted to the side of the elegant tiled Languedocian staircase, which winds up to the first floor. The kitchen has plenty of storage and is well-equipped with fridge/freezer, dish washer, table top convection oven/grill and ceramic hob.
The upper floor is also light and airy with polished wooden floor boards throughout. Decoration is a blend of cream and white. At the top of the stairs is the twin bedroom (10.4m²) with views to the front of the house. Here are two comfortable single beds, a double inflatable airbed, a work table/desk, and two bedside tables, a mirrored built-in wardrobe and WI-FI Internet access.
Twin Room Single Room Playroom/study
To the right is the second bedroom (9.4m²) which is equipped with single bed, double inflatable airbed, bedside table and a mirrored built in wardrobe. Views are to the front of the house. These bedrooms provide simple but adequate accommodation for three adults or a combination of adults and children making up a group of four people.
Continuing on through the landing area there is a glazed door leading into a sunny south facing room (8.9m²) which provides either a pleasant playroom for children or a quiet study or reading room for adults. Lovely views to the Avant Montage can be seen from this room. To the left of this room is the entrance to an attractive, modern, fully tiled shower room (4.2 m²) with hand basin, W.C. and bidet.
The Painter’s House plain and simple decor reflects the Danish heritage of its owners. Natural materials are left to speak for themselves. Life here is very much lived outside. The large sunny flag stone patio (27.7 m²) with its dual aspect provides an ideal spot for eating and relaxing and for sharing the odd aperitif with the French neighbours, whilst watching the last rays of sun disappear over the top of the mountains. A fixed washing line is also located here.
The sunny patio The village barbecue Rear of the Painter’s House
Opposite this pretty patio is the area used for lively village fetes, with a purpose built area for communal barbecues and the all important boules area. Further along is the salle polyvalent, where several musical fetes take place during the summer with holiday makers and locals dining and dancing outside to a wide variety of music styles. These occasional fetes do carry on to the small hours, but the double glazing and electric shutters in the house allow some protection from the festivities, should you wish. However these occasions do provide a wonderful opportunity for all ages to join in with local village life. The frequency of these fetes (about once a month in the summer) is not enough to disturb the general tranquillity of the house.
Mons La Trivalle is also host to the annual Cherry Fair which takes place in early June. The local producers set up stalls selling their wares (jam, clatfoutis pudding, syrups or simply the fruit itself), together with other local products all along the street in front of the Painter’s House. In the summer months there is also a small weekly Thursday morning market on the other side of the village.
A country lane leads off from the rear of the property with views over the quiet valley road and surrounding vineyards, which produce some of our lovely local wines. The local cave, which provides much animation during the grape harvest in September, is situated further along from the house.
The Painter’s House provides a simple and practical pied à terre for nature lovers wishing to spend a holiday in the heart of a renowned walking area, with walks starting from several points in the village. It would also be suitable for a family with children. At hand there are as many outdoor activities as you may wish to try. Otherwise enjoy the magnificent views of the surrounding countryside and relax completely in the comfort of this simple house.
The house is on two levels with access to the upper floor via a wide curving staircase, which may make it impractical for some elderly guests. Sorry – no smokers but we do accept well behaved pets.
Prices and Booking Information
Dates Prices
09 January – 03 April £205
03 April –26 June £275
26 June –28 August £300
28 August –25 September £275
25 Sept –18 December £205
Discounts from £10 to £20 for second and subsequent weeks according to season. Rates inclusive of electricity and linen. From November to April a forfeit is payable for use of logs for the wood burning fire and extra heating costs (electricity) are charged. Long lets possible. Bookings run from Saturday 3pm to Saturday 11 am.
To book please contact us via the reservations page or at pauline.giles@libertysurf.fr
Or 
0033(0) 467 978 133
for available dates and a booking form.