Chalet L'Oustal (4 pers.) in the heart of nature

Chalet L'Oustal is a small, all-wood house, very warm, cozy, comfortable. It is at the end of a private road, totally isolated with no neighbors within 80 m, not overlooked, no traffic, at the top of a hill surrounded by holm oak woods and Mediterranean scrub – the ideal place to find calm, serenity, rest, but also safety for your children. The space Our property is located in the heart of Corbières, in the Cathar Country, at the foot of the fortress of Termes, at the entrance of the dizzying cliffs of the Gorges de Termenet, in the middle of wild nature, surrounded by beautiful forests of holm oak, scrubland and Mediterranean meadows. This is where we chose to settle, to renovate our old sheepfold and two cottages, in the heart of nature, far from all pollution and mass tourism. Since then, we have been raising a herd of ponies and donkeys on a property of nearly 100 ha in the surrounding Mediterranean mountains. The cottage is located on the edge of the woods, on the grounds of an old vineyard, in absolute quiet, away from the road and other houses. It has two terraces with panoramic views of the mountain, the dizzying cliffs of the Termenet Gorges and the Cathar Castle. On this 5 ha enclosed area around the house, your children can play quietly, safely. The climate of our region is Mediterranean. The result is lush vegetation of holm oaks, pines, strawberry trees, juniper, cade, lavender, marjoram, cistus, cypresses and many orchids. In the spring, nature plunges into a real bath of flowers. For hours, you will walk on flowery meadows of the high plateaus, without meeting anyone, apart from the shepherd, contemplating a magnificent panorama: hundreds of kilometers of Pyrenean peaks, snow-covered until July, and to the north the dark mass of the Montagne Noire and the foothills of the Massif Central. At sunset, the spectacle of the rocky mountains of the Corbières plunging into the sea will open up. Even in summer, the nights are pleasantly cool, clear and free of any air pollution. They will offer you sunset shows and a night sky of breathtaking clarity. Autumn, too, offers us its special charms. Often the days are still pleasantly mild until the end of October. After the September harvest, the vines are dressed in bright yellow and red. Then it's chestnut season, which you can grill in the pan. Countless hiking opportunities will be available to you, directly from the house. The GR 36 passes a few hundred meters away and several marked circular hiking trails will take you to the castle of Termes, telling you about its Cathar past and tormented royal fortress, the flowery village of Termes, the steep gorges of the Termenet or the white limestone rocky massifs of Roc de Nitable. We have also opened hiking and walking trails around the Prat de Mu, nowhere listed on guides, which we would be happy to introduce you to. In the nearby Termenet gorges (500 m on foot) you will find many opportunities for swimming in streams, refreshing waterfalls, slides but also quiet pools for swimming as well as in all the rivers of the area. Also, the Prat de Mu represents a formidable starting point for discovering Cathar country and its castles (Termes, Villerouge, Aguilar, Peyrepertuse, Queribus, Padern, Durban, Arques). We will be happy to provide you with guides, brochures and books on Cathar history and country. At the reception of the castle of Termes, you will find a very interesting exhibition on the subject, with videos, a bookstore and a small museum to support it. Digital mediation will allow you to visit the castle on your phone or tablet. The Corbières region produces excellent wines (Corbières and Fitou). We will share with you, if you wish, the secrets of the best wineries in the region as well as local products such as goat cheese, honey... Old historic towns in the area: Narbonne, Carcassonne (World Heritage Site), Lagrasse, Limoux. City tours of Barcelona, Perpignan, Collioure, Montpellier, Albi, Toulouse. You may be tempted to take a tour of the Mediterranean coast beaches (1 hour drive) or an excursion to the Pyrenees, Andorra, the Canal du Midi (World Heritage Site) or the city of Carcassonne. The beautiful city of Narbonne will enchant you with the airs of Charles Trenet, son of this beautiful Mediterranean. Others will enjoy a visit to the Sigean African Reserve or the Dinosaur Museum in Espéraza in the Aude Valley. And finally, let's not forget the many abbeys and monasteries including the nearby Abbey of Lagrasse and the Abbey of Fontfroide with their concerts and exhibitions all year round. On site, in Termes, in addition to hiking in the Corbières, bike rides, some will enjoy horseback riding, accompanied by a local guide, climbing and swimming in the canyon. For the little ones, we provide you with, in addition to the crib and high chair, play equipment, such as swing, rocking horse, shovel and buckets. Our breeding of ponies and donkeys offers you the possibility of games and hikes with ponies, donkeys and our 3 Labrador dogs. Thus, the transhumance of our herd is part of the standard program for children staying at the gîte. Such an adventure through fragrant scrubland, flowery mountain meadows and shady holm oak forests is, according to the stories of many families, a highlight and unforgettable part of their stay in the Corbières. Let's not forget, in this regard, the geological excursions that we organize as well as the visits to the Llama farm of Prat de Mu or Nicole and Sylvie, the neighbors, will be happy to introduce you to the whole history of these funny quadrupeds and, why not, take you, with llamas on a leash, on a hike. Philippe and Olga, owners of the Moulin de la Buade, our closest neighbors, will show you how their old mill works, recently restored with passion and love, and you can buy freshly ground organic flour there. Other activities: Canyoning in the Termenet Gorges with an experienced guide, archery, climbing. For archaeology lovers, a guided tour of the archaeological excavations in progress on the site of the castle of Termes is a must. And if, after a long day of discoveries, you are not too tired, we will be happy to invite you to have an aperitif on the sunny terrace of our sheepfold where we will introduce you to this beautiful country and its fascinating history. We have strived to keep the original nature, wild and intact, in its original state, without artifice, and we invite you to immerse yourself in it to find calm and serenity.