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The main entrance leads into an open-plan living area divided into dining area and outstanding lounge. Both areas are heavily beamed with the lounge benefiting from triple French doors to the terrace. Lounge facilities include TV, DVD (plus an excellent DVD collection), VCR and a large fireplace.
Leading from the dining area is an old-fashioned country kitchen. There's also a handy downstairs cloakroom / WC close to the front door.
Two of the three bedrooms are downstairs:
Master bedroom with king-size bed, large dressing room and views south over farmland. This room has direct access to the terrace. The en-suite bathroom is also very spacious and offers bath, separate shower, WC and basin.
Double bedroom with additional single bed and separate dressing area. The en-suite includes bath with shower fitting and basin. The WC is in a separate room. Doors to the terrace.
First Floor
A staircase from the far end of the lounge leads to a mezzanine landing accessing the third bedroom - double bed, additional single bed and separate dressing area.The en-suite includes bath with shower fitting and basin. The WC is in a separate room
Outside
Guests are likely to spend most of their time out of doors at Tarrit and it's easy to see why. Surrounding the property is a mixture of formal gardens, terraces, a barn (with pool table) plus the pool at the rear of the property. There's also a covered terrace and plenty of sun-loungers and parasols. |
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Gascony is often said to epitomise the idyllic French country life and Tarrit de Bas certainly reflects the pleasures of Gascony. A delightful, timbered farmhouse packed full of charm and character. Set in huge grounds with wonderful views and a sumptuous swimming pool, Tarrit really captures the spirit of a French countryside holiday.
In our opinion. Tarrit works best for families who just want to unwind for a week or two without straying too far from the house - a genuine holiday. Francophiles who will love the local markets, villages and cuisine. In the low season, Tarrit also has two working log fires to keep things cosy for winter lets.Sublime, hearty food and red wine, armagnac and rural tranquillity. It's little wonder that Gascons enjoy the highest life expectancy in all of France!
The land is gently undulating, punctuated by the occasional picturesque bastide town and barely changed from centuries ago. And the land is still relatively free of tourists too. This is what French refer to as "la France profonde".
The next village along the D15 is Montréal, about 10 kms away. It's an English-built bastide founded in the late 13th century. Further east are Larressingle with its fort and moat, and Condom which claims to be the 'capital' of the unofficial Armagnac region and is home to the Musée de l'Armagnac. Condom's market is a foodie's paradise but a duck's worst nightmare.
This area is little known, outside of France, for its wine despite a number of highly rated labels including Tursan and Madiran appelations. It is armagnac that southern Gascony is famous for and there are plenty of places where you can taste a drop. Many Armagnac producers locally are open to the public or you can visit Ecomusee de l'Armagnac near Labastide d'Armagnac, another medieval bastide renowned for its exceptional arcaded square.
Eauze is a very pleasant market town which bursts into life every Thursday morning. There's some nice examples of half-timbered architecture too. To be honest though, it's the market that brings you there.
It is an easy ride by car to historic Nérac, a quiet, attractive town on the Baïse river. The old town is a maze of narrow streets lined with 16th and 17th century houses. There is also a lovely park (La Garenne) with several fountains, which was laid out by Henri IV's father in the 15th century, and a good selection of pleasant shops and restaurants. If you're near Nérac, then try and visit the four-tower mill of Barbaste, a landmark in Lot-et-Garonne. It's next to a romanesque bridge on a pre-Roman causeway leading from the Pyrenees to Perigueux. Slightly further on is the walled village of Vianne founded in 1284 when English and French started to fight over Aquitaine. Vianne has charming handicraft shops, glass factory and a lively night-market.
To the north, Casteljaloux, about 45 km away, has a wide selection of shops, restaurants and spa; market days there are Tuesday and Saturday.
The nearest main town west is Mont-de-Marsan which has a summer party lasting two weeks at the end of June. This is a good time to watch corridas or sample the local and less blood-thirsty version of bull-fighting, courses landaise.
There is plenty of history and heritage to explore. In the Gers is Fources, an extraordinary example of one of the region's many bastides (planned medieval towns founded in the 13th and 14th centuries) and known for its annual flower show in May. Close by is Seviac, a site of Gallo-Roman villas of some luxury for their time.
If music is your thing, there is much to enjoy: for two weeks in August Marciac (approx 50 mins' drive away) hosts an internationally-known jazz festival; Vic Fezensac (approx. 30 mins' drive) hosts a latino festival in the last week of July; Mirande (approx 50 mins' drive) holds a country festival in the second week of July; there is a classical festival in the towns surrounding Nérac from June to August.
Somewhat bizarrely, the area around Labastide d'Armagnac does a nice line in sports-themed churches: Notre-dame-du-Rugby in Grenade-sur-l’Adour; Notre-dame-du-Courses-Landaises in Bascons and Notre-dame-des-Cyclistes in Lasbastide d'Armagnac!
Striking a similarly bizarre note is the delightful Gascon village of la Romieu (lying just east of Condom). It's peculiarity is that it boasts a colony of stone cats! It's all to do with an old legend that saw the number of cats in the town reduced to two. See if you can hunt down all 15 stone cats that now reside in the village! True or not, the village is worth a visit - the 14th century collegiate chapel is quite a sight - and the Armagnac pruneaux ice cream delicious!
The lack of large towns makes this area an ideal retreat for nature and countryside lovers. There are many cycling and walking tracks both in the forests and in the gentle country of Armagnac and Chalosse. Mushroom hunting and bird-watching are popular pastimes and there are also good venues for fishing and horse-riding.
Why not enjoy the area by river and take a boat trip along Le Val de Baïse. Between Valence-sur-Baïse and Condom you will pass rolling countryside, castles and fortified villages.
If you are feeling active, there is an 18-hole golf course close by at Eauzue plus two others within three quarters of an hour's drive at Mont-de-Marsan and Barbaste. |
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