Testimonials
Très bonne semaines de vacances dans la maison
de l’église où il fait bon se reposer dans un joli village perché. Les châteaux
cathares sont haut perchés et il ne faut donc pas avoir peur de faire de la
marche ! Il y a de très belles ballades ç faire dans tous les villages
environnants ; un panneau d’information indique chaque village et chaque
randonnées à faire, le balisage est très bien fait. Merci à Sophie pour son accueil.
A
bientôt
Merveilleux endroit et excellent gîte. L’accueil est des plus chaleureux (merci pour la verveine) même si nous n’avons pas eu le temps de bien faire connaissance avec notre hôtesse Sophie (séjour trop court). Beaucoup à voir et des routes très sinueuses (pour des bretons) donc le temps passait très vite, trop vite.
La « maison de l’église » est vraiment très agréable. Nos enfants ont apprécié le petit salon de l’étage. Elle est idéalement situé pour faire les châteaux, les abbayes et découvrir les montagnes.
Merci encore, nous espérons pouvoir revenir un jour ici et dans cette région.
Sophie, Louise, Tanguy et Thomas, Nantes, France, July 2014
Très bel environnement, maison super, accueil très chaleureux. Sophie est une très bonne hôtesse. La région vaut la peine.
Louis, Antonin, Eric et Roselyne, Paris, France, July 2014
Sophie send us on ours
way with herbs!! Many thanks
To ours new ‘amis’.
Louis and Margaret Thibodeau, Niagara Falls, Canada October 2013
A comfortable home, in
a beautiful, quiet, central location with gracious, helpful hosts lays a great
foundation for a memorable able holiday. Many thanks.
Neryl, David and Sciffer, Australia, September 2013
Hey Sophie and James,
Thanks for letting us
stay in your cool house. It has been as relaxing and as chilled out as we had
hoped. A week was not long enough.
Cheers Aaron and Jess, Brisbane, Australia September 2013
Muchas gracias Sophie,
Hemos pasado unos días estupendos. La casa nos
ha encantado, es mucho mejor de lo esperado y le hemos enviado fotos a todos
nuestros amigos.
Este ha sido un viaje muy especial para nosotros cuatro, después de
un año para olvidar.
Nos vamos encantados,
Valencia, August 2013
What a wonderful place
you have here!
The maison d´Eglise
was just right for the four of us. Lots of room and a toilet on each floor,
magnifique! What a treat it was to be invited to the chateau for am evening of
live music and chance to meet some of the local characters. We are very glad to
be “amis du chateau”!
Thank you for your
friendly chats and advice as to places to visit and eat. We really enjoyed the
walks up to “Le dent” wishing you all the best.
Gerald and Don Vancouver, BC, Canada. July, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed our all too brief brush with Cathar country and learning about the local history here. Terrific location and superb scenery. Clearly we need to spend much more time here! Thank you for an enjoyable stay wonderful surroundings.
Paula, Jeremy and Azzedine,
Wellington, new Zealand and London, UK July 2013
Merci Sophie de nous
avoir accueillis dans votre maison d´eglise. Un week-end parfait! Nous
reviendrons pour un week-end pluvieux,
histoire de profiter de cette maison si chaleureuse et restauré avec tout de gout.
Bravo pour ce que vous
avez fait ici et pour ce que vous faites au Chateau.
Au plaisir de vous
rencontrer bientot!
Amitiés, Philippe et Nuria
Un grupo de amigos que ha pasado 4 días de
tranquilidad en la naturaleza.
Gracias Sophie!!!
Septembre 2012, Barcelona
Chaud et chaleureuxs
chiens adorable. Bon vin, Bon amies.
A bientot.
Andrew et Kythe, 1
Novembre 2012
Fijze vahartie gehard
in dese mooir strerh. Veel mo ie dirgen gez´ien. We ganz met leh goeil gevoel haar luis.
Danzy Corry Bart 16 November, 2012
We have had such a
wonderful stay here in your quiet village! We will miss the bells and the
beautiful vistas in every direction. Your
Gite has been perfect for exploring the haute Aude region and beyond. We will return for part deux!
Thanks you for your
hospitality so appreciated.
Until our next visit…
All the best!
Marty and Claudia, 13 October 2012, USA
Great talk by James on
the Cathars – clear, interesting, well illustrated. A real help to understanding the area.
Followed by a medieval feast how Sophie – wonderful. Huge variety of textures and lashings of
wine.
We discussed
organising events here and hope to attract high quality musicians and performers
to take advantage of the marvellous space in the Chateau. These would be magic
events.
Then Puivert – stunning;
Montsegur also stunning.
Puivert is fascinating
close up and inside; Montsegur’s attraction in contrast, is from afar– but a
great view from the top.
And now – back to
Prades.
Thank you for an
opportunity to explore here.
Mike Westwood,
September 2012, France
Hem vingut a Saint
Ferriol a passer uns dies envoltats de festa I xerinola! Hem
avat visitant algun que alter Castell. El dia 11 de setembre el nostre pais es
manifesta.
Esperemu que un dia o altre venir a la nostra
petita terra.
Molt: molt agradablement:
Oriol,
Nuria, Xavier, Cesc 2012
Thank you for your generous warm welcome again!
Crista and Mark, Vermont, 2011
Superbe maison dans un cadre majestueux! Tout à été refait à la perfection. C'est une demeure qui fait réver. Sophie est une hôtesse fort sympathique et acceuillante. Nous à même offert une bouteille de vin pour profiter de Sa terasse. Superbe endroit pour décompresser des centres touristiques.
Roxane and Robin, Quebec, July 2013
Two months of
tranquillity & enjoyment. I came here to write & write I did. But with
the charming hospitality of Sophie & the residents of Saint Ferriol. I was
able to feel truly at home. The gite is more than confortable – a welcome escape, & surprising cool on the
hottest summer day. There is much to see & do, for those yearning for touristy adventures – as many of my
visitors did.
Highly recommended for either long or short stays. Thank you Sophie!
Thank you for all your
generous warm welcome again!
Adam Karn Cohen June-July 2011
Thank you so much for the restful treat, really appreciated and very relaxing.
Jackie, John and Django, France
One whole month of bliss. What a blessing! This place
has the best energy ever. The landscape, solitude and just plain old
relaxing. It has magic. All the comforts, style of home back in USA
– couldn’t have found a better place. Kitchen is well stocked
and the beds are really comfortable ! Even the washer and dryer make
it easy to stay for the whole month. My husband enjoyed the bike riding
tremendously. Comfort, comfort, comfort ! Sophie is the best –
very accommodating and helpful. A big fete at the château added
to the real French experience – my ‘parlez francais’
was tested quite a bit and now I need to study even more. I just love
it. The couple next door offered us fresh eggs, meat and in-season
vegetables. They were friendly and patient with the French speaking
as well.The neighbourhood is extremely safe and easy to walk around.
The markets Esperaza Sunday, Limoux Friday, Quillan Saturday...couldn’t
get enough of it. There is even a daily van that come through the
village every weekday with croissants and baguettes.
Will come back twice a year and even started the process
of buying our own gite. Had a medical emergency and Sophie drove me
right down to the Quillan clinic and helped me sort it out. I love
you Guys.
[Quina benedicció! Aquest lloc
té la millor energia que mai he viscut. El paisatge, la solitud
i la relaxació. Té màgia. Totes les comoditats,
estil similar al d'EUA (impossible trobar un lloc millor). La cuina
està ben equipada i els llits són molt còmodes!
Fins i tot la rentadora i l'assecadora han funcionat perfectament
durant tot el mes. He fet el descobriment més profund, treball
de recuperació espiritual, l'ambient acompanya! Em sento com
un nou jo. El nostre matrimoni va prosperar i el meu marit va gaudir
de la bicicleta enormement. Comoditat, confort, comoditat! Sophie
és la millor, molt complaent, molt servicial, ella és
la millor. Una gran festa al castell va arrodonir l'experiència.
El meu "Parlez francais" es va posar a prova per demostrar
que he d'estudiar molt més. M'enamore! La parella de veins
ens va oferir ous frescos, carn i vegetals de temporada que no podriam
aconseguir en cap altre lloc. Eren amables i pacients amb el meu francès.
El barri és molt segur i fàcil de recorre. Els mercats
(Esperaza - Diumenge, Limoux - Divendres, Quillan - Dissabte) eren
molt macos! El noisette (cafè) i el meu favorit pain aux raisins
estaven deliciosos. Hi ha fins i tot un camió que passa a través
del poble dues vegades per setmana per oferir baguettes del dia. Després
d'acostumar-me a les campanes de l'església, no he tornat a
utilitzar el meu rellotge un sol cop. Sophie, James i Guilhem eren
com la meva pròpia família (sense el tedi és
clar). Tornarem dues vegades a l'any i fins i tot vaig iniciar el
procés de compra de la casa que hi ha just a la cantonada.
Vaig tenir una emergència mèdica i la Sophie em va portar
dret a la clínica Quillan i em va ajudar a resoldre-ho. He
trobat una millor amiga de per vida. Gràcies des del fons del
meu cor.]
One whole month of bliss.
What a blessing1 This place has
the best energy ever. The landscape,
solitude and just plain old relaxing. It
has magic. All the comforts, style of
home back in USA – couldn’t have found a better place. Kitchen is well stocked and the beds are
really comfortable ! Even the
washer and dryer make it easy to stay for the whole month. My husband enjoyed the bike riding
tremendously. Comfort, comfort,
comfort ! Sophie is the best – very
accomodati g and helpful. A big fete at
the château added to the real French experience – my ‘parlez francais’ was
tested quite a bit and now I need to study even more. I just love it. The couple next door offered s fresh eggs,
meat and in season vegetables. They were
friendly and patient with the French speaking as well.The neighbourhood is
extremely safe and easy to walk around.
The markets Esperaa Sunday, Limoux Friday, Quillan Saturday..couldn’t
get enough of it. There is even a daily
van that come through the village every weekday with croissants and baguettes.
Thank you for the many chats and the educational sessions we
were able to have. I would encourage
your guests to visit Queribus and Collioure.
These areas are full of castles, wineries and restaurants. In Port Vendres we visited the plage area
called Paulillas, a beautiful beach and château.
Jamy and Janel, Denver, Colorado, USA
We had a real French experience because of you
all !! Everyday was a new event and
we captured it on film. The food, wine,
markets, speraza, Limoux, Cacassonne.
The trip to Collioure was a delight.
Our turn next time in Connecticut.
Faith and Dominic, Connecticut, USA, October 2010
Sejour tres agréable, un réel plaisir pour les yeus car de
nombreuses visites touristiques incroyablement belle comme les Gorges de
Galamus, Le Château de Puivert, les bains chauds de Rennes les bains et
d’autres encore.
La situation du gite entre les montagnes et la mer est
parfaite et favorise de nombreuses promenades aux choix multiple.
Le village de St Ferriolest très calme et très
reposant, le voisinage est accueillant et sympathique.
Marie, France August 2010
Peyreperteuse was the most exciting experience I’ve ever
been on and having climbed so high up which I never expected to manage. This is definitely a place I’d come back to.
Aimée Richardson, Dublin, Ireland August, 2010
All of ushad a great week.
I add that the caves of Niaux are a chance of a lifetime to see. Thanks for all the hospitality.
Natalie Joynt, Dublin, Ireland August, 2010
Having Jamws explaining to us the background to the history
of the Cathars and beig able to draw from your vast knowledge of the history of
Christianity was of special interest to us and we look forward to reading your
coming publication ‘Beyond Belief’
Great to meet you all and be introduced to the château.
Olive and Frank, Dublin, Ireland August, 2010
Four girls from the UK, didn’t know what to expect from St
Ferriol and the Languedoc Roussillon region but found a truly peaceful tranquil
retreat. We loved the gite . On our many trips we discovered some lovely
places particularly at the later « out of season » Later part of our
trip. St Cyprien Plage – near Perpignan. Miles and miles of white sand and aqua blue
sea ! Fab !!
Canet plage – as above
Le Rebenty – Marvellous French Belgian food Axat
Pyrennees – wild horses – wonderful !! Miles and miles of winding roads and
spectacular views (Tour de France route !)
Limoux wine tasting !
Great !
Montsegur – what a climb ! Well worth it. Even with fear of heights Views great but castle not much left f
it !
Horse riding in Granes – Nicole> Lovely people, 120 Euros for 2.5 hours for 4
people !
Quillan – Pizzaria in plaza – great !!
Mirepoix – Medieval village if you like architeture.
Puilaurens/Axat – visit château !! Great bar at bottom of the hill in the
village.
All in all a fantastic holiday. French people very helpful, fiendly. Village life idyllic !
p.s. Frgot Collioure.
Quiet fishing port. Casablanca
great fish restaurant.
Trudy, Angie, Ally and Antonia, UK, August/September 2007
This area of France is a delight ! It reminded me so much of Franschoek and in
parts also of Drakenberg. The weather
has been disappointing but the varyung and dramatic landscape – mountains,
forests, gorges, rock formations, vineyards and fields with hay bails – more
than made up for the weather ! We
visited a few of the Cathar sites and other places of interest during our
stay. Glen and Liam mosy enjoyed the
Chateau D’Arques and the walled city of Carcassonne. I loved the Abbey of Saint Hilaire – the
gothic arches and stained glass windows are superb. The basilique de Notre Dame de Marseille
(outside Limoux) is another site with beautiful stained glass windows. The gite is comfortable and well-equipped,
and Sophie most hospitable.
We’re looking forward to our next visit to France already.
Sophie, Glen and Liam Campbell, the Netherlands, August 2007
Thank you so much Sophie for a wonderful stay. Our highlights during our week in this fab
area and house for chilling out have been :
visit to Carcassonne – although touristy in August, we found
it awe-inspiring.
Visit to Montsegur – what a climb – you definitely need
sturdy shoes for this. The view is
breathtaking.
Rennes le Château (musée) and le bain (thermal springs).
Dinner at
La Chaumiere, Quillan – fancier French dining
Café de la Gare, Good value
basics
Arques Roc Café (on the left
driving through Arques
We loved the church bells and finally adored all the
poodles. Beth especially loved
Charlotte !! Thnk you for loaning
them to us for the walks….
Wishing you the very best with « project le
château »
Gill, Craig and Beth, Shropshire, UK, August 2007
Thank you for renting your house – ita a lovely and peaceful
area.
Family Hammer-Jakoban, Denmark, August 2007
Merci.
Bisoux.
We’ll be back.
Louis, Jo, Alex and Ruby, Paris, France, July, 2007
This was a great week here and we enormously enjoyed your
gite and the hospitality of Sophie and James.
Charley and Christina, Washington D.C, USA, July 2007
Good luck with the renovations. It will all be worth it…You have picked a
wonderful place.
The Brooking family, UK, May 2007
The Pyrenees remain a profound part of my life. It makes me
very happy that such a delightful couple have made it a dream to restore and
make available this lovely gîte ...The area abounds with unforgettable scenery
and walks and picnics. Do explore the small villages & local cafes and do
cross over the mountain to Belcaire & its villages. This is a place of
beauty and mystery. Thanks ever so much.
PS. Breath everything in. You won't find it elsewhere!
Marilyn - California - May 2007
We have really enjoyed our stay in Sophie’s gite in St
Ferriol. So much history compared to our
homeland of Canada which is relatively young ! Visited many of the Cathar castles and
villages mentioned on previous pages and found them charming. The castle at Villeroughe was the most well
restored and accessible tat we saw. The
narrow winding road to Termes was the most ‘heart stopping’. Our favourite place for lunch –
« Auberge du Faby » in Rouvenac.
Wine. Baguettes and cheese for dinner at home ! All in all an unforgettable
holiday ! Can’t wait to see the
château after a few more years of renovation.
M and B Staples, E and J Duck, Vancouver, Canada, April
2007
We have really enjoyed our stay at Sophie's gîte in St
Ferriol. So much history ... Visited many of the castles and villages mentioned
in previous pages and found them charming. The castle at Villerouge was most
well restored and easy access. The narrow winding road to Château Termes was
the most "heart stopping". Our favourite place for lunch - Auberge du
Faby in Rouvenac.
Wine, baguettes and cheese for dinner at home! All in all an
unforgettable holiday!
Elissa & john, Marjory & Brock - Vancouver, Canada -
April / May 2007
We have had a lovely stay at Sophie's gîte in St-Ferriol.
Three and a half days was not long enough to fully explore this interesting
out-of-the-way area but we did our best.
Day One - Château de Queribus
Day Two - Drove to Axat and on through the Gorge de Galamus.
Lunch in Rouffiac de Corbiéres at the lovely little Auberge de Peyrepetuse at
the foot of the fortress. Hiked up to the Château de Peyrepertuse - not to be
missed! Drove back via Bugerach, Rennes-les-Bains and Couiza.
Day Three - Carcassonne
Day Four - Morning walk to Granès. Rennes-le-Château. Roman
aqueduct south of St Paul de Fenouillet in Ansignan. Picnic supper at a
beautiful spot just east of and below the Col St. Louis on a back road between
Quillan and the D117 (going SE)
Thank you!
Alison and Dick - Massachusetts, USA - April 2007
A really lovely week spent in this very tasteful gite! Apart
from the obvious "must see" trips to Carcassonne & Mirepoix we
visited gorgeous Collioure, just under two hours' drive from here on the Côte
Vermeille. Also had one day of mountain sightseeing - taking the road from
Quillan to Ax-les-Thermes, picnicking at Col de Chioula before briefly stopping
at Ax-les-Thermes and driving back along the spectacular (if nerve-racking)
D256 + D107! (Yellow road?!! Mmm).
Another lovely day was simply spent visiting the villages in
the local area - Rennes-le-Château, Arques, Rennes-les-Bains, Château de
Peyrepertuse etc.
Not one lost day, all successful, just fantastic!
Really jolly lady in the pizzeria approaching Quillan, but
make sure you're hungry" Very Good food.
Glad we found you!
Andy, Jacqui & Gwen - UK - April 2007
The sky was blue and the sun shone
The air was warm and fresh and cleared our minds
The beds were comfy providing great rest
Butter with complete flakes of salt is yummy
Various cheeseis appropriate for all meals
Le Chaumiere is very good and worth a visit
The château in the forest is a good myth, but a good walk
Hats will be back in fashion and when they are, you will be
perfectly placed
The dionosaur museum puts global warming in perpective
Lunch is between 12 and 2.
Remember.
A good time was had by all.
Meg & Peter - Australia/NZ - October 2006
Very pretty locaionm thank you sophie for being so friendly
and showing us around.
Carcassonne is well worth a visit, a very unique city. Had a relaxing trip on the Canal du Midi.
The town or artists close to Porte Vendre is also worth a
visit, Sophie will give you directions.
Tracey, Andrew, Marion and Richard – Lincolnshire – UK –
October 2006
We loved your gite.It was comfortable and beautiful - very
beautiful - incredible design. Your
poodles are incredible creatures – smart, sophisticated and amazingly loving
and gentle.
Bob & Andrew - LA, USA - October 2006
Could not believe the house.
Its beautiful and very comfortable.
We have had a bithday meal at the Chaumiere and really enjoyed our walks
in the wood with the girls. Many thanks
Sophie for all your kindness.
Pauline, Yaddlethorpe, UK, October 2006
The whole area is unique and so unspoiled by the public.
Limoux – A must to see ! A lovely square with great eating and
shops. Park by the river and walk there.
Axat – A lovely plac to take a picnic – by the river. Lovely walks too.
Esperaza – Don’t miss the early Sunday market. Dinosaur museum also hat making history.
St Ferriol – The views second to none. Such wondeful walks ! If you borrow a beautiful poodle or two even
better.
The house – Beautifully done Sophie. Thank you so much for everything.
Joyce and Roddy, Lincolnshire, UK, October 2006
Thank you for giving us the chance to stay at the Maison de
l'Église – it was a wonderful pied-à-terre for our week in the area… For your
future guests, here are our recommendations:
Gorges de Galamus: incredible drive. If you have the time,
take an extra hour & walk to the ermitage carved out of the gorge
Rennes-le-Chateau: For you Da Vinci Code fans, a must see,
but still interesting for those who missed out
Châteaux Peyreperteuse & Queribus: bring good footwear
as the very old stones are very slippery. Beautiful vistas of the valleys
Carcassonne the château tour in the old "cité" is
worth it
Mirepoix: Quaint medieval town with well priced shops
Caves de Niaux. Make a reservation. It is one of the last
caves open in France & Spain
Cucugnan. Lovely little town which can easily be missed
The Hotel Moderne et Pigeon in Limoux. Excellent gourmet
food with outstanding service
The poissonerie in Quillan Very fresh. The fishmonger will
recommend local fish.
We enjoyed our stay, hope to see you again
Ken & Muriel, Diane & Granger – Canada –
August-September 2006
…we enjoyed our stay in St Ferriol. Highlights included
Meals at La Chaumiere [a restaurant in Quillan]
Alet-les-Bains
Chateau de Peyreperteuse
Rennes-les-Bains
L'Auberge at Rouvenac
Cliff, Martin & John - August 2006
We had an absolutely fabulous time and we want to live in
this area now! We loved Camon, we had a great time kayaking. The views are simply
amazing. Lovely comfortable pretty gite. Sophie's herbs and blackberries are
delicious – try them
Nicky & Teri - England - August 2006
Had a lovely stay – Lovely landscape, eccentric chateau …
summer time is tops here. May have time after the vide grenier (car boot sale)
today to go to the outdoor swimming baths at the foothills of Axat. Must come
over for a longer stay: this time was too short to see all this great area.
Andie, Cathy and Sadie - England - August 2006
Great week. Great House. Great region. Many thanks for
everything. Wine, Flowers and even writing paper all unexpected luxuries.
Jake & Jasmine - Australia - July 2006
It was such a privilege to stay in La Maison d’Eglise – the
house is delightful, comfortable and beautifully finished. I had such a
productive two weeks working [painting] in the landscapes. The colours of the earth, vines and stubble
are vibrant. The flower and butterflies
sparkle – from purple thistles, magenta sweet peas, lilac ladie’s pin cushions
with oxege daisies and clear yellow broom.
The butterflies compete and imitate.
I love the road to St Louis and on to Soulatge and then Massac. A visial treat – And all the views of St
erriol are to die for.
Wendy Winfield – London, UK, June 2006
We've enjoyed a wonderful week of mountain villages + walk,
sybaritic living and thermal pools. The perfect rest-cure!
Rennes-le Château: most spectacular views in this pretty
mountaintop village
Alet-les-Bains: Medieval town beside the river - wonderful
hotel gardens to mellow out in, a trip back in time.
St-Ferriol: delightful mountain walks on good tracks. Sophie
kindly lent us her girls [three dogs] for a perfect outing to the ruins of an
older chateau - a round trip.
Esperaza: Excellent patisserie ... great fun at the hat
factory ... Fernando of the main square serves`excellent food & wine and is
a most charming host
Lapradelle-Puilaurens: amazing chateau perched on a hilltop.
Worth seeing.
Gorges de St-George...Thrilling
Axat: like a Swiss village. Lovely river garden.
Thank you for the warm welcome and kindness…
Helena and Lorcan - County Meath, Ireland - July 2006
Unexpected luxury! Such a fantastic house. And what an
amazing area! So much to do, so much to see. Thank you so much for the best holiday
of our lives!
Penny and John - UK - 2006
We have had a wonderful week relaxing, discovering,,
shopping and cooking in this great southern part of the province. ... We record
the following points that may be of assistance to future guests:
Esperaza: Sunday market - particularly if the
"Oompah" band is playing - they were fantastic! ...market had lovely
dips & jambon
Miropoix: Monday market spoils the town. Go another day to
enjoy this Tudor town.
Carcassonne: The old walled city is definitely worth a visit
...
Caman: We all enjoye walking around this walled town - it's
very picturesque.
Rennes-les-Bains. Took the thermal baths ...
Rennes-le Chateau: amazing hill top town. If you into the Da
Vinci Code or conspiracy theories this may be the town for you. Appears`to have
a very good book shop on religions and esoteric subjects.
Lagrasse: A really cute town... The town square was
delightful as were the abbey and the fish in the river.
We enjoyed the walks around Saint Ferriol and the generosity
of our neighbours – Mme XXX gave us a huge bunch of parsley and XXX showed us
around his farm. The cow bell tinkling had intrigued us from day one !
Hayden and Jane and Simon and Ngaire – Queenstown, New
Zealand – April - 2006
Comments
Post a Comment