LOU RECANTOU

Place your cursor over the photos to see the titles.

• plan of house and garden
• Bedrooms
• Kitchen
• Living & dining area
• Bathrooms
• Outdoors

  Lou Recantou, pronounced "loo-ray-can-TOO", means, more or less, "the hidden place around the corner" in Occitan (the old language of southern France, still spoken by most older people in this region).

  
  The single-storey stone house, located around the corner and behind the owners' house (hence the cottage's name) is quiet and virtually secluded. Inside, it is comfortable and convenient.
  
  See plan of house and garden
  
  
  • three bedrooms
  • two bathrooms
  • large, open kitchen/dining/living area
  • cathedral ceiling
  • exposed stone wall
  • the original beams.
  • underfloor heating throughout, making the house cosy and comfortable in cooler weather.
  
  
  
  
  
  • private, quiet, enclosed garden
  • small solar-heated swimming pool, 6m X 3.5m, 1.2m deep
  • fig tree overlooking the pool.
  • choice of sun or shade almost any time of day
  • ample room to park one car in front of the house, or just enough for two small cars.
  • parking also possible on the road.
  
  
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  Bedrooms

  
  Master bedroom:
  
  • large double casement window
  • firm queen-sized bed (60"/153cm wide)
  • bedside reading lamps
  • floor fan for hot weather
  • closet with lots of hangers and shelves
  • ensuite bathroom
  • Optional: baby bed and bedding, adjustable booster chair and play pen
  
  Bedroom #2:
  
  • large double casement window
  • two firm single beds that can be put together to make one very large bed (width: 71"/180cm; length: 79"/200 cm)
  • bedside reading lamps
  • closet with lots of hangers and shelves
  • floor fan for hot weather
  
  
  Bedroom #3:
  
  • small single casement window
  • two firm single beds
  • bedside reading lamps
  • closet with lots of hangers and shelves
  • floor fan for hot weather
  
  
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  Kitchen

  
  • lots of cupboards and counter space
  • glass ceramic-topped cooker (stove) with oven
  • full-size refrigerator with freezer
  • microwave oven
  • Bosch dishwasher (dishwasher tablets and/or liquid provided)
  • electric coffeemaker
  • electric toaster
  • electric tea kettle
  • electric hand blender
    
    
    
  • small stove-top espresso-maker
  • some staples in limited amounts, such as salt, pepper, herbs & spices, fresh garlic, sugar, olive oil and wine vinegar
  • and just about every utensil you could possibly need for preparing meals
  
  
  
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  Living/dining area

  
  
  
  • small stereo with a radio and CD player and a small number of CDs (guests are invited to bring their own). Cable provided for iPod/MP3 player connection (not USB)
  • large, well-stocked bookshelf with a wide selection of titles in most categories, including classics, good contemporary fiction, thrillers, non-fiction and cookbooks
  • large wooden dining table seating six people
  • two comfortable leather sofas with matching armchair
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • computer with high-speed internet access and a flat-screen monitor
  • WiFi   (NEW!)
  • telephone (calls can be made to any destination)
  • DVD player and lots of DVDs (Please note: there is no television)
  • steam iron and ironing board
    
    
  
  
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  Bathrooms

  
  
  Main bathroom:
  • adjoins bedrooms #2 and #3
  • tiled shower with lots of hot water and elbow room
  • marble-topped vanity with large, lighted mirror and two wash-basins
  • toilet
  • hand-held hair dryer
  • small first aid kit
  • lots of towel bars
  • very small casement window
  • ventilating fan
  
  
  
  
  
  En suite bathroom
  • adjoins master bedroom:
  • tiled shower with lots of hot water and elbow room
  • marble-topped vanity with large, lighted mirror and single wash-basin
  • toilet
  • washing machine
  • lots of towel bars
  • ventilating fan
  
  
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  Outdoors

  • private, quiet terrace and garden
  • small lawn, some flowers and flowering shrubs
  • kidney-shaped, inground pool (6m by 3m; 1.2m in depth) just outside door and surrounded by stone terrace. Underwater lighting
  • five sunloungers
  • wooden table with 6 plastic chairs
  • small round painted metal table with 4 matching chairs
  • gas barbecue
  • ample lines for drying clothes
  • five good mountain bikes and three road bikes, with payment of security deposit
  
  
  See plan of house and garden
  
  
  

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  Some of these and other photographs of the house and the area were taken by our friend Wilf Noordermeer in October 2002. His own website, full of his other wonderful photographs, is at:   http://www.wilf.ca
  
  
  

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  From Dr. Greg Moran, who stayed in Lou Recantou in March 2001 (and has been back several times since):    "It has been a real privilege to be among the first of what will be a very long list of those who will enjoy this wonderful gîte, in this remarkable place. Lou Recantou is the best possible peaceful base from which to explore, cycle and walk. Thanks for your creativity and care."
  
  For recent quotes, see Comments from the guest book.
  
  
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