Country estate with 21 rooms—view of the Pyrenees

Montagnac will remain in our heart! We rent the whole "Domaine" as we were a big group. The kitchen was very well equiped. For every meals, we all fit on the terrasse in the back. The pool size was perfect. We also enjoyed the garden for football games and treasure hunts. And kids were delighted when we improvised a dance floor in the dining room. Christina, the state manager, was always very helpful! She even managed to send us back some books we forgot there...

This is the third successive year we have spent as a family at Montagnac, staying in the Maison d'Artistes. We love the space the property gives us, the ability to disappear off into a quiet corner to read, to play table tennis, snooker, boules, to swim in the warm water of the pool, to walk for miles, to cycle to nearby villages and then to gather together round the large table in the Grande Salle or outside on the rear terrace and enjoy a delicious meal prepared in the well-equipped kitchen. The property really is ideal for a family or group of friends who seek a calm, peaceful environment rather than heady nightclubs or discos, and at present is still ideal for our family group aged 1-73. Summer in the Ariège is the time for fields full of sunflowers and corn, special events in all the villages, canoeing, gentle white water rafting, visits to underground cave systems, canyoning, delicious meals in the market square at Foix or Mirepoix, and car journeys to places like Ax les Thermes to take the chair lift up to the real Pyrenees and the abundance of walks there. All our contacts with the owner, martin, and the caretaker Christina have been professional and friendly, and any questions have been answered promptly. Will we be back next year? We are already planning it.

Every year, we meet with my husband’s family. We had a wonderful time at Montagnac. Christina, the housekeeper, was a great help to us and we had the pleasure of meeting the owner, who recommended the most wonderful place for dinner for a very special occasion we were celebrating during our stay. The kitchen is a place where I would say: “want to have that too”. What we very much appreciated was that when we arrived, after a long drive, the bare necessities where available: coffee, tea, salt, pepper, sugar and so on. We arrived rather late and would not have known where to find these immediately. The housekeeper informed us where we could go the next day (a Sunday) and we did find a supermarket open on the Sunday morning. The young crowd (between 16 and 21) had a ball with the billiard table and, for myself, the only regret is to not have finished the book of the library so generously provided. Recommended: Families with young kids, pool is great. Otherwise 50 and over to have a quiet holiday. Dominique PS The young crowd are family, they do not need disco, because they do not see each other during the year, so they have plenty to talk. And there are always the games.

A very well maintained, comfortable and well equipped holiday home in a fantastic, peaceful location. Amazing views across to the Pyrenees and only about 25 min drive to large supermarket In Pamier and Mirepoix which is a very pretty town with lots of shops, restaurants and large market on Mondays. Clean and safe swimming pool with loungers, which is also well maintained. The English speaking caretaker couldn't be more welcoming or helpful and is eager to be of assistance when required. Would not recommend to those who wish to be in a village environment as the local Boulangerie is about a 15 min drive away and there are no local restaurants etc within walking distance, but if you want peace and tranquility with wonderful scenery and don't mind driving then this is the base for a great family holiday. Its also ideal for 2 families wishing to share a property as the apartments although very separate are better suited for people who know each other well due to their lay out. The only negative we would point out is that due to the age of the property, soundproofing between the units could be a problem if you were unfortunate enough to be staying next door to a noisy family. The English the owner is easily contactable to answer any queries and very accommodating if you require anything during your stay. Thank you for making our first holiday in France such a memorable one.