A holiday home in a hamlet along the banks of a river, forty minutes to the north of Béziers, in the Hérault department - ref 583881
A holiday home in a hamlet along the banks of a river, forty minutes to the north of Béziers, in the Hérault department.
Within the greater Occitanie region, the dwelling is located in a hamlet in the western part of the Hérault department, while, as an outpost of a rural village of approximately 600 people, skirted by the foothills of the Orb River valley's mountains, it comes under the purview of Bézier's functional area. Forty minutes to the north of this subprefecture, this village, enjoying both an oceanic and Mediterranean climate, is part of the Haut-Languedoc regional natural park, which not only guarantees the preservation of this region's tangible and intangible cultural heritage, but also the preservation of its environment.
In addition, this privileged natural setting, bathed in dazzling sunlight all year long, is accessible via the airports and high-speed rail stations in Béziers, Montpellier, Carcassonne and Toulouse, 35, 90, 80 and 170 kilometres away, respectively, while the village is also equidistant from the A9 and A75 motorways, which both pass through Béziers.
Accessible from the hamlet's main lane leading to the church, the U-shaped dwelling, built out of local stone and with a floor area of approximately 160 m², includes a courtyard providing access to the building's three vaulted cellars.
Nestled within the hamlet, the understated dwelling, remodelled over successive periods since its construction in the 19th century, features three floors as well as cellars, while the majority of its wood-framed windows are single glazed except for the sliding wood-framed, double-glazed door, which provides access to the rooftop terrace.
As for its barrel tile roof, bordered by a single genoise cornice and recently repaired, it is typical of local architecture, whereas the dwelling's small courtyard is festooned in wisteria, which ascends all the way to the second floor patio, which it shades with its thick purple blossoms.
If the ground floor contains the usual living room, as well as a bedroom with a lavatory, it is on the last floor, under the eaves, where the kitchen is located, along with the rooftop terrace and another bedroom, while the first floor includes two bedrooms and a bathroom.
The DwellingWith an understated main façade in pointed rubble and ashlar stone - only the terrace's walls are coated in plaster - as well as windows and doors surrounded by ashlar stone, the dwelling's ground floor is bathed in light thanks to five windows, while four provide ample sunlight for its first floor. Two more bathe the top floor in light, including a wide sliding glass door that opens on to the patio, whereas all the wood-framed windows feature single glazing, including two that are safeguarded by wood-stained shutters.
As for the last floor, it also comes with two skylights, which flood these attic rooms with light, while the dwelling is accessible via a glazed wooden door on its ground floor, preceded by a couple of stone steps on the left side of its northern street-facing façade.
The ground floor
The front door opens on to a living room with a straight-plank pine parquet floor, while a wood-burning stove has been installed in the hearth of the former Languedoc fireplace, topped with a lintel and brackets decorated with blue and white ceramic tiles. To the left of the entrance, a former stone sink, clad in the same earthenware tiles, has been preserved in its masonry alcove, while, in addition to the glazed front door, a window to the west bathes this space in plenty of natural light.
Between two masonry bookcases, framed by wood panelling, a doorway provides access to a room illuminated from the east, which communicates, on the left, with a lavatory and a shower room decorated with mosaics, whereas, at the end of the hallway on the right, after a couple of steps, a bedroom ...
