Guest book
We have only great memories from Pépoulie. It was indeed a fantastic week in a fantastic house with fantastic hosts! I found your advertisement on Blocket last autumn, and continued to your website to get more information. It's a really nice website with all information needed, and the photos giving website guests a nice and true picture of the place. I love France and the French language, and might have quite a romantic way of thinking about it. That romantic dream came true at Pépoulie: the beautiful old house, the grapevine, the petanque set, the surroundings with the yellow flowers (I only know the French word for them - tournesols), your beautiful garden with possibilities to sit both at the front and at the back.
The price is ok for two families, a little too much for one family like ours. But since the gîte is able to host at least 10 people, I think it was a great idea to share the place with nice friends. To be able to share the memories from such a nice place is great I think. I called you on the arrival day to check what time the grocery stores closed, and you offered to go shopping for us. That was a really nice gesture! Also the Swedish flag and you meeting and greeting us upon arrival, warm and friendly when we invaded your house. The folder in the gîte with tourist information gave us great help, and you answered every other question we had. You also helped us when our friends' car broke down, very service minded, thank you very much! The gîte was so nice: very nicely renovated, clean and well equipped. The only "problem" we had during our stay was the flies, but no one is responsible for that. Your house is really a place to long back to! To sit at the back with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in the sun was so relaxing. The pool was also nice and clean with nice chairs.
After the week at Pépoulie, our family continued to Diano Marina on the Italian Riviera. The first night there, we all longed back to the calm and quiet of Pépoulie. Even the kids preferred your place! We really hope to return some day!
Monica, Fredrik, Johanna, Gustaf & Vilhelm, July 2010
Kära Ulla och Roger!
Tack för två härliga veckor i Pépoulie! Visserligen hade vi lite otur med vädret i början med regn, blåst och till och med en hagelskur, men det glömde vi snabbt när vi sedan fick fint sommarväder, sol och varmt.
Pépoulie ligger underbart vackert med en strålande utsikt över ett böljande jordbrukslandskap. Vi betraktade soluppgång och solnedgång från uteplatsen på baksidan och åt lunch och middag där eller på framsidan beroende på sol och vind. Lägenheten var stramt och smakfullt inredd och välutrustad och funktionell för oss sex vuxna och två småbarn. Poolen var en stor tillgång de varma dagarna och uppskattades både av barnen och av oss vuxna och körsbärsträden var en oväntad bonus!
Vi gjorde flera trevliga utflykter, till marknaden i Revel, till Carcassonne, Lavaur, Lautrec och Cordes men i Sorèze var det mesta stängt. Linda och Sven prövade också en vingård, Cecilia och Mårten shoppade i Toulouse och Lena och Lars upptäckte att Puylaurens var en liten trevlig by att promenera runt i. De omskrivna duvslagen tyckte vi var ganska svåra att hitta. Lars firade sin födelsedag med en fin fotvandring på småvägarna norr om Pepoulie och Cecilia och Mårten tillbringade en vacker kväll och med att äta en utmärkt middag på restaurangen Cap de Castel i Puylaurens.
En oförglömlig upplevelse var midsommaraftonens svensk-fransk-engelsk-kanadensiska fest då vi försökte inviga sällskapet i våra exotiska seder! Förutom vi svenskar och Ulla och Roger var också Peter och Anna med familjer med, och vi förenades i internationellt och glatt samförstånd. Vi åt en fantastisk lunch med sill, yoghurt och Rogers egen potatis, västerbottenpaj, grönsakspaj med sallad, knäckebröd(!) och jordgubbar, glass och Ullas goda äppeltarte till efterrätt. Snapsvisorna sjöngs till den av Roger på IKEA inköpta snapsen. En fin majstång prydde gräsmattan och Roger hade översatt Små grodorna och Björnen sover till engelska för att alla skulle kunna sjunga med. Särskilt Björnen sover uppskattades av barnen som hade kunnat fortsätta hur länge som helst! Men det var en mycket varm eftermiddag och poolen erbjöd den naturliga avslutningen på festen.
Dagen efter var det dags för hemfärd men vi hoppas kunna komma tillbaka så att vi får se solrosfälten blomma!
Lena och Lars, Cecilia, Mårten och Nils, Linda, Sven och Folke, Sverige
Jean de Florette goes to Ikea
We had a truly relaxing and delightful autumn stay at Pepoulie. We loved the spaciousness of the gîte and the views, the quiet of the countryside, the slowness of Puylaurens and nearby towns. Long walks to search out pigeonniers justified two fantastic dinners at the nearby Cap de Castel restaurant. Here the owner (overhearing our conversation) led us from the table to admire his beautifully restored Citroën 2CV camionnette parked in the courtyard! He must be due an award from the French Tourism Agency. It being October, only the younger braved the pool but we all enjoyed the log fire each evening. This is a beautifully presented gîte - simple, tasteful, contemporary interiors behind the 18C rural facade - with everything necessary for comfort and cooking. A great place to read, think and talk. Thanks, Roger, for a warm welcome - we'll be back when the vines bear fruit, if not before!
Chris & Julia, Winchester, UK
Hej! Tack för en underbar vecka i ert härliga hus. Utsikten från pool kanten kommer vi inte att glömma i första taget och inte mötet med er heller.
Gerd, Gävle, Sweden
Thank you for letting us stay in your wonderful house and it has been a pleasure for all of us getting to know you and Peter and Zoë. The week just went past too fast and we are all missing it already.
Jill, Henrik & Tuva, Täby, Sweden
We would all like to thank you again for a most wonderful week at Pepoulie, it was heavenly.
Gerry, Vince, John, Kevin, Nicky and Evie, UK.
Hej Ulla och Roger
Vill tacka för våra två fina veckor i ert vackra hus med den underbara omgivningen. Tack också för det varma välkommnandet vi fick och hjälp med diverse saker.
Vi hade tänkt att göra en hel del utflykter men det blev inte så mycket av det då vi trivdes så bra i ert hus och i närområdet.
Vistelsen hos er under semestern 2009 kommer att leva kvar länge i våra minnen.
Bästa hälsningar
Mariana och Leif, Annelie, Peter och Loke, Åsa, Eamonn och Freja, Sweden
We had a fantastic 3 weeks at Pepoulie and it was exactly the sort of holiday we were after . A lovely gite set in beautiful countryside with a gorgeous swimming pool lent to a very relaxing break . The gite was really comfortable and was well equipped except for cooking utensils such as tongs, egg flips etc. David and Fran were extremely helpful and friendly during our stay and accessible if we had any queries or problems. We wouldn't hesitate in recommending Pepoulie to friends and family and hope to return when we're in Europe next. We are happy for you to include our comments in your guestbook. Natasha & Jeremy Green, Australia
Pépoulie, september 2008. Några intryck från vår semestervecka:
Det första, och som fick oss att tappa andan, är utsikten från gården. Ett panorama miltals över böljande kullar och odlade fält. Liknar faktiskt vårt Österlen i Skåne.
Det andra är själva gården. En riktigt vacker gammal gårdslänga högt ovanför odlingslandskapet. Inne är den varsamt renoverad. Sparsmakat inredd med stora ytor, vita murväggar.
Till själva byn, Puylaurens, vandrar man på morgonen knappt en kilometer för att handla baguetten till frukost i morgonsolen och kanske något gott till lunch.
Höjdpunkten är att duka middagsbordet ute i kvällssolen med traktens primörer och ett immigt Rosévin - och sedan kanske ta kaffet vid swimmingpoolen.
Byns värdshus är ett alternativ till middagen. Det finns bara ett, men desto mer högklassigt och heter Cap de Castel.
Vi kan också tipsa om trevliga utflykter:
- Fotvandringar vi gjorde en på egen hand och en milslång som arrangerades av byns vandringsklubb (lördagar två ggr/månad under vår och höst).
- Marknader: På onsdagar i Puylaurens och på lördagen i Revel, en liten stad som ligger 20 km därifrån. Titta på brokigt folkliv och handla färskvaror från gårdarna.
Vi vill återvända till Pépoulie och då gärna i juli nästa gång för att se traktens enorma solrosfält blomma!
Margareta Lindberg och Bo Forsling, Stockholm Sverige
There's much that can make a September week in Pépoulie memorable .... the house is large, solid and charming in that typically French rural way. The view over the fields and hills is magnificent, and the pool is large and blue!
The small winding lanes around the farmhouse offer excellent walking and jogging. For those with a culinary interest there's a marvellous restaurant in the newly restored hotel up in the oldest parts of the village. Its beautiful terrace is perfect for a delicious evening meal or glass of champagne. The view stretches wide and far, and in the distance you make out the blue contours of the Pyrenees.
With the help of a hire car we took the opportunity to get to know the exciting areas around. We wandered round medieval little villages with winding lanes and alleyways and charming small squares, enjoyed the friendly small towns with their cafés and bookshops, hiked on La Montagne Noire, visited vineyards and climbed evocative Cathar strongholds dramatically perched on steep mountain sides.
In the nearby town of Castelnaudary we tasted a real cassoulet for the first time, accompanied by an excellent bottle of local light red wine. In the town of Lautrec we discovered the famous mild pink garlic so esteemed by chefs and foodies. A short car drive away there's also the cave where, according to legend, the world famous green-veined Roquefort cheese originated. We didn't manage to make it this time during our short week, but will certainly do so next time we come to Pépoulie.
Lastly we'd like to share one of the best experiences of our visit: with the pink garlic and wonderful vegetables bought in the market in the village, we prepared our own poivronnade (a traditional dish with red peppers and garlic) and a fantastic meat stew with vegetables and red wine. With darkness falling and the stew ready we finally sat down in the mild September evening under a starry sky....it was a divine birthday meal that we'll never forget!
Andreas Ljungdahl and Hanna Eriksson, Sweden
We had a really good time at Pépoulie, including also some excellent stops on travel there and back. It's a wonderful location and the gîte is so cool and calming. We went to the Cap de Castel twice - lovely setting and people very nice. The market was also a real experience and the boys went canoeing on the lake near Revel. I hope we will be allowed to come back some time. Christine Williams, UK
It is a wonderful place that you have created for yourselves and your tenants. Fredrik Malmfors, Sweden
Just to say thankyou for a lovely few days at Pepoulie. We all enjoyed ourselves enormously - such fun to have the whole family together. I hope we can do it again next year. Angela Porritt, Canada
Many thanks for a great week, we all really enjoyed ourselves. Celia Sharp, UK
We have just come back from our week in Puylaurens (Pépoulie). We're trying to gather our impressions of a really fantastic week. We were there together with our two daughters and their families. We were six adults and three children (14 months and five months.) We appreciated the facilities in the house (dishwasher, washing machine etc.) We also thought that everything felt new, fresh and functional.
The pool was used a lot as we had fantastic weather the whole week. The twins got their first experience of water in the pool and the rest of us enjoyed the water which was really fresh and refreshing.
We can easily see ourselves coming back to Pépoulie, and until and if that happens, we will really remember this week as a fantastic success. This we're all agreed on. Anders & Eva Hall, Katarina & Magnus Aurell, Maria Hall & Johan Henriksson, Sweden
Nigel and I would like to thank you for allowing us to holiday in your beautiful gîte. All the directions and information you gave us were most helpful. David welcomed us when we arrived and again he was most informative about the local area and showed us around Pépoulie answering any questions we had. Thank you very much for the bottles of wine, we really enjoyed them and they were more than welcome after such a long journey.
When we arrived, we realised that all the photographs we had seen of Pépoulie didn't do it justice. The views were simply amazing, what a fantastic setting! The accommodation was spacious, comfortable and met all our requirements. We enjoyed BBQing in the evening, relaxing and drinking in the fantastic views, as well as the local wine. The children had a brilliant time in the pool, weather permitting. We were very unlucky with the weather as we only had five or six days of sunshine. David told us this was the worst summer he had known. However, this didn't deter us! We visited various towns and villages in and around the area, and further afield. On your recommendation we went to Cap de Castel, both the service and the meal were brilliant. Nigel has taken some photographs of Pépoulie, but again, it's not the same as being there!! Hope they might be of some use.
Thank you again, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would highly recommend Pépoulie to anyone wanting a peaceful, relaxing holiday in a beautiful gîte with unrivalled views. Jane & Nigel Sanders, UK
Go to the Pépoulie blog to learn more what it's like living and staying here.
See more pictures Go to next page
© Roger Budd 2007-2010
Mentions légales
SIRET: 521 909 747 00011
Siège social: Pépoulie 81700 Puylaurens
Enregistré au RCS de Castres sous le numéro 2010 A 52
Sunrise, looking towards Puylaurens in the background
pepoulie.com
View from gîte bedroom in July