pepoulie.com
Guest book
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 juni 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
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© Roger Budd 2007-2008
Sunrise in August, looking towards Puylaurens in the background