MAS DE TRUGAL, ST. JEAN DE LAUR, 46260. FRANCE
The spacious villa style gite is all on one level and has two bedrooms, along with an enormous open-plan 46' x 19.5' living/dining/kitchen room with huge French windows overlooking the swimming pool and adjoining garden. There is also a huge dining table large enough to seat up to 12 people.
 The Villa also has integral garaging for a car. The living area has plenty of comfortable seating, and a music centre. The kitchen is fully equipped with a gas cooker, a microwave, a fridge/freezer, a coffee maker and an electric kettle. There is also a dishwasher and a comprehensive range of china, glass, cutlery and cookware. There is a washing machine in the bathroom. As well as the large dining table, there is a smaller table for five people and for eating alfresco.

It has two bedrooms and guests are asked not to smoke in the bedrooms.

The first is a pretty double bedroom, with stripwood flooring, has bedside tables with lamps, a chest of drawers and wardrobe. This bedroom has views of nearby woodland
The second bedroom has one double bed and one single bed - making it ideal for children or another couple. It, too, has bedside tables with lamps, a large wardrobe and storage space. This bedroom also has chestnut stripwood flooring and views of the fields and woodlands.
The bathroom has a walk-in shower, a bath, a washbasin and a washing machine. There is a separate WC.
Outside, the Villa has a covered barbecue area and a covered dining area with table and chairs - ideal for chilling out by the swimming pool. Guests are welcome to explore the landscaped gardens and to picnic in the shade of the walnut trees.

Outside High and Peak seasons, the Villa is available with one bedroom for 2/3 of the full rental.

There is a large swimming pool (12m x 5m) Weather permitting, it is generally open from May to mid-October. (Please note that children must be under constant adult supervision when in this area.) The paved area around the pool has plenty of sun loungers for sunbathing and relaxing. And as the sun sets, the floodlit pool is very hard to resist on a warm summer's evening.

Mas de Trugal is set in 10 acres of landscaped gardens, fields and woodland. There is something for everyone here - whether it's a BBQ, wandering through the fields or sharing a bottle of red wine over a game of boules or just lazing by the pool. The grounds are a paradise for lovers of both wonderful views and wildlife. Butterflies and wild flowers abound, as do lizards, exotic grasshoppers and praying mantises. Birdwatchers, too, will not be disappointed - kites, buzzards, redstarts and hoopoe can all be spotted, as can wild boar and deer. Guests are also welcome to help themselves to any apples, peaches, figs and walnuts growing in the gardens.

Mas de Trugal is located in part of the Parc Naturel Régional des Causses du Quercy. The area is rich with stunning scenery, delicious food, pretty towns and châteaux, medieval villages and caves and other prehistoric sites. And unlike the neighbouring Dordogne, the roads are relatively traffic-free even in high summer. Activities include...

Walking: the area is a walker's paradise with plenty of way-marked paths. The St-Jacques-de-Compostella pilgrimage route passes very close to Mas de Trugal and connects with a whole network of footpaths and tracks. Sarah and Roger will be happy to drive you to the start of your walk or pick you up at the end.

Cycling: bicycles can be hired in nearby Limogne or Cajarc. The traffic-free roads and tracks make cycling an excellent way to see the countryside.

Horse riding: we are blessed with three or four riding schools nearby. There is also much off-road riding with stunning scenery - and the horse does all the work! Both Sarah and Roger ride and will be happy to give advice about the most suitable stable, and to book rides for guests.

Canoeing: there are several places on the River Lot where canoes and kayaks can be hired. Canoeing in the clear, still waters under towering limestone cliffs is thoroughly recommended.

Tennis: there is a tennis court in the village and at nearby Cajarc.

Fishing: there is fishing at Cajarc on the River Lot. Further afield there are plenty of rivers and lakes. You will, however, need a temporary licence which can be bought at most Tabacs.

Châteaux: no trip to France is complete without a trip around one of the châteaux or other historical buildings which dot the area.

Vineyards: the Cahors and Gaillac regions abound with vineyards. There are often wine tastings of the locally produced wines.

Museums: every town seems to have one and all interests seem to be catered for. The Musée en Plein Air (open air) du Quercy at Cuzals is particularly interesting and an ideal outing for children.

Local markets: Sunday market at Limogne and markets at Cajarc, Villefranche de Rouergue and Cahors.

If you like to drive just where your fancy takes you then this is the region for you. Wherever you choose to stop, you can be sure there will be something to catch your eye - whether it is a pretty waterside village, a majestic castle perched on a hill or simply a lively local market. When you first see villages such as St-Cirq-Lapopie, set high on a cliff, with all its turrets and towers overlooking the winding River Lot, you begin to believe in fantasy tales.

There is a magical quality about the valleys of the River Lot and River Célé. The rivers run down from the Massif Central to the sea amidst dramatic limestone cliffs. The Lot, when full, runs almost blood-red with sandstone. The beautiful waterfalls and the gorgeous distant views must have inspired early man to settle here, and they still exert a similar pull on everyone who visits this region today.

Nearly every town and village celebrates its own Saint's Day with a fair (fête) - typically rounded off with a firework display. There are also annual fairs, such as wine festivals and harvest festivals. Locally, there are the Cahors Blues Festival and the Sarlat Theatre Festival; and Figeac, St-Céré and Villefranche usually have concerts as well as music, dance and folklore festivals during July and August.

The old houses are one of the region's greatest attractions. Traditionally built from local stone (like Mas de Trugal), they usually had space for animals on the ground floor and living rooms on the first floor. The top floor was reserved for drying tobacco and preserving foodstuffs. Pigeonniers (dovecots) are a feature of the area and take many forms - some are even balanced on stone pillars! Pigeons were kept mainly for manure for the land - hence the height of the pigeonniers.

The countryside is dotted with "bastides". These were ancient towns which were fortified in the Middle Ages for defensive purposes. Bastide towns are instantly recognisable by their surrounding walls and their road pattern: three long straight roads criss-crossed by smaller ones. The marketplace is usually at the centre of the town.

The Local Area

Mas de Trugal is situated in the rural outskirts of Saint-Jean-de-Laur on a limestone plateau, the commune of Saint-Jean-de-Laur measures over 7 km north-to-south, belying its small population. Numerous tumuli and dolmens bear witness to an early habitation. Until recent centuries, the history of the commune was closely, and often colourfully, linked to that of Quercy. At the end of the 19th century, however, the closure of the phosphate mines and the disappearance of many vineyards marked the start of a sleepier era.

An architecturally interesting village with the obligatory church, cemetery, marie and boules piste. It is a "Village Fleurie" which means that the inhabitants take pride in their gardens and enter the annual judging of village floral displays. Saint-Jean-de-Laur is on the pilgrim route of St-Jacques-de-Compostella.  

Limogne en Quercy
Just a few minutes drive away is the delightful little town of Limogne en Quercy. Its lively Sunday Market is not to be missed - it provides an excellent opportunity to sample the French way of life and to stock up with local produce. The town also boasts a small supermarket, a bar, a restaurant, a boulangerie, a butcher, a hairdresser, a bank with a cash point, a tourist information office and a church.

Cajarc
Cajarc, an eight minute drive away, nestles in the arm of the River Lot. It is an enchanting town with a medieval centre, tree-lined boulevards and a market square. Here you will find shops, cafés, restaurants and banks, as well as river trips on pleasure boats up the River Lot and a little train that runs to Cahors along the stunning Lot Valley.

Villefranche de Rouergue

Villefranche de Rouergue is an ancient bastide town on the River Aveyron. The town is clustered around the massive tower of the Notre Dame church which was founded in 1099 by Raymond IV de Saint-Gilles, Count of Toulouse. This is an interesting historical town with lots to see and do.

St-Cirq-Lapopie
St-Cirq-Lapopie is just a short drive away. It is one of the prettiest villages in France and has a most remarkable setting clinging to the side of the Lot Valley. The timber-framed houses are packed close in steep, shady, medieval cobbled lanes. A number of artisans such as potters, leather workers and silk-screeners now live and work here amongst the lively bars and restaurants.

Cabrerets

Just outside Cabrerets, beneath the cliffs, is the prehistoric site of Grotte de Pech Merle which contains some of France's most interesting caves. You can walk through huge chambers and corridors for 2km or so, gazing at amazing prehistoric drawings, paintings and etchings of bison, mammoth, horses and people. There are also prehistoric footprints on the floors and handprints on the walls. These large, accessible caves are decorated with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.

Figeac
To the north-west is Figeac on the right bank of the River Célé. It is the only town of any size on the river. The old quarter has preserved its medieval town plan with narrow alleyways revealing corbelled towers, ancient doorways, well-preserved spiral staircases and houses topped by airy solarios.

Rocamadour
Rocamadour is the second most visited historic site in France (after the Eiffel Tower). The superb views of this medieval town clamped to the sheer rock face are unforgettable. It is dominated by a 14th century castle, which is reached from the village by a steep winding path marked by the Stations of the Cross. (A lift is available for those not up to the climb.) For hundreds of years, pilgrims have flocked here to pay homage to the Vierge Noire, carved out of walnut wood. The narrow main street is lined with shops, cafés and restaurants, and is the ideal place to find memorable gifts to take home. Although the village is highly commercialised and gets very congested during the peak season, it is still a marvellous place to visit.

Cahors
Cahors is a cathedral city and the départmental capital. It is only a 40 minute drive from Mas de Trugal. The town, cradled by the River Lot, is famous for the fine twin-domed Cathédral St-Étienne and bridges which cross the river - the most famous of which is Pont Valentré. This bridge, with its three 40 metre high towers and seven spans, is a 14th century engineering masterpiece and one of the most photographed monuments in France. Boulevard Gambetta, the main street, is lined with plane trees, cafés and shops. It has a busy, bustling, vibrant atmosphere and is an excellent starting point for tours of the Lot & Célé Valleys. Throughout the summer, there are numerous festivals with exhibitions, spectacles, drama, dancing, music and fireworks. The attractive Cahors market is piled high with local produce such as walnuts, fruit, flowers, honey, cheese, bread, wholesome vegetables of every description and, of course, the ducks and geese for which the area is renowned.

Also worthy of a visit are Conques, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Najac, St-Céré, St-Antonin Noble Val (where the filming of Charlotte Gray took place), Albi, Castres & Carcassonne.

Cheese & Wine
The local wine is usually matured for three years in oak casks and is a very distinctive deep red. The lower slopes of the Lot Valley, west of Cahors, are the main growing area because these slopes are the hottest. In addition to wine, the area produces a range of strong eau-de-vie made from walnuts or plums. Other good local wines can be found in the Gaillac region. Your glass of local red wine should be accompanied by a piece of local goat's cheese. "Cabecou" is a delicious, soft, creamy young cheese. "Roquefort" (a blue-veined cheese) is internationally famous, and the "Rocamadour" was granted an Appellation Contrôlée a few years ago.

Foie Gras, Confit, Gésier...
Ducks and geese are a common local sight and they feature on practically every restaurant menu in one form or another. Foie Gras has been popular since the 15th century and is often made into pâté. Confit of duck or goose is another local speciality in which the wings or legs are preserved in their own fat. Confit was the traditional way of preserving geese before refrigeration was invented. Gésier - gizzard - is another delicacy from the duck and is often used in salads

Truffles
Truffles are probably the most expensive vegetable in the world. Truffles are an edible fungus that grows underground close to the roots of certain trees, especially oaks. They are harvested between December and February. Indeed, gourmets and chefs from around the world descend on the region to hunt for truffles. Truffles are featured in many regional dishes, but nowadays only thin shavings are used as a little is said to go a long way. The tiny village of Lalbenque, just south of Cahors, is internationally renowned for its truffle market.

Walnuts & Chestnuts
Perigord and Quercy are France's second largest producer of walnuts. During October and November, many towns hold walnut markets. Walnut oil is the chief ingredient of the local salad dressing and is also widely used for cooking. In the Lot, Maebot and Grandjean, walnuts are often sold broken for making bread, cakes or oil. Many restaurants serve walnut bread with cheese, and walnut mousse is also popular. Chestnuts are another much-prized local product. Even the smallest village shop sells canned "marrons glacés".

Getting Here 

• From Limogne en Quercy, take the D19 signposted to Vallées du Lot & Célé, Figeac.
• Continue for about 4-5 minutes and turn right onto the D79, which is signposted St-Jean-de-Laur.
• Mas de Trugal is the first property on the left.
• From St-Jean-de-Laur, continue through the village towards the D19.Mas de Trugal is the last property on the right before you reach the D19.

Convenient Arrival Towns for St-Jean-de-Laur

by Ferry          Calais, St-Malo, Le-Havre

by Train          Toulouse, Cahors, Villerfranche de Rouergue

by Motorail    Brive, Toulouse

by Plane         Rodez, Toulouse, Carcassonne

• Linen
• Towels
• Kitchen
• Washing Machine
• Dishwasher
• Bath
• Shower
• Swimming Pool

• Airport
• Fishing
• Golf
• Restaurants
• Shops

• Music Centre