Self-Catering France

Specialist Reports Holiday by Accommodation Self-Catering Self-Catering France Gascony Secret 

	Gascony Secret
The Stonehouse, Windsor Green, Cockfield, Suffolk IP30 0LY			MAP
tel: (01284) 827 253

Regional specialists also with small range of hotels and chateaux. Know all the properties individually. Linen hire is generally extra. All reps are ex-pats of 45 plus who can handle all kinds of problems.

Where

Gascony up to the Pyrenees foothills.

Style

Around 50-60 properties, largely rural, some properties modern others modernised cottages, some old - even dating back to the 13th century. Include also mountain hideaways and chateaux. Around a three quarters have a pool, a third are suitable for large parties, one sleeping up to 22.

Season

Most year-round, heating charged extra in mid and low season.

Facilities

Around half the properties have cots and high chairs though also trying to set up a hire service locally. Les Enfants du Paradis offers activities for mainly English children including riding where you can drop yours for the day/week - run by a ‘mother earth' type with her own children. Two or three properties have a caretaker who can babysit. On request can usually be arranged at other properties, including English sitters sometimes.

Extras

Maid service an option and there is a cook who can do meals at some of the larger houses and if requested will do their best to provide at smaller properties.

Sample Price

A two-bedroomed house with private pool for a week in high season £725 per week, or a terraced house £625 per week. ‘A separate branch of the company can also arrange flights and ferries with discounts, if required, or car hire.

Reader's Report

We normally do beach holidays but have fallen victim to the school holidays so have decided to do our beach break at another time of year and to try somewhere different int he summer.
We took a last minute holiday with Gasgony Secrete who were marvellous. We stayed at Moulin d I'Cart in the Ariege region in the Pyrenees. Ther are five gites in the grounds of an old mill which is no longer working.
We were there for a week and there was a pool and tennis court, and walking through the grounds, a restaurant run by an Englishman whose standard of cuisine was amazing (there were French people eating there). Three courses were just £8.50 and they fed the children for just £3 each.
The accommodation was basic but perfectly adequate. Apparently it is rented by its German owners for just July and August and the rest of the year they keep it for themselves.
We flew Ryanair to Carcassone which was no frills but very affordable. The weather was slightly overcast in August, which made sightseeing very manageable, though if it had been sunny, a fortnight would have been better.
We had a really fabulous time and includint eh £300 for the gite the whole break with car hire and flights cost less than £1,000. It was a last minute booking and the company was terrific and couldn't do enought for us.
Sally Kendall
1999