A new home for Sawday's Special Self-Catering Places in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Eire, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal

Perched above the Canal du Midi, relax in comfort in your private quarters - rent 3 floors or 2. Terraced gardens, winter fire, summer pool

Watch the barges drift by, and perhaps moor for the night: château and gardens are delightfully perched above the Canal du Midi. Rebuilt in 1890, the château – aglow with marble fireplaces, tall windows, oak parquet – is now owned by three separate families. You will enjoy total privacy in the central part, as well as the gently terraced gardens and the grand entrance gates. It's a place of relaxed comfort and sunny rooms, a spacious-but-intimate retreat for a gathering large or small; owner Julia is happy for you to rent three floors or two. The kitchen is the hub of the house, tall ceilinged and in French farmhouse style, marvellously equipped and with a starter pack for arrival; you can eat in here or spill out onto a terrace, or fill the dining room on grand occasions. The first-floor bedrooms and bathrooms are huge, with superb views and beds made for deep sleep. There's heaps of space inside and out: for winter, two sitting rooms, one with a big open fire; for summer, an outdoor pool. Julia can book everything in advance: bikes, barges, wine tours for full or half days – and an English-speaking chef.

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