Chateau Les Deux Cygnes

The villa

It’s said that Napoleon gifted this elegant château in Gascony to one of his generals. On a hill with glorious views of southwestern France, how wonderful to be able stay in this 19th century abode that has been beautifully restored to sleep up to 16 guests.

Château Les Deux Cygnes is set within five acres of grounds with a heated swimming pool, children’s play area and woodland with pathways for nature exploring. Step into the handsome home and unwind across the lounge with its cosy sofas, fireplace and Smart TV with Netflix, check emails quietly in the library and prepare feasts in the sociable kitchen with an Everhot range cooker and other high-end appliances. Dine in the charming Orangerie overlooking the garden or on the covered terrace in the courtyard.

There are five light-filled bedrooms with air-conditioning in the main part of the château, each one en suite - guests should expect high standards of comfort with excellent mattresses, cotton linen and beautiful bathrooms with rainfall showers or splendid bath tubs. There is a sixth bedroom (twin) on the ground floor and a final double bedroom (and shower room) in the south-wing that is simpler in style with a double bed and mezzanine bed, perhaps best suited to accompanying teens.

Step outside and be captivated by the sweeping vistas from the château’s hillside setting. Stroll through the grounds to reach the heated swimming pool, relax on one of the sun loungers or watch as youngsters play on the trampoline, slide and swing. Whether holidaying with good friends or extended family, Château Les Deux Cygnes is ideal for all generations.

For a touch of decadence, breakfast can be served each morning for an extra cost and a private chef can be arranged to cook delicious French meals making the most of seasonal local products. Other extra services that can be organised in advance include baby-sitting, yoga, massages and extra cleaning, allowing you the opportunity to truly embrace Gascony’s slow pace of life.

Less than a 10-minute drive away is the picturesque bastide town of Beaumont-de-Lomagne with its medieval lanes and lovely Saturday morning market. Beaumont-de-Lomagne’s lake is great for fishing, nature walks and summer water-based activities or look out for other seasonal Base de Loisirs dotted across Tarn-et-Garonne and Gers.

Try the Lomagne white garlic in the fortified village of Saint-Clar, potter around the two ‘Plus Beaux Villages ’ of Sarrant and Auvillar and soak up the atmosphere of the traditional weekly markets in Fleurance and Lectoure. Pass rolling hills, historic villages and summer sunflowers as you cycle or drive through the region - no wonder Gascony is often referred to as the ‘Tuscany of France’.

In the Tarn-et-Garonne, close to the Gers border, Château Les Deux Cygnes enjoys a beautiful setting surrounded by landscapes so typical of Gascony, a region often referred to as the ‘Tuscany of France’.

The château is in a tiny village/hamlet, near the marie and church, with a handful of other properties scattered around. Despite this rural setting, the picturesque bastide town of Beaumont-de-Lomagne (6.5km) is less than a 10-minute drive away. Dating back to the 1400s, admire its medieval buildings and the 14th century market hall. There’s a handful of restaurants in Beaumont-de-Lomagne and a lovely Saturday morning market showcasing seasonal delights of the region (garlic, hazelnuts, cheeses, foie gras , melons etc).

Food lovers will also appreciate the fortified village of Saint-Clar (15km), famed for its white garlic (usually in season July to autumn) - look out for the Thursday morning market, a garlic museum just outside the village (which also sells other local produce) and a garlic festival in August. 

Potter around the cobbled lanes and half-timbered houses of Sarrant (18km) or head north to Auvillar (27km) above the Garonne River with its incredible views of the surrounding countryside - both villages are officially classified as two of France’s ‘ Plus Beaux Villages’ .

Pass fields of summer sunflowers, rolling hills, woodland and historic villages as you drive across the landscapes of Gascony. Walking, cycling and horse-riding are popular here, whilst there is a lake near Beaumont-de-Lomagne for fishing, gentle nature walks, picnics and, in the height of the summer, some water-based activities.

Driving into the heart of the Gers, visit traditional market towns such as Fleurance (27km) and Lectoure (30km), both hosting fantastic weekly markets. Further afield, Montauban (44km), Auch (51km) and Agen (60km) are yet more wonderful days out, especially for keen gastronomes and historians, or venture to the grand city of Toulouse (63km), also known as ‘ La Ville Ros e’.   

Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (53km) is less than an hour away whilst Montauban Ville Bourbon train station (42km) and Agen (60km) have direct arrivals from Paris via Bordeaux.