Not really enough superlatives for this location. Can’t give it 6 stars out of 5. The Brychous is a very well appointed vacation home perfectly situated about 4 kilometers off a main road. Tom, the landlord speaks excellent English, fluent Dutch, good French. More importantly, he is simply a very, very nice person. He was patient and genuinely happy to see us. Always available if needed (he lives in the other half of the building) but never intrusive. Did I mention he grows shiitake mushrooms as a sideline? And he lent me a guitar for the duration of our stay.

The accommodation is one half of a three hundred year old farmhouse. Tom did most of the work himself and it was clearly a labor of love. Two floors, one containing a very functional, large kitchen, a really well appointed bath area (jacuzzi tub and spacious shower) and a lovely sitting/dining area focused on an easily manageable fireplace. (I made a point of getting up early, starting a fire, and watching the sun come up) The second floor holds the bedrooms. Ours was quite large, with a grand wardrobe, two beds, and double glass doors leading to a balcony with a fantastic view.

And the view/location is better than the accommodation. Brychous is situated fairly high up, requiring a 4 K drive on a curving, switch-backed road...a common feature in the Ariege region and really quite fun. The property offers magnificent views in many directions. Sometimes the valleys are filled with mist. Sometimes the farthest peaks are perfectly clear. On a clear night, the star canopy absolutely dazzles. IF you have not seen the real sky, unpolluted by light, you owe it to yourself to come here and see it at least once.

The sights of the region are reasonably close. We easily visited the Cave at Niaux, the Chateau and market in Foix, Montsegur, and others. Even took a drive down toward Andorra, just to get a feel for the high Pyrenees.

No review would be complete without mentioning Neige and Pippo, the resident donkeys. we bought carrots and apples to make friends, and they seemed to accept it. Just on general principle, I give it six stars out of five.