Naturliebhaber

Si vous recherchez le calme et le bon air, ce gite est idéal. De très bons moments passés autour de la cheminée et du poêle à bois.Tom est charmant et à l'écoute. De très beaux coins à visiter autour de ce gite, et le ski (Guzet neige) pas très éloigné. Je recommande ce gite.

Nous avons beaucoup aimé ce gîte et l'accueil que Tom et Sandrine offrent à leurs locataires. Une chaleur toute de feu de bois (poële et cheminée !!) et de sympathiques êtres humains. La neige à une demi heure, la nature tout autour, le calme.... Nous reviendrons avec joie.

Tom est tellement gentil, il nous a bien expliqué comment ça fonctionne sa belle maison, tout est bien fourni!! Il nous a offert des champignons, je laisse ce commentaire après les avoir goûtés. C'est très bon!!! Je recommande!

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.

This is a real escape-from-it-all location, high in the hills with fantastic views of the surrounding countryside. The drive there is impressive, the single track road snaking through wooded slopes with intermittent views down to the valley below. The house is comfortable, Cosy and well-equipped. It is Suitable for a couple or a larger family as the rooms are generous and the sleeping arrangements flexible. The main bedroom has a lovely wooden balcony looking out over the garden, you can sit in bed and watch the sun rise and the skies are very clear for star-gazing. Although it is rustic in style, there are luxuries such as the jacuzzi bath and a good shower. The kitchen is well equipped for cooking meals and there is a fire and a logburner, although it was still very warm in October. Tom and Sandrine were wonderful hosts, very helpful and we loved to see the donkeys in the garden and hear of Tom's mushroom cultivation techniques. For nature lovers there are lots of butterflies and birds, wildlife parks and opportunities to really escape into the nearby countryside. Although it is in a remote location, there are shops locally, markets and large supermarkets at Foix. There are lots of things to do well within reach of the house- but it is enough to stay close to the home and relax in the tranquil surroundings. Would recommend a drive along the Col de Crouzette, visits to Foix and the valley of Orlu. We would loved to have stayed longer, it was wonderful.