Château Sainte Cecile FAQ

Q. Where is château located?
On the edge of the small hamlet of Saint Cecile D’aves satellite to a market town of Gaillac.
Latitude: 43.9058
Longitude 1.85687

Q. What does the château comprise?
10 bedrooms 7 bathrooms 600 m2 accommodation.

Q. How many adults can sleep?
20.

Q. Is the château available for rental ?
Absolutely, please contact our agents olivers-travels.

Q. Is there parking for a camper-van?
Yes, there is plenty of parking.

Q. Is the château lived in?
Most of the year it serves as a family home.

Q. Is the château air-conditioned?
Only 4 rooms.

Q. Is there central-heating?
Yes, extensively.

Q. Are there log fires?
Yes.

Q. Is it hot in the house without air-conditioning?
Ceilings are very high and building was designed to deal with southern-heat, but its important to keep shutters, windows and doors closed during the day.

Q. Is the kitchen fully equipped?
Yes, its a large practical kitchen designed for a large family.

Q. What domestic appliances are there?
2 dishwashers / a washing-machine / a dryer / coffee-maker / kettle / iron etc.

Q. How many high chairs / cots do you have?
4 cots, 4 high-chairs.

Q. Is the water drinkable?
Drinkable yes, palatable no – we recommend wine.

Q. Does the chateau / domaine still produce its own wine in its vineyards?
Sadly not, but we have plans to restart.

Q. What inside games are available?
Monopoly, Risk, Snakes and Ladders, Bagatelle and Mini-football.

Q. Is there a television / DVD player?
Yes, including satellite TV with limited international channels.

Q. Are any English language films screened?
Yes, quite a few designated either “VF” meaning dubbed over in French by an actor [not recommended]; or “VOSF” meaning original language version with French subtitles [recommended].

Q. Is there WIFI available?
Yes, but rural as opposed to urban quality.

Q. What outside games are available?
Table-tennis, water badminton.

Q. How many bicycles do you have.
10 at the last count, of varying suitability of quality and size.

Q. Is the pool heated?
No.

Q. Can we dive in the pool?
Pool is flat bottomed with depth of 1.5 meters so not suitable for diving but great for basket-ball, badminton, games, etc.

Q. Are there swimming pool inflatable-toys?
Yes, but this can vary accordingly so please check with us first.

Q. Is the swimming pool safe for children.
There is a gate to contain small children from the pool area, adults can easily see the pool from the back of the house too, but supervision is essential.

Q. Are towels supplied for the pool?
Yes.

Q. What buildings neighbour the château?
Old wine-making buildings and pigeon-lofts now used for storage and caretakers lodge.

Q. Is the château located in a safe environment?
The area is low crime and locals are extremely pleasant, as is typical of South-West France.

Q. Is the electrical system safe?
French electrical system is extremely safe and sophisticated incorporating RCD breakers, system can be sensitive when overloaded.

Q. As there provisions for the elderly / disabled?
Austerlitz ground floor bedroom has a wet-room en-suite. People should be able to manage the few steps leading to the house.

Q. Are there any ghosts?
Not that we know to, once a very large Pyrenean eagle-owl got trapped in house and gave us all a fright when it tried to escape in the night.

Q. What do the owners do when they are in residence?
Celebrate life; cook and dine with their extended french family, dance french-jive in the saloon ballroom, motorcycle the gorges of the Aveyron, Tarn and Tecou, maintain the grounds, repair the tractor, argue with french-administration, renovate the stables, drink Gaillac-Rouge.

Q. What do the owners do when the chateau is rented out?
Escape to the rain in their second-home in North-Wales.

Q. Can we smoke in the house?
Only outside please.

Q. Is there a BBQ?
Yes, we have a large converted oil-drum type which should only be used with caution by an adult with experience.

Q. Is there any wild-life?
An abundance of frogs, lizards, rabbits and hares. Roe-deer come to drink from the fountain at night. Plenty of birds like hoopoes, different kind of woodpeckers and owls too.

Q. Are there any mosquitoes in the evenings?
Absolutely, must take care especially small children.

Q. Can we bring our pets?
Yes, but they must remain on the ground-floor.

Q. Has anyone famous ever stayed at the château?
Not that we could admit to.

Q. What are the two towers I can see on the photo behind the pool?
“Pigeonniers”, dovecotes now disused.

Q. What is the funniest anecdote to do with the château?
Whenever [annually] we clean the chandeliers someone always asks “have you ever seen that scene in only fools and horses when they are cleaning chandeliers?”

Q. Is there help on hand?
Caretaker lives in neighbouring lodge.

Q. Is there maid service?
Yes, please contact us for details.

Q. Is there a chef or cook who could provide us with a gourmet meal?
Yes, please ask us for details.

Q. Are you able to supply basic provisions for our arrival?
If you let us know in good time, yes.

Q. What do we do in case of medical or physical emergency?
Call the “Pompiers” 115, fireman double as paramedics in France and are less than a kilometre away.

Q. If we don’t want to cook, what is the easiest way to cater for ourselves?
In the Pique-rouge shopping centre there are several caterers supplying international and local cuisine a volonte i.e. to take away. “Pepito Traiteur” particularly has a range of local inexpensive dishes.

Q. How close is the town centre?
3.5 km.

Q. Can we walk / cycle to the shopping centre?
Only along very busy highway.

Q. Where can I hire a car?
International car-hire companies are based in Toulouse or Albi but a local one is 3 km south: Gayet location.

Q. Do shops open on Sunday?
Grocers and bakers open Sunday morning, especially close to market squares.

Q. What time are shops open to on Saturday?
Between 8am and 8pm

Q. Can we walk / cycle to the town centre?
We suggest a pleasant jaunt along “chemin de la vialette” would take you there.

Q. Is there horse riding near-by?
2 km west.

Q. Where is the closest Office of Tourism?
St Michaels Abbey, Gaillac town centre.

Q. Where is the closest restaurant?
In the shopping centre Pique-Rouge or the town centre.

Q. Where is the closest fast-food outlet?
The shopping centre “Pique-Rouge”, 3 km to the south.

Q. Are there any vegetarian restaurants?
Sadly not – the closest would be Toulouse, but there is an organic health-food cafe at Bio-Azure health-food-store Pique-Rouge.

Q. Where is the closest market?
Town squares of Gaillac, Rabastens and lisle sur Tarn are all situated close by.

Q. Where is the closest railway station?
Gaillac.

Q. Where is the closest airport?
Toulouse or Carcassone.

Q. Are there taxis waiting at the station?
Normally not, must order in advance.

Q. Where is the closest doctor?
Town centre.

Q. Where is the closest fine-dining restaurant?
Plas Griffol Town centre, La table de sommelier, [essential to book in advance]

Q. Where is the closest freshwater lake for swimming?
We recommend Base de loisirs Vere Gresine near Castelneau de Montmiral. Or riverside beach in Rabasatens old-town.

Q. Where can we go kayaking / rafting / rock-climbing?
St. Antonin Noble du val 30 km north.

Q. Where is the closest walking / rambling area?
Straight out of the back door through the vineyards and into the landscape.

Q. Is there any tennis nearby?
Municipal, town centre.

Q. Where is the closest cinema?
Imagine Cinema, Town centre.

Q. Where is the closest bakery?
3 km south, near shopping centre.

Q. Where is the closest supermarket / shopping centre?
Leclerc at “Pique-Rouge” shopping centre 3 km south

Q. Is there any golf nearby?
Golf course in Florentin-Marssac, Aigueleze or better course probably Albi.

Q. Where is the closest water activities park?
Park Aiguelèze 5 km east of Gaillac.

Q. What is there for hi-tech enthusiasts?
Cite de l’Espace and Airbus technology park Toulouse.

Q. What is there for history buffs?
Surrounding area has been subject to medieval struggle between Cathar and Knights-templar defining landscape as typified by hilltop citadels “bastides des albigeois”.Wine-making for over 1000 years and wode-plant-dye [cogagne] industry during 16 century.

Q. What is there for the arts and art lovers?
Château de Cayla once home to Eugénie et Maurice de Guérin poets and writers. Museum Goya at Castres 30 km south, Museum  Ingres, Montauban 35 km north-west. Not forgetting of course the famous Museum Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi 20 km east.

Q. What is the most leisurely car / motorcycle / cycle circuit-route?
Spectacular 100 km Round-trip through gorges overlooked by plus-beau-village citadels [bastides]. From Ste Cecile d’aves :- D964 to  Bruniquel, D115 to St Antonin Noble Val D91, to Cordes sur Ciel, D922 return Ste Cecile.

Q. What cultural events take place in the area?
December / January Festival des Lanternes chines extravaganza in park Château de Foucaud in the town centre. Vin-primeurs, wine-festival November. Plenty of music festivals in the summer.

Q. What places of historic interest are closely to visit?
Albi, Les Bastides des albigeois:- Cordes, Puycelsi, Bruniquel, Castelneau de Montmiral.

Q. What places of wine-tasting interest are close by to visit?
Numerous, the best is to visit the Maison des Vins next to office of tourism to sample all first.