Raillas

Raillas enjoys a very private location, approached along its own long drive well off the nearest road, and without near neighbours.  With flowers always on show, but also large bushes, trees and shrubs around, the Owners maintain a delightful blend of different areas around the large garden area for guests to enjoy.

The traditional stone house looks full of character,  and it does not disappoint. The house is somewhat larger than shown in the image, and the part not shown is occupied by the Owners, who have their own private garden on the other side of the house.

The slightly elevated swimming pool is very open and enjoys complete sunshine and a panoramic countryside view.

Your charming Hosts ensure guests are welcomed, and are on hand to help during the stay, but are also very respectful of guest's privacy, especially in respect of the pool which they will only use if guests are out.

Raillas makes an ideal place for a carefree couple to have a complete escape from the world, as well as being very suitable for a family of up to 4 looking for peace in a relaxed rural environment.

Arriving at Raillas you will find gravelled parking areas around the end of the road, just a few steps from the house.

The accommodation has three entrances - two at ground level into the Bedrooms and Bathroom respectively, and also the main door which is up the steps into the Living room.

The property is French in style but has been carefully designed to make the most of the house's traditional features whilst providing good standard accommodation.

The Bedrooms have separate doors, both external, under a glass-roofed porch.  Both are spacious and have attractive stone walls and tiled floors.

The Double Bedroom also has a wardrobe and a converted bread oven in one corner.
The Twin bedroom has a wardrobe and a sloping ceiling with a Velux window for light.

From the Double bedroom, a lockable door leads through to the large Bathroom, which also contains a Utility area with the Washing Machine, Ironing board, Sink, second Fridge, a table and storage cupboard.

The extremely spacious Bath area has a basin, WC and a roll-top bath by the curtained outside door.

Steps also lead down to the bathroom from the first floor, and the Owners have devised an ingeniously simple method to stop intrusion from upstairs for occupants of the bathroom.

Going up these steps, you come into the Sitting room, with a large sofa, soft armchair and a double sofa bed which can be used as a supplementary bed if required. There is a small woodburning stove in the corner, and the main door on this level which opens out onto the stone steps down to the lawn.

Through a door, you reach the Kitchen, which has the usual commanding fireplace with a wood-burning stove as its main feature. There is a large Dining table with seating in the centre of the room. The compact kitchen area includes a gas Hob & Oven and a Dishwasher along with a good range of utensils. The room is complemented with an interesting and tasteful selection of fittings and ornaments.

Beyond the house, the property opens out into a level grassed area, with shrubs and trees that are maintained subtly to maintain the rural feel of Raillas without being over-managed and manicured. The shrubs have been kept so that Guests have a private outdoor space, and although in a separate area of the garden, the pool is likewise kept reasonably private. A variety of flowers are also kept so that there is always plenty of colours for guests to enjoy.  In all, the gardens extend to around 1 hectare (2.5acres) with field beyond.

The Swimming pool measures 10 x 5m and has an alarm system with a surrounding sun terrace. Water purity is maintained with chlorine.  Pool furniture and shades are provided for guests to use. and some maturing trees provide further shade. A recently constructed simple "au vent" shelter (not pictured) adds to available shade at the poolside

There is a panoramic view over the wooded local countryside from the pool.  A charcoal barbecue is available for outdoor cooking.

There is a network of quiet and relatively level roads to the north of Raillas for cyclists to explore, but immediately to the south is a long steep road through woodland that would be an interesting test for any cyclist.

Raillas enjoys some of the quietest countryside in the Halcyon Leisure portfolio, and the immediate area with gentle undulations is ideal for cyclists and walkers, although tough climbs may be necessary if you stray off the plateau which extends several miles.

Limited shopping is available at either Bourg de Visa and Roquecor, but the nearest supermarkets for everyday shopping are either at Montaigu de Quercy (10km) or Lauzerte (18km). The nearest large towns, Agen and Villeneuve-sur-Lot are both about 35km away from Raillas.

The whole area around the meeting point of the departments of Lot, Lot et Garonne and Tarn et Garonne is a land of food production, with many vineyards and wineries alongside soft fruit and vegetable production and traditional farming crops. Much of this will be available, fresh and processed, at weekly markets which are held in most large villages and small towns somewhere nearby each day: Bourg de Visa and Roquecor both have their markets on Saturday morning. Links to some wineries and a list of the markets in the area is found under the Links and The Area menus at the top of this page.

Restaurants around the area are generally of good quality and reasonably priced: Roquecor has the Café de Centre which has a lively programme of events, or there is a selection of restaurants and bars in Montaigu de Quercy.

The area is dotted with bastide villages and towns which are usually medieval fortified hilltop settlements. All have their own character, generally with tremendous views from their defensive battlements and narrow streets leading to impressive squares with stone arches and timbered houses. Beauville, Montaigu de Quercy and Lauzerte are three nearby bastides all worth visiting.  Pujols, just south of Villeneuve Sur Lot, is listed among 'Les Plus Beaux Villages de France' with much medieval architecture remaining.

The natural beauty of the Lot valley is within easy reach, with water-based activities at almost every point that the river can be reached, or the raw natural beauty of the Aveyron Gorge is about an hours drive to the east.
For younger families, a day at the Montaigu de Quercy water park provides plenty of entertainment, with a large sandy beach area and lifeguard patrolled safe swimming, pedalo and boat hire, and a selection of bars and restaurants.

The nearest... Tennis 8km    Golf 25km    Horse riding 5km    Fishing 8km   Tourist Information 10km (Montaigu de Quercy)