Château Marcoux has been transformed from a 12th century hill-top fortress into a stunning and luxurious holiday Manor House with panoramic views on all sides. The Main House provides spacious living areas and 4 bedrooms, and in addition there are two further double bedrooms in an adjacent Annexe and in a converted ‘Pigeonnier’. A more recent conversion of a further building, now known as ‘Le Petit Nid’ provides a charming additional self contained annexe in a spectacular position with a double bedroom, a shower room, studio and kitchenette.
Château Marcoux
Beauville, Lot-et-Garonne
Overview
Sleeps: sleeps 12 to 14
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
4/5 doubles
1 twin or double
1 twin
6 bathrooms
A self contained double in a recently converted cottage “Le Petit Nid” with a double bedroom and bathroom.
Rent per week
€3300 – €5300 per week depending on the season. Saturday to Saturday.
An additional €100 per night for “Le Petit Nid” if desired
Detailed break down of price per week
Key features
Listed historic chateau
Accommodation split between the main house, annexe and Pigeonnier
Newly converted annexe / cottage as an optional extra if required
20 acres of grounds
12 x 5 m heated swimming pool
Stunning panoramic views
Testimonials
The House and Accommodation
For several hundred of its 800 year existence, Château Marcoux was a ‘château-fort’ – a smallish fortress of strategic significance in the medieval wars which raged through south western France. Reminders of its military past are spy-holes and arrow slits, whilst the metre-thick stone walls keep the House cool on the hottest summer days and warm in winter. Château Marcoux was enlarged in 1654 and is a listed building.
Owned by an English family for the past 35 years, the Château has been magnificently restored, modernised and furnished to provide every possible comfort, whilst maintaining wonderful original features which add to its authentic character.
Château Marcoux comprises 3 buildings – the 4-bedroom Main House, the 1-bedroom Annexe and the 1-bedroom ‘Pigeonnier’. In addition a recent conversion of a further building, ‘Le Petit Nid’ provides additional self contained accommodation for a couple taking the total potential accommodation to 14.
The Main House:
Kitchen/Dining Room – spacious, bright and well-equipped with a 4-ring electric hob, an oven, microwave, dishwasher, large fridge/freezer, toaster etc., and an open, wood-burning fireplace. A farmhouse dining table seats 12. French windows open onto a south-facing terrace, shaded by a mulberry tree, with a table and chairs, a large sun umbrella and a built-in barbecue.
Sitting Room – very large and comfortable, with a high, raftered ceiling and creamy stone walls, a wood-burning fireplace, sofas and armchairs. French windows lead to the south-facing terrace.
Study – adjoining the Sitting Room and equipped with Broadband/WiFi internet access, a colour printer and a stereo CD /tape system. The satellite TV, receiving both English and French-language channels, also has a DVD and a video player and can be watched either in the Study or the Sitting Room.
Bedrooms & bathrooms
Bedroom 1 – the magnificent master bedroom with an exposed beamed ceiling, creamy stone walls, an imposing king-size bed and magnificent views over the valley. An en-suite Bathroom, which has a bath, a separate shower, a washbasin and a W.C.
Bedroom 2 – also large, with a king-size bed, and an en-suite Bathroom with a bath, a walk-in shower, a washbasin and a W.C.
Bedroom 3 – with twin beds and a washbasin. Shares bathrooms with bedroom 4. It uses a separate WC with a washbasin as well as a Shower Room, with a walk in shower, washbasin and WC.
Bedroom 4 – with twin beds which can be zipped together to make a double bed, and a washbasin. Shares bathrooms with bedroom 3. It uses a separate WC with a washbasin as well as a Shower Room, with a walk in shower, washbasin and WC.
The Annexe:
Situated on the opposite side of the garden from the main house and created from part of the old stables, with stunning views of the valley, is bedroom 5. It has a double bed and a shower room as well as a separate WC.
The Pigeonnier:
On the ground floor it has a sitting room, which is cosy and comfortable, with a sofa and French windows opening onto a partly covered terrace, equipped with tables, chairs and sun umbrellas. It has a bathroom with a bath, separate shower and a WC.
The bedroom (bedroom 6) is on the first floor with an exposed beam ceiling, a double bed and windows on all 4 sides offering far-ranging views.
Le Petit Nid
Newly converted for 2023 this superbly situated former cottage in its own spectacular position comprises a studio with its own balcony to the views to the East, kitchenette and shower room and Bedroom 7 – with double bed.
(If guests would like to take Le Petit Nid it will be charged at €100 per night)
Garden and Grounds
Château Marcoux stands in 8 hectares (20 acres) of grounds comprising dining terraces, herb and flower gardens, lawns, woods, grottoes and a panoramic swimming pool.
A stone-walled herb and flower garden, which can be floodlit, lies between the Main House and the Annexe. On the other 3 sides of the Main House the grounds fall away steeply into an oak wood with 2 hermits’ grottoes cut into the rock below the House. All the cliff edges have been safely walled or fenced.
The gravel area at one side of the Main House provides a pitch for ‘boules’, two sets of which are kept in the house.
Additional buildings, terraces and eating areas
Partially shaded terraces surround the Main House and provide marvellous settings for eating al fresco. Off the Sitting /Dining Room and Kitchen is a south-facing terrace with a barbecue, whilst a west-facing terrace provides marvellous views of the setting sun.
‘Cave Voutée’ (‘Vaulted Cellar’)
11.6 x 5 metres and opening onto the pool area. This mainly serves as a games room and has a hi-fi CD/tape system, and a table tennis table.
Swimming Pool
The heated swimming pool measures 12 metres x 5 metres x 1.6 metres in depth. It has shallow steps running across its entire width at one end to provide easy access for small children. Surrounding the pool is a combination of red-cedar decking, (which smells wonderful when wet!) and local limestone flags laid out with an excellent range of pool furniture including sun beds, deck chairs and sun umbrellas. There is an outside shower nearby. The pool can be floodlit, is fenced and has an electrically-operated cover which, for safety’s sake and in order to retain the water temperature, should be closed at night.
Location
The Château shares its hill-top with a 12th century church and commands far-reaching views over some of the most glorious countryside in south western France. This is the land of fortified hill-top villages, called ‘bastides’, medieval churches, ancient ‘pigeonniers’, foie gras farms and woodlands of chestnut, plum, walnut and oak. Situated on the borders of the Lot-et-Garonne and the Tarn-et-Garonne, the Château is at the heart of the Quercy region which takes its name from ‘quercus’ meaning oak tree in Latin.
Château Marcoux lies 2 kms north east of the ‘bastide’ village of Beauville which has useful shops and a small hotel/restaurant serving excellent local food. There’s a Tourist Office in the village which provides much useful information. The House Manual details a number or local restaurants in various price categories, shops, markets (and the day/s on which each takes place), picnic spots, antique/bric-a-brac emporia, fairs/festivals, museums, medieval castles, ecclesiastical buildings of all kinds and other cultural activities, as well as the marvellous walks in the vicinity. A large-scale wall map covering an area within 30 to 40 minutes’ drive of Marcoux pinpoints many of these, and tenants are invited to add extra pins and to leave notes/brochures about new discoveries.
The nearest large towns for shopping and supermarkets are Agen (27 kms), Moissac and Villeneuve-sur-Lot (35 kms).
How to get there
Toulouse Airport: 1½
Bordeaux Airport: 2 hours’ drive.
Bergerac Airport 1½ hours’ away.
Agen
Things to see and do nearby
Golf
There are a number of 9 and 18-hole golf courses within 30 minutes/an hour’s drive. These include ones near Casteljaloux, Marmande (only 10 holes), Agen, Valence d’ Agen, and the very pretty 9-hole course at Sauveterre (east of Lauzerte and called Golf des Roucous). There is also a challenging 18-hole course near Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Details are in the House Manual.
Tennis
There is both an indoor and an outdoor tennis court in Beauville (2 kms). Tenants can also play at the Dondas Tennis Club (7 kms) where teaching/coaching is available. Details of both are in the House Manual
Canoeing
There are canoeing and cruising on the local canal and/or on the Lot and the Garonne rivers. Details in the House Manual
Bicycle hire
There are bicycles for hire in Montaigu de Quercy (10 kms) and riding stables in nearby Lacour-de-Visa. Details in the House Manual
Skiing
In winter, there is ski-ing in the Pyrénées, 3 hours’ drive from Marcoux
Foie gras
Nearby is a foie gras farm and museum, with a shop and a restaurant
Cahors
The ancient city and wine-making centre of Cahors is within an hour’s drive – its 14th century fortified bridge is particularly noteworthy
Moissac
Moissac is a 30 minute drive. At its cente is one of the great Abbeys of France and the market here (on Sundays) combines well, as also to eat in one of the bar/retaurants around the Abbey
Agen
The town of Agen (25 minutes drive) is also a very popular destination. A charming town, classical buildings, small streets full of interesting shops, some fun clothes (Promode) and household (Maison du Monde) shops and an excellent covered market open every day
These towns (and the cities of Bordeaux and Touluse – easily within reach) are cultural treasure troves but the local bastides (fortified) villages scattered all around the area are an enduring source of pleasure and interest. Many are perched on hilltops with enormous views and often (as with Marcoux) occupied for long periods by the marauding English! Starting with the local Beauville they fan out – Puymirol, Montjoi, Frespech, Pujols, Roquecor, Lacour, Tornons d’Agenais, Lauzerte, Miramont de Quercy, Penne d’Agenais and Monflanquin are all good examples
Pigeonnier
A by product of these jewels is an appreciation of the wonderful pigeonniers scattered about – a lovely book on pigeonniers is in the house and of course the perfect little 12th and 13th century churches – the best often by themselves in the depths of the countryside sometimes almost hidden in the most surprising spots. The church of St Etienne beyond Lacour just one example next to a lovely picnic spot
Vineyards
There are number of vineyards in the area where tastings can be held and purchases made
Animal farm
Children might enjoy the animal farm at Le Jougla
Additional Information
Wifi and Broadband: There are telephones throughout the Main House as well as in the Annexe and the ‘Pigeonnier’. There is WiFi.
Housebook: Information on all of the above, and much more, is contained in Marcoux’s outstanding House Manual which is a wonderful and detailed reference, developed over many years by the owners. A large map in the house references many of these local activities, interests and destinations, and is added to continually. It is a treasure trove – a week is more than easily filled many times over!
Additional entertainment: There’s a table tennis table, with a net, bats and balls. In the Sitting Room are a selection of family board games and packs of playing cards. There are masses of English-Language books throught the House plus reference books and maps of the surrounding area.
Services included: A housekeeper and cleaner is employed by the owner for 3 hours per day on 3 days per week.
Maintenance of the garden and the pool are the owner’s responsibility. There is an automatic garden watering system.
Optional / additional services available: She should be paid direct by tenants at Euros 12 per hour for any agreed additional hours of work. She is willing to collect pre-ordered cold or ready-to-heat meals from the Hotel du Midi in nearby Beauville, or items from its ‘patisserie’ or ‘épicerie’ (grocer), and to have them ready for tenants on the evening of their arrival, together with whatever is requested for breakfast next morning.
As long as sufficient notice is given, a baby-sitter, a part-time cook and/or a driver can probably also be provided. His/her/their wage will be the tenants’ responsibility, and will be ascertained prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
Utilities: There is a utility room in the main house with a fridge/freezer, clothes dryer and the electricity control system. The main Utility Room is off the ‘Cave Voutée’ and has 2 washing machines, a dryer and ironing facilities.
Air conditioning and heating: This is very much an all-year-round House with fans in all the Bedrooms and central heating throughout.
Children: There are two baby’s cots (both with bedding) and a high chair.
Car Parking: There is ample parking space.
Rents
2024
Weekly rates as follows:
January – 6th April | POA |
6th April – 28th April | €3,300 |
28th April – 25th May | €3,600 |
25th May – 29th June | €4,300 |
29th June – 31st August | €5,300 |
31st August – 21st September | €4,300 |
21st September – 28th September | €3,600 |
28th September – 19th October | €3,300 |
19th October – 21st December | POA |
Easter week | €4,000 |
Christmas & New Year 2024/25, 21st December – 4th January
€5,300
If tenants wish to book Le Petit Nid (taking the accommodation to 14 in 7 bedrooms) then a supplement of €100/night is charged.
Le Petit Nid is never let to a separate party at the same time as the main house so exclsuive occupation is always assured.
Terms and Conditions
Arrival, welcome and departure: Tenants should arrive as soon as possible after 4 pm on the commencement day, and must leave before 10 am on the agreed day of departure. They will be met on arrival.
The Booking Process – A deposit of 25% of the rent will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the Rental Agreement, with the 75% balance to be paid 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
Security Deposit – A Booking and Security Deposit of €800 will also be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing a Rental Agreement. This will secure the booking, and will cover the cost of the house telephone, fax and internet usage, pool heating if required @ €200 per week, as well as the cost of replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages which occurred during the rental, and any exceptional cleaning work that may be required at its conclusion. This Booking and Security Deposit will be refunded (less any deductions as outlined above) within 4 weeks of the conclusion of the tenancy.
Minimum stay: Unless otherwise agreed, all tenancies from the beginning of June to end of September will be for a minimum of 1 week and will begin and end on a Saturday.
Arrival Time & Departure times: Tenants should arrive as soon as possible after 4pm on the commencement day. They will be welcomed on arrival, given a tour of the property and shown how everything works. Tenants should leave by 10am on the agreed day of departure.
Number of People: Unless otherwise agreed, there should not be more than 12 or 14 people staying in the property at any one time.
Security: The owners’ insurance policy requires that all doors are locked, and that all windows and shutters are closed when tenants are away from the property.
Energy costs are included: The energy costs are included in the rental price.
Pool Heating and house heating: Swimming pool heating is included within the rental price from June to end September. Ouside of these months a charge will be made for swimming pool heating and for house heating.
Linen and towels: Bed linen, bath and pool towels are provided free of charge and will be changed on a weekly basis.
Pets:
Smoking allowed: No smoking allowed inside the property. Caution should be taken when smoking outside during the summer months as the risk of fire can be extremely high.
Internet access: yes, included in the rental price.
Optional / additional services available: any additional services, if available, (eg extra cleaning or cooking) will be agreed in advance at a pre-agreed rate per hour. These costs will be the sole responsibility of the tenant.