Mas Des Cevennes

Mas Des Cevennes is a traditional French farmhouse overlooking an idyllic lake, set within a vast estate which is wonderfully located for exploring the beautiful market town of Uzès, Le Pont du Gard and the vineyards of the Rhône valley.

Imagine sitting on the terrace with a glass of Lirac or Tavel and gazing out to the lake, looking out for rare birds (the little grebe has been spotted here) or just admiring the woodland and rural scenery. There’s a little boat which you can take out to the lake for fishing - bring your own equipment and do place the fish back afterwards. Al-fresco meals can be enjoyed beneath the courtyard’s pergola and there is a lovely swimming pool near the lake’s jetty.

Inside the farmhouse, guests are made to feel welcome with classic décor and traditional French furnishings. As well as the well-equipped and spacious ground-floor kitchen (and a smaller kitchen on the top floor), make the most of the formal salon with its wood-burning fire, art-filled dining room, first-floor library and gorgeous TV room with pretty tiled flooring and French windows opening out to the terrace. Across the various floors and wings, a mixture of eight doubles and twins, five with en suite bathrooms, allows up to 18 guests to comfortably stay at Mas Des Cevennes.

The estate is classified as a zone of special interest thanks to its flora, fauna and ecology as well as its water source in an otherwise relatively dry region. Nature lovers note that it’s also a good base for exploring the beauty of the Cévennes National Park – Alès, the gateway to the mountains, is only half an hour by car.

Closer to home, there is a high-end auberge a short walk along the main road or continue towards the pretty village, 2km away, for morning croissants and fresh bread from the village bakery. The picturesque hilltop village of Lussan, 4.5km by car, has some excellent restaurants and countryside views from its medieval walls.

Watch the world go by as you sit on a café terrace on the main square in Uzès, an exquisite historic town which hosts an especially atmospheric market on a Wednesday and Saturday morning showcasing gastronomic delights of the region.

Then there’s the vineyards and wineries of the southern Rhône valley, the magnificence of Le Pont du Gard, the amazingly preserved Roman ruins of Nimes and the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Avignon all within reach of your French lakeside holiday home.