Purchasing a property in the Minervois !
There are many reasons why the Minervois is a wonderful area to purchase a home. When I talk about the Minervois I am talking about the area between Carcassonne and Narbonne. The main villages and countryside I specialise in form a ribbon through some of the most beautiful landscapes in our region. These villages include Villeneuve Minervois, Caunes Minervois, Trausse, Felines Minervois, La Liviniere, Siran, Cesseras, the stunning cliff top village of Minerve and all the countryside in-between.
This is a small area which I have called home for around 20 years and I know it like the back of my hand. I can help you navigate this area and make sure you find the right property in the right location that suits the lifestyle you want to live! All villages are not alike and knowing the profile of each area can assist you in making the right choice about where you eventually purchase.
Some buyers like commerce at their fingertips, others like the quiet of the countryside ! Some buyers like villages that attract expats from around the world, others like a more traditional french working village environment ! Helpful advice number one is to make sure the village you are purchasing in or near offers the best fit for you ! First time buyers often make the mistake of thinking all villages are alike, purchasing on a whim then realising 6 months later the village they have purchased in is a dead zone outside of the tourist season! If you like meeting people and being involved in a community obviously this isn't going to suit you ! Get the local inside information before you purchase !!!!
Our area is one of the largest wine producing regions in the world and is dotted with wonderful wine estates in scenic locations that have wine caves open to the public for tasting and purchase.
There are also many restaurants dotted throughout the region, some of the best are hidden away in hard to find locations but my local restaurant guide can assist you in moving straight past the tourist traps to some of the areas best hidden gourmet secrets ! Avoid the tourist traps !!!
Why choose the Minervois ? The Minervois offers beautiful landscapes in a location close to vibrant towns and cities. A day out could be a trip to to the towns of Narbonne or Carcassonne ( 35-40 minutes drive ) or the cities of Toulouse to the west and Montpellier to the east ( 90 minutes drive ). Swimming beaches on the mediterranean coast are 60 minutes drive and how about lunch on the Spanish Costa Brava ( under 2 hours drive ). You can also stay right here and enjoy wonderful swimming lakes, biking and hiking trails ( some of the most breathtaking you will ever see !!! ) and village and countryside cafés that offer delicious regional dishes and carafes of local wines at low prices. The Minervois villages are often only 5 or ten minutes away from each other so within short distances you can find all sorts of different commerce, bakeries, restaurants and cafes. The word that is often used here is ‘connected’! We are not isolated here because we are connected to each other within a few minutes !
Let’s not forget the weather ! The climate here is changing like everywhere and the biggest change in the last 10 years has been the intensity of the summer heat ! Our summers can be long and hot so being in a comfortable easily cooled home is important. The days of living without air conditioning are gone! If the home you are looking at doesn't already have air conditioning then you will need to factor in the installation cost to your budget. Outside of summer the seasons of spring and autumn are perfect with temperatures ranging from the high teens to early twenties ideal for getting out and about and enjoying outdoor pursuits. The winter is mild and sunny and periods of extreme cold where the temperature drops below zero are very short lived and seem to be getting rarer. The last snow I can remember was in 2012! My favourite weather feature here are the sunny winters !! All of the villages on my list are at an altitude above the fog line so while low lying villages and cities like Carcassonne might be foggy in winter we sit in the sunshine ! You may wonder why prices seem more expensive in our area compared to say the area around Limoux on the other side of Carcassonne and the difference is that one area has a foggy wet winter while here we enjoy the winter sunshine !
There are many more reasons why you might find the Minervois is just right for you ! To discover more please do not hesitate to contact me directly !