Village in the Aude with cute young dog and very social cat
Introduction
Hello we are The Hulbert family. Myself, Zara, my husband, Barnaby and our two girls Mia who is 11 and Elodie who is 9. We are keen skiers/ snowboarders who love to go to the mountains whenever we can, as they're only a couple of hours away. Taking the animals with us to the mountains is not so easy as they are not allowed on the pistes and we have a puppy who can't be left alone in rented accommodation. Our cat used to stay with family till we got the puppy. We live in a village 15 mins from the historical roman town, Narbonne. We enjoy to go cycling and walking in the surrounding countryside and spend a lot of time at the beach in the winter and summer and at the nearby rivers. We are currently learning about gardening and enjoy spending time outdoors. We have a swimming pool and enjoy having friends to stay and have barbecues and hang by the pool.
Show more...Home & location
We live in a traditional Vigneron house full of original features, situated in the heart of the Corbiers national park. With lovely countryside surrounding the village there are many great walks to be had and pretty views to soak up. Just 15 minutes down the road is the Roman and medieval city of Narbonne with plenty of sightseeing, shops and boutiques to be enjoyed. There is a tri weekly market to meander through the much loved Les Halles: the indoor food market with lovely fresh produce served by the restaurants within, where the food is literally thrown from the stall to chef over your head as you sit at the bar. A further ten minutes down the road you'll find yourself on the coast with lots of beautiful and varied beaches which can be enjoyed all year round. There are the Etangs with all the wonderful wildlife including flamingos and comerants. There's all the typical activities like windsurfing, kite boarding and water parks to be had plus boat excursions and amusement parks. The Fontfroid Abbey is on the doorstep of the village with the reputation as being one of the most visited attractions in the area. The surrounding area holds beautiful walks and the Abbey itself an English Rose garden. There is also a great restaurant within, with good food served and the Abbey's own award winning wines. The house itself is very large with three bedrooms available to the house sitters, two with ensuite bathrooms. There is a large garden with an open under cover barn holding a trampoline and ping pong table. The swimming pool is open from May to October with both sun and shade to suite all. Situated in the heart of the village with the Lavoir in front, the house gives you that typical traditional French house feeling.
Show more...Responsibilities
Teddy will just turn 1 when we are hoping to go away so he is still learning. He is super cute and has a great temperament. He is a very happy dog whose tail never stops wagging. He is potty trained but sometimes has accidents, but very rarely. He needs walking for about 45 mins in the morning and about 20 mins in the evening. If you want to walk more he is very happy to oblige. He loves to be with people and will follow you everywhere you go. He loves to play. Our cat Kanaan is a very social cat and talks a lot. He really likes human interaction and cuddles. He let's you know when he wants to go out but we always make sure he is in the house for the night. At the moment the two pets are still learning to get on and Teddy barks at Kanaan and chases him. Depending on what you, as house sitters would prefer, Kanaan can stay with my mother in law in the next village or he can stay with you. She loves having him to stay but she can't manage a puppy. We also have two tortoise in the garden but they are hibernating so no care needed.
Show more...Meet the pets
Teddy
2 years
Kanaan
15 years
Sitter Reviews (3)
Homeowner Reviews (0)
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It was a delight to care for Teddy in the beautiful village of Bizanet! Zara and Barnaby were warm and inviting hosts, that went out of their way to make us feel comfortable. It was such an interesting experience living in an older and larger home in the center of a French village. We had a rough start on the first night when Teddy was ill in the middle of the night. There were a few other nighttime incidents throughout the two-week stay. Obviously not his fault, but it was a challenge. Thank you Zara and Barnaby for the lovely experience!
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We had a wonderful time in the house and with the animals of Zara, Barnaby, Elodie and Mia. The house is very nice and spacious. And the pool in the garden was a real asset for us as our stay coincided with a heatwave. And now for Teddy and Kanaan 😀 We really loved the animals and hardly missed our own dog. Teddy is a friendly and very lovable dog who enjoys any kind of activity with him. He even dutifully went along with the daily combing session. And his joy to see us again when we went for a walk without him was exuberant. Kanaan the cat is very noble and self-confident and clearly shows what he feels like at the moment (cuddling, eating or going out 😀). And not to forget our hosts who welcomed us openly and trustingly. We had some really nice hours together. Too bad we live 1150km apart 😢
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Zara and Barnaby were most welcoming hosts. We had a wonderful family dinner with their lovely daughters Mia and Élodie in their great dining room. Teddy the 6 mth Spaniel puppy is absolutely adorable ! He loves to play and before we caught on to his tricks he escaped with a few socks and my tuque. No harm done as he does not chew items that he steals. He is easy to walk on trails where he can happily sniff, and always walks on a lead. He has a lovely and affectionate personality. Kanaan, the cat is quite independent and followed us from room to room, nesting on our laps when we watched tv. If you want a stay in a traditional French home in a quaint, medieval village this experience is for you. This home is loaded with history including the great Lavoir directly across the road. A late 19th century maison vigneronne, it is tastefully and professionally renovated and redecorated. Barnaby and Zara have kept the feel and the charm of this historic house which is adorned by many beautiful period pieces that belonged to the original family. We felt like we were family! We truly enjoyed this lovely and friendly family and their pets. Their period home could be on a film set!
Show more...No reviews yet.
Zara
