Our holiday homes are situated in the beautiful Midi-Pyrénées area, in a village called Generest, which has a population of around 100. It is surrounded by other small hamlets and villages. The village has a church, town hall and charcuterie with other amenities being provided by the other local villages. It is a rural area with outstanding scenery. A river runs through the village, which has a mix of all types of properties, but mainly consists of houses typical of the local area.

Moving out of Generest, the nearest town is Montrejeau. This is a medium-sized town with all the amenities you'd expect, from bars, tourist office, restaurants, supermarkets and a cinema. More about Montrejeau can be found below.

Of course, much of the scenery around our holiday homes in this part of the midi-pyrénées is dominated by the mountains, and there is easy access by road up into them, as well as to the many villages and towns dotted around. The area is a national park, and there are hundreds of high-altitude lakes and much magnificent wildlife to be seen.

Cheese and wine are something of a specialty in the area, together with numerous outdoor pursuits.

Moving further out from our holiday homes, and looking around the Midi-Pyrénées region, there are many places of interest (again, see below). Towns and cities easily reachable by car or train include Lourdes, Tarbes, Pau and Toulouse. If you fancy trying your Spanish for the day, then both Spain (approx 1-hour drive) and Andorra (approx 2.5-hour drive) are close by.

The spring and autumn are warm, with the summers being very hot, with the odd shower or storm here and there. As you would expect, being near the mountains, it is almost guaranteed to snow in the winter.

Being situated at the foot of the Pyrénées means that there is so much to do around the area and just because our holiday homes are in the Midi-Pyrénées area and not on the coast doesn’t mean there’s no open water!

Montrejeau

A medium sized town with a community feel to it. There is a large market every Monday, selling a big mix of goodies from food to clothing. There are numerous festivals on over the summer. Montrejeau has a large lake which is fine for swimming or hiring a pedalo on to help you cool down.

Lombres

Cheese is a specialty and at this village you can go to the local farm, see how its done and then enjoy it in their restaurant !

St Bertrand Des Comminges

You can’t fail to miss the large cathedral which is the centre of this hill top village and surrounded by sixteenth century houses. The cathedral is large and well worth a look inside. The film "Name of the Rose" with Sean Connery was shot here. In the summer a mini-train will take you up into the village for 1 Euro and leave you free to wonder around this charming village. There are numerous places to eat and refresh yourself.

Grottes de Gargas

About 6km from St Betrand you will be able to go on guided tours of these caves and witness the 231 prehistoric painted hand prints and paintings of animals. Well worth a visit.

Valcabrere

South of Montrejeau, the Church of St Just is a wonderful Romanesque building with the remains of an old Roman settlement nearby, dating back to 72 BC.

Luchon

Well worth a visit any time of year but if its winter sports you’re after then a must for winter. There are two resorts around this town, Superbagneres, right above it, and Peyragudes, both with excellent skiing to be had. The town is pleasant in summer and is an excellent base for hiking, for those of you in the know the GR10 route passes nearby.

If you want to venture further out again there is plenty of places to go:

Toulouse

If flying, you might have landed here on your way in so you may want to take some time out to have a good look around the city. It is a wonderful place, quartered by two 19th century streets. There is much pleasure to be had wondering the streets and there are three very good museums together with some real architectural treasure in the churches and renaissance town houses. Place du Capitole is the centre for the city’s social life. Its smart cafes and restaurants keep it busy throughout the day and there is a large market every Wednesday trading in all sorts. There is also an organic foods market on Tuesdays and Saturdays. If you want some greenery then head for the sunny banks of the Garonne or the wonderful formal gardens of the Jardin des Plants and the Grand-Rond. There is not enough room to write any more about Toulouse except to say you will spend a very pleasant day here. Around an hour away.

Lourdes

Well known for the religious pilgrimages that people make to the town, it is a busy tourist spot. It became famous when in 1858 a 14 year old girl had the first of eighteen visions of the Virgin Mary. There are several churches and a castle nearby. Many people come here in the hope of being cured of all sorts of ailments. Around a 45 min. journey.

Spain

Yes Spain too! You can drive through the mountains (not as scary as it sounds) into the border towns and villages of Spain. These places are quite popular with the French who come to get their even cheaper cigarettes and alcohol but that’s not the only reason to pop over. Its an ideal opportunity to have Tapas or Paella for a change. About an hour and 15 mins journey.

Andorra

Quite a drive but worth it for some stunning scenery and a different experience. Upon arrival you hit Pas de la Casa, a ski resort open all year round. This place is made for tourists and is a large duty free shopping zone. However there is more to Andorra than this and its worth carrying on the drive after a refreshment break to see a bit more of this tiny country.

There are so many things to see and do in the local area. Apart from the activities listed below, you can discover the many cathedrals, roman ruins, Chateaux, museums, rafting, restaurants, thermal spas, villages etc etc.

(Please note that at this time sporting equipment is not supplied.)