Claux de Bouscou

For a special family gathering, Claux de Bouscou is the ultimate rambling French farmhouse, that’s been lovingly renovated to the height of rustic luxury and packed with high spec finishing touches. Besides the 16th century farmhouse, the owners have converted the traditional pigeonniere, grain store and even the original bread oven building, so groups of up to 16+, from toddlers to grandparents, will never be under each other’s feet.

Given its age, Claux de Bouscou has all the character of original gnarly beams, honey-coloured stone walls and even a timber Minstrels gallery, but the owners have also incorporated their own hand-crafted additions. These include an Elm window seat in the kitchen, sliding doors in the Master bedroom made from huge slices of Walnut and, in the children’s room, bespoke, built-in bunk beds double as a play den, with a porthole under the steps for secret midnight feasts and a smooth wood slide to slither out of bed.

The big, high ceiling living room is a comfy place to come together, with its Loaf soft furnishings, Invicta wood burning stove, underfloor reversible heating/cooling and 60-inch wide screen TV with UK Satellite channels, plus there’s a 4m long dining table for family feasting, French-styley. Leading off the Sitting Room is a children’s playroom, full of toys, games, books, dress-up costumes and soft toys, plus a second TV with separate access to the satellite channels, another DVD player and a choice of DVDs. The farmhouse kitchen has been given a brand new, designer makeover, featuring a Smeg induction hob and oven, a double Smeg American-style fridge with an ice machine, Bosch integrated dishwasher and a Nespresso machine, plus there’s a second fridge, second dishwasher, washing machine and dryer in a separate utility room. Each bedroom has been designed to feel like a boutique hotel room, including Loaf Super-king beds with the finest John Lewis mattresses and bed linen, plus there is a decadent roll top bath in the master bedroom ensuite and luxury walk-in rain showers.

Claux de Bouscou is surrounded by a large grassy garden which has a lovely 14m x 5m heated swimming pool with a 5m x 3m paddling area that’s perfect for babies and toddlers, being just 30cms deep. There’s table tennis by the pool and plenty of space to play football, badminton and boules, or spread out a picnic in the orchard, while parents can find a quiet corner in the walled gardens of the Grain Store and Bread Oven, or sneak a snooze in the hammock, slung between chestnut trees or in the Apple day bed that rotates to chase or avoid the sun. From the pool and the outdoor terraces, there are scenic views over the surrounding fields towards the foothills of the Pyrenees and as evening falls, children will be pestering to toast marshmallows around the fire pit, sizzle Toulouse sausages and watch for shooting stars snuggled in a blanket.

Accommodation Overview

Between the main farmhouse, pigeonniere, converted grain store and ‘bread oven’ cottage, Claux de Bouscou has 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and sleeps a maximum of 18 plus babies, with two travel cots and a Chicco next-to-me crib available.
The air-conditioned master bedroom in the main house has a Super-king size bed and a luxury ensuite with a huge freestanding bath, a walk in rain shower, his ‘n’ hers washbasins and a WC. At the other end of the minstrels gallery is the fab children’s bedroom, also air-conditioned, with four, bespoke built-in bunk beds that have a porthole den beneath the steps and a wooden slide to slip down onto a cushion.

The children’s room also has a very handy ensuite WC. In another wing of the farmhouse, there is a second bedroom with a super-king size bed, a twin bedded room and a shower room with double Belfast basin and walk in rain shower with a separate WC. The Pigeonniere has a super king size bed on the mezzanine floor and ensuite with a slipper bath, walk-in rain shower and separate WC; the Bread Oven has a super-king size bed and ensuite walk-in rain shower/WC; and the Grain Store has a super-king size bed, a children’s bunk room and a family bathroom with a roll top bath, walk-in rain shower, his ‘n’ hers washbasins and WC.

The heart of the house for coming together is the large Salon, comprising luxury Loaf soft furnishings, a large wood-burning stove, underfloor reversible heating/cooling, 60” TV with UK satellite channels, Blue Ray player and a dining table that seats 16. Children also have a playroom to themselves just off the Salon which has its own satellite TV and Blu-ray player, plus a variety of soft toys, games, puzzles, books and dress-up outfits. The farmhouse kitchen is air-conditioned and has been newly renovated to the highest standards and includes a Smeg induction hob and oven, a Smeg double American-style fridge with an ice machine, Bosch integrated dishwasher and a Nespresso machine, as well as practical essentials for baby and toddler feeding time. There is also a separate utility room with a second fridge, second dishwasher, washing machine and dryer.