20 Chemin du Pizou near Cessenon-Sur-Orb , Hérault

4m X 8m pool with shallow end shelf to lounge on, sun loungers, three pushbikes, BBQ, Large covered terrace, satellite TV, broadband access

Oven, fridge and ice box, microwave, dishwasher, induction hob

Children's playgrounds, canoeing, Walking, Cycling, Horse riding, Restaurants, Farm Zoo, Wine tasting, Sightseeing, Canal du Midi (walking,cycling, boat-hiring), Narbonne, Montpellier, Carcassonne, Beziers.

Cessenon is an attractive village with just the right mix of convenience and charm; two bars, three restaurants, two bakeries, a small supermarket, pharmacy, newsagents and broadband. The river Orb that runs through the village is great for swimming and relaxing with an attractive suspension bridge to the north side of the village. My villa is 400m over the bridge with views out to the hills behind the village and up into the High Languedoc National Park. I am a wheelchair-user and because I wanted to enjoy all Cessenon has to offer but couldn’t find a suitably accessible property I decided to build my own perfect residence instead!
So, the house has an open-plan salon and kitchen with three sets of French windows opening onto an extensive terrace with covered area and BBQ area looking down the valley to hills of Berlou.
The kitchen has all mod cons like an induction hob and microwave. The living/dining area is comfortably furnished with a sofa bed for those extra guests you’re bound to have drop by. There’s a large LCD TV with satellite reception, CD player with broadband on tap too.
There’s a large wet-room with a WC downstairs, along with two bedrooms; one with bunk beds, the other two singles that can be pushed together.
The master bedroom and en-suite are reached by stairs or a platform lift with a balcony and a Kevin McCloud-inspired 'naked view' of the hills from the en-suite bathroom. The bathroom itself features a top-of-the-range hydro-massage bath to ease away those aches and strains after you’ve been swimming or canoeing in the river Orb, which is just 400m away.
If you don’t want to go that far, there’s a pool on the terrace ten feet from the French windows! It features a full width wide shelf 20cm under the water, which allows you to lounge comfortably semi-submerged for hours on end, savouring one of the 60 or more different wines from the local Domaines. The rest of the pool is 1.40m deep, safe enough to avoid diving accidents, but shallow enough to allow children to stand and play on the inflatables that are stored in the large garage, along with three bicycles.
Once you’ve settled into the house there are plenty of low-key attractions nearby for jaunts out. Two good domaine are within walking distance on my side of the river and there are plenty of walking routes in the nearby hills. There’s a “mini farm” for the kids a mile out of town and canoeing from Reals three miles away if you want an action-packed day of shooting rapids and picnicking at “Treasure Island”, a beautiful rock-strewn pool three miles upstream from the village.
A visit to Roquebrun is a must, to swim in the shallows by the village or for a leisurely meal on the terrace of Le Petit Nice overlooking the weir and bathing spot, or head further up into the hills to the Blue Lizard at Vieussan. Talking of food, the Sunday market at St Chinian sets you up for a big lunch at one of the restaurants lining the road opposite. I like the Vernazorbe