Converted fisherman's cottage in French port town

A tastefully converted fisherman's cottage built in the 18th century. Located in the old town quarter of Marseillan, a delightful port-side town on the Etang de Thau, a magnificent saltwater lagoon all just moments from the Mediterranean.

The house has been completely modernised and well appointed, including a superb architect designed roof terrace which catches the sun all day. We offer all you need for a comfortable stress-free stay. A short walk from the front door you will find a wonderful choice of shops, cafes and excellent waterside restaurants, everything from pizzeria to fine dining. The area is abundant with fresh seafood and oyster production from the salt water lagoon and some great local wines to complement them.

The house has 2 x double bedrooms and 1 x twin, and comes fully equipped with linen and towels. There is a fully equipped kitchen - hob/oven/dishwasher, plenty of good quality crockerty, glasses and cooking utensils if you like to shop at the markets and cook up your own dinners chez vous.

We normally suggest that the house comfortably accommodates 2 to 5. Due to steep stairs to the top floor, we wouldn't advise it for anyone with limited mobility or for tiny tots.

The house is a second home, and we also use it for holiday lets, so it's beautifully cared for by our lovely English housekeeper, who lives just around the corner. Everything will be prepared for your arrival with beds made and clean towels in the bathroom.

About the location

Marseillan is a jewel of a location, enjoying the bounteous waters of the Etang, the slow meander of the Canal du Midi and the cool vibe of the Med beaches. The town is also home to the world-famous Noilly Prat distillery, the vermouth beloved of James Bond, and three caves offer AOC table wines, including Picpoul, the wine to partner your oysters. Fill your containers from the pump for a few euros.

You could eat out every day in a huge choice of restaurants, bars and cafes, serving everything from tapas to coffee and crepes, pizzas and fine dining. In spring and summer, the oyster producers open their tiny deck restaurants hanging out over the waters of the Etang, so you can see your food being landed before it hits the plate. Fresh or what?

There are three supermarkets within a few minutes' walk from our front door, but head to the indoor food market to buy your fish freshly caught from the Etang, wander around the bustling Tuesday market which overflows into all the streets, then stop for coffee at the Bar Marine next to the church, and watch the world go by while you adjust to a different pace of life.

Marseillan has two sailing schools, as well as windsurfing / wake-boarding on the lagoon, cycle hire - and miles of safe bike tracks which take you all along the beaches - plus tennis and horse riding. Take a boat tour across the Bassin to visit the oyster parks or go for a sardine picnic at the deserted Fort Brescou. Golfers can drive off on two courses

And there's so much more to discover. Historical towns within a short drive include the ancient Greek port of Agde, now one of the Med's biggest pleasure ports. Settle down with a cocktail at one of the many waterside bars and ogle the millionaire yachts. Don't miss Sete, the 'Venice of the Med', where water jousting takes place in summer. Wander around Molière's historic Pézenas, full of cute galeries and specialist shops. Discover the Crusaders' Aigues-Mortes, the World Heritage sites of St Guilhem le Desert (voted second prettiest village in France), and the amazing Roman Pont du Gard. Or shop till you drop in cosmopolitan Montpellier.

There are easy scenic driving routes for day explorations - punctuated by degustations of the wonderful local wines, picnics in the hills or by lakes, or join the locals at the weekend at one of the many extensive Marches aux Puces - flea markets - where you may just find the bargain of a lifetime!

Only slightly further afield, you can enjoy the birdlife of the Camargue, the spectacular Cévennes, the exhilarating white-water gorges of the Haut-Languedoc, the fairytale citadel of Carcassonne or the Provencal towns of Avignon, Arles and Uzes.

The Spanish border is only a two hour drive, and some of our guests have enjoyed side trips to Barcelona and the Costa Brava. But if you fly into Beziers, there is a bus link into town, so it's perfectly possible to enjoy your holiday without a car and explore the local area on foot, by bike or on inexpensive public transport.

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