La Miraille - Maison de Maître - for sale €599,000 - beautifully renovated 3 storey house in the Village of Olonzac, in the Minervois, Southern France

The property is located on the outer centre of the village, less than 5 minutes from all amenities, including schools up to age 15, and less than 2 minutes from a bustling traditional market held on Tuesday mornings. It is unusual in that it contains a sizeable garden, whereas most village properties have only a courtyard at most.

Access is via gated entrances at either end to a private drive shared with the neighbour on the other side of the drive - whilst the drive leads to the front of the property, it is at the rear of the neighbouring property, so access is therefore more private. There is sufficient parking in the drive for 3 cars, although there is currently ample additional private space in the barn, which is also accessed via the drive.

Surrounding property is residential and many properties are working wine domains.

Wine dominates the local industry and Olonzac, with around 1700 inhabitants, is the capital of the Minervois wine district with a history stretching back to Roman times and more recently, the period of the Cathars. The climate is Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild winters - the Tramontane wind is a feature of the region.

By road, Olonzac is less than 20 minutes from the A61 motorway, the "Entre Deux Mers", which runs from Toulouse to Narbonne. It is 30 minutes from the A9, the "Languedocienne" which runs from Avignon to the Spanish border, and less than an hour from the A75, which runs from Clermond Ferrnad to Béziers. The Spanish border itself is just under 1½ hours and the Costa Brava just under 2 hours.

Lézignan-Corbières, the third largest town in the Aude, is 15 minutes away, Narbonne is 30 minutes, and Carcassonne and Béziers each 40 minutes.

There are 7 airports within 2 hours drive, all serving the UK: Carcassonne at 40 mins, Perpignan and Béziers at 55 mins, Toulouse and Montpellier at 1hr 20 mins, and Gerona (Spain) and Nîmes at 1hr 55 mins.

Olonzac is in the heart of cycling country (the Tour de France passes close in most years) and the preferred mode of transport for local people for short journeys is the bicycle.

For boat enthusiasts the famous Canal du Midi is just 5 minutes away.