MAS LA TAILLEDE

La Taillède est un ancien Mas imposant rénové avec goût et talent. Il est isolé et souffre d'un accès non bituminé long et difficile.
Il est composé d'appartements parfaitement équipés mais sombre car "enterrés" avec pour compenser des balcons ou terrasses jouissant d'une vue plongeante sur la nature environnante.
Ici, il vaut mieux profiter du calme des lieux et de l'environnement immédiat et oublier sa voiture.
C'est la raison pour laquelle beaucoup de personnes viennent pour des retraites ou des stages de Yoga.
Personnellement nous avons trouvé le lieu inaccueillant

We had an amazing 4 nights at La Taillede with our three sons. Matt, Ali, Olea and Simi were so welcoming and the entire place is calm and beautiful. The kids fed the animals, went for walks in the woods and rode the donkeys - didn’t want to leave! Thank you xx

We wanted to be alone, rest, read and meditate, close to nature. The yurt sounded like the perfect place.
Unfortunately our stay was ruined with the constant pestering from flies due to heavy rain before our stay.
Whether it was in the outside kitchen area or in the yurt, we could not relax without the flies pestering us vigorously. We spent our time brushing them away or killing them with the fly swatters provided. We told Ali's mum who came to the swimming pool where we enjoyed some respite.
On the Monday, we bought some sticky fly catchers. In the afternoon alone, we caught so many!
Later that day we texted Ali because frankly, it was so relentless, we were at the end of our tether. We asked if we could go and get a refund for the remaining days. They offered to put us up in the Cerise gîte, which was nice of them. However, the terasse had to be shared with gîte noisette, was facing the car park area and was adjacent to their entrance and in the view of the other guests. This was not what we had signed for so we declined and asked if a more private accomodation was available, even if we had to pay more. My husband was met with a condescending reaction as it would have been far too expensive for us!
They said they had never had that kind of complaint before (surprising considering the fly swatters and the Raid spray hidden behind the chest of drawers in the yurt). Then we were told that we didn't book the right holiday, that to be in a yurt, you had to be a nature lover. We explained that we were both close to nature from an early age. They then said they needed to see for themselves before making a decision. We sent them a picture as evidence. They then said that they were not in the wrong, that it was nature. We left the sticky fly catchers as evidence so Ali said she thought we had been very unlucky. All this through texts, because despite the fact that they live onsite, they did not come to see us. We heard Ali go and feed the pigs in the morning, but she didn't have time to come and see us.
They did tell us that they needed money to continue doing up the place. (We even agreed to give part of the money in cash)
It's the first time we've left before the end of our stay. We lost 4 days worth, which is more than 500 euros. Although the sheer amount of flies was not their doing, we've never felt so unheard and belittled.
It is clear that money matters to them more than their customers.

[Update May 2024] It's great to be back! Matt and Ali are wonderful hosts, and since we last visited they've done even more to make La Taillede a great place to stay. Highlights include the swimming pool and the sauna, and this time we were in Gite Canigou (children are older) which is beautifully done too.

In addition to staying in such a peaceful place (top tip - download a birdsong app like Merlin), it's really inspiring to see how Ali and Matt have built a community. Ask them about activities and places to visit, and you'll discover so much about the people who make this part of France such a great place to stay (like the fact that the local bike hire is run by two nuclear engineers).

We're already looking forward to returning!

[Our review from May 2019] This is a natural paradise! The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful and the accommodation is beautiful too - note that the photos don't show just how spacious Gite Carlit is. And Ali and Matt are great hosts. They have created a place that is peaceful and relaxing but also with plenty for the curious, from the farm animals and wildlife in the surrounding countryside to the mountain walks that are a short trip away. As a family of four (two adults, 12 year old daughter and 10 year old son), we could not have asked for more!

Simplement magnifique.
Alli et Mat très accueillants.
Gite superbe, très belles prestations dans environnement exceptionnel idéalement placé pour de nombreuses activités.
Une séance de massage avec Audrey fantastique, à prévoir absolument lors d'un séjour dans ce très bel endroit.