The team here have a winning formula: family-friendly villas set on a stunning estate with private pools, plenty of land to explore, and a bar and restaurant on site for frazzled parents. Older children can explore to their hearts' content, whilst mums and dads can kick back and appreciate the spa, tennis court and vineyard views from the infinity pool. There is no compromise on style, with super-elegant Gallic interiors, Smeg appliances in the kitchens, ample wardrobe space for even the most indecisive fashionista, and ensuite bathrooms for all bedrooms.
Days are spent exploring this authentically French corner of the Languedoc: vineyards, rolling hills, sleepy villages and chateaux at every turn. Held every Saturday, a visit to nearby Pézenas market is a must for nose-tingling cheeses, and it's only 40 minutes to the seaside. Kids' activities are laid on in summer, and they’ll be making firm friends; fellow guests who we met were already booking dates for the next year. Choose a villa with a private pool, and you might not want to leave at all.
Highs
- Families are warmly welcomed (we think best for ages 5 and up), with tennis, ping pong, bikes, kids clubs in the school holidays and more. (If you prefer a calmer vibe, stay in the chateau itself which is adults only)
- A great cocktail bar, fine restaurant and swanky spa take the hassle out of finding these holiday luxuries elsewhere
- You can choose from a range of villas, from 2 bedrooms to 4, plus a 1-bedroom apartment
- About half the villas have private heated pools – a rare luxury in resorts of this type (and most are gated too)
- Another godsend is that they can be flexible on arrival and departure days
Lows
- You may feel nervous unleashing your family in the elegantly styled villas – an end of stay cleaning service is available!
- For those with toddlers (or older guests with mobility issues), most villas have lots of stairs
- This is a working winery, so expect some noise from September harvest farm machinery
- It's not cheap, plus extras like meals and activities add up...
- Popular in peak times, you'll need to book ahead for these; or try their sister properties Chateau Les Carrasses and Chateau Capitoul
- Travel cots and bedding
- High chairs on request
- Baby baths
- Plastic plates and cups
- Stair guards
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Reception can recommend local babysitters and provide contact details
During the school holidays (Easter week, spring and October half-terms and the summer holidays), kids club sessions can be booked (1 session is a morning or afternoon) in blocks of 5 or 10. Expect a variety of activities for 4-12 year olds, including scavenger hunts, farming in the kitchen garden, den-building, French cricket, foraging and water play. After the high tea at 6pm you could head to the mini disco or enjoy movie night. During the winter school holidays, the solarium pool is open for kids aged 5+ from 10am-noon (first come, first served Wed-Sun, by reservation only Mon-Tue; free if you bring your own robe & towels from the villas, otherwise EUR5/person)
During school holidays, kid-friendly lunches (sandwiches, snacks) are served out on the terrace, and there's a separate kids dinner (normally at 6pm), plus occasional BBQs and paella nights for older children. If you come out of season with pre-schoolers, as we did, you might find the restaurant rather formal, with attentive waiters, hushed couples and a sophisticated kids' menu (think fish fillets with artichoke and potato puree served on huge French dinner plates)
- Table tennis
- Tennis court
- Boules
- Heated pool
- Bikes (of all sizes) to borrow
- Sandy beaches at Serignan and Portiragnes (35 mins drive)
- Calm, shallow waters on the Thau lagoon (45 mins)
- At Thau, you can hire little electric boats for the day
- Horse-riding for all ages nearby
- Kayaking and kite- or wind-surfing for older kids
- Dinosaur Park at Meze (40 mins), with really lifelike models
- Aquarium in Montpellier (1 hour) - handy for rainy days
- Boutique Villas
- 36 villas for 2-8
- Restaurant open daily
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pools
- Spa
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car essential
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Tennis Court
- Bicycles Available
- Cleaning not included; daily maid service additional cost
- Boules
- Trail maps
- Electric car charger
Rooms
There are over 30 villas, ranging from 2 to 4 bedrooms, with or without pool, plus a 1-bedroom apartment – so you've plenty of choice (unless you leave it late to book, of course). Some are attached, others stand alone; most are on 2 levels – so be prepared for stairs.
If you only need a room not a villa, note there are eight guest bedrooms on the top floor of the main chateau itself.
We stayed in a 3-bedroom villa with private pool (one of the Maisons des Vignerons), and were blown away by the space. From the entrance hall, we emerged into a gorgeous kitchen-diner, then down to a vast lounging area, whose central glass doors open onto a garden terrace with dining for 8, loungers, BBQ and our own private heated pool. The views are of the vineyards and it is a sweet spot for a sundowner. You can keep an eye on the pool from inside, although they are all gated or alarmed for safety.
In our house (the layout varies in others), one bedroom was on the ground floor, with a full bathroom next door: tub, shower, Cinq Mondes toiletries and stacks of the fluffiest towels and robes. Upstairs were 2 further ensuite bedrooms, with acres of wardrobe and storage space, and a Freeview TV in the master bedroom. It's all très chic, the muted straw and cream palette enlivened by colourful light baubles and bold artworks. And it's ultra high-spec too: expect Smeg appliances and enough wine glasses for a house party (see Eating). Despite (I'd like to say 'because of') all this, we felt instantly at home!
Cleaning is not included; the end-of-stay clean costs extra. As it's unlikely you'll want to extensively clean the property yourself, we recommend this.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Central heating
- Cots available
- DVD player
- Hairdryer
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- Washing machine
- WiFi
Eating
Each villa has a brilliantly equipped kitchen, including dishwasher, coffee maker, microwave, toaster and all the utensils you could need to whip up a mini Gallic feast. You may want to do a quick shop en route from the airport, as the villas don't come with supplies (besides a welcome pack with some local products. tea, coffee, dishwasher tabs and condiments). We enjoyed lazy breakfasts and the occasional lunch 'at home' – there are surprisingly good little supermarkets in the adjacent villages of Roujan and Pouzolles (both within 10 mins' drive).
But trust me, you won't be cooking every day. In summer, a family-friendly lunch menu offers pizzas, sandwiches and snacks on the terrace, while in the evening there are kids' meal times and the occasional paella night or BBQ. But if you fancy spoiling yourselves one evening, book a baby-sitter and a table at the Domaine's restaurant: a quiet, elegant space for candlelit à la carte dinners.
Try the basil cocktails (the barman really knows his stuff), then whet your appetite on smoked tuna tartare with sweet peppers, or asparagus with eggs and caviar. Mains include fresh fish, roast pigeon or lamb (spiced up with morels and spring greens when we stayed), or cod with cuttlefish and chorizo. But do leave room for a soupcon of fruit parfait or Tonka bean chocolate. It's not a cheap dinner, but it is special.
There are also 2- and 3-course set lunches, and a fantastic but pricey buffet breakfast if it all gets too much. The kitchen can arrange BBQ packs or picnic lunches with advance notice. If you simply want fresh bread or croissants in the morning, just let them know and send the kids out to collect it.
There are a few restaurants in Puissalicon village, which is a 25 minute-walk or 10 minute-bike ride through the vineyards, or less than 5 minutes by car.
Features include:
- Bar
- Barbecue
- Breakfast
- Coffee maker
- Dishwasher
- Fridge
- Full kitchen
- Hob or stove
- Kids' meals
- Meal delivery service
- Microwave
- Oven
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Toaster
Activities
- On site, you can build up a sweat on the tennis court, cool off in the main infinity pool, warm up again with a game of boules or table tennis, or get further afield and hire one of their road bikes with the option of an early-morning guide
- With wine domaines at every turn of the road hereabouts, you can taste vintages of every colour, age and varietal – so long as someone can drive you home, of course
- Don't miss the Saturday market in Pézenas – it takes over the whole town centre – for excellent fruit and veg, saucissons, cheeses and fish
- Do book at least one afternoon in the spa for a relaxing treat – our Moroccan massage was a blissful stress buster, and there's a full treatment menu, steam room, sauna, indoor pool, and Jacuzzi
- Outside the domaine, there are lots of family-friendly days out, from kayaking to horse riding and sailing, and beaches are a 35-minute drive away: reception will guide you
- The 18 hole, 7400-yard golf course at Béziers St Thomas (20 mins' drive) welcomes non-members
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
- Golf
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Kayaking
- Kitesurfing
- Sailing
- Shopping / markets
- Table tennis
- Tennis
- Well being
- Windsurfing
- Wine tasting
Best Time to go
If you want the kids to make lots of friends, come in high summer - you couldn't ask for a better place. May and June are quieter and usually enjoy good weather; stay in September to witness (and help with) the grape harvest, or in October for cool but usually sunny autumn days. April can go either way – we had a few grey days when we visited in early April.
Our Top Tips
We loved visiting the cobbled back streets of Pézenas, whose quirky little artisan shops sell everything from classic espadrilles to delicious biscuits, tapenades and jewellery.
If you want to be slightly away from the bustle, ask for La Maison du Jardinier (a 3-bedroom villa with private pool) – the original gardener's cottage, tucked away among vineyards with a secluded garden.
The terraces for villas 16-19 are all west-facing so provide the perfect spot for a sunset over the vineyard.
If you want to be slightly away from the bustle, ask for La Maison du Jardinier (a 3-bedroom villa with private pool) – the original gardener's cottage, tucked away among vineyards with a secluded garden.
The terraces for villas 16-19 are all west-facing so provide the perfect spot for a sunset over the vineyard.
Location
The St Pierre de Serjac estate lies between the villages of Pouzolles and Magalas in the Languedoc region of southwest France. It is 35 minutes from the coast and 25 minutes from Béziers.
By Air:
Béziers Airport (32km) is the nearest; Montpellier (85km) has more flights; and you could consider Carcassonne or Nimes (120-130km). You'll want a hire car – see our recommendations.
By Train:
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, there are good services to Montpellier, and then on to Béziers if you like. If you are coming from London and your train is not direct, we recommend you change trains in Lille (a platform change) rather than Paris (a station change).
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to France and getting around
Airports:
- Béziers 32.0 km BZR
- Montpellier 85.0 km MPL
Other:
- Beach 34.0 km
- Shops 3.0 km
- Restaurant 3.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 3 independent reviews from i-escape guests
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