Situated in a picturesque village along the Canal du Midi and restored with taste and quality, the Chateau de la Redorte is a beautiful complex offering studios to 3-bedroom apartments and services including a restaurant, a Spa and a swimming pool.

Property type : Leaseback luxury apartments

Address: La Redorte
Accommodation: Studio-2 beds
Prices: €116K to €343K
Sizes: 26 to 73sqm
Deposit: 2% to Notary
Delivery date: 2012
Yield Up to: 4%
Terrace: 26 to 73sqm
Sales office: Yes

The Development:
Once upon a time, nestled at the very heart of the picturesque Minervois village of La Redorte, was a beautiful castle where the Count and the Countess d’Artois hosted sumptuous grand parties, opulent feasts and enchanting recitals inviting their finest guests… Almost two centuries later, the castle is still standing and is due to become a magnificent new country Estate and Spa development at the heart of the Languedoc, 10 minutes from the Canal du Midi, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The centrepiece of this unique project is the fully restored Chateau, a superb quality renovation using traditional materials and craftsmanship for the design, which fuses the ancient and the contemporary to spectacular effect. It consists of 11 apartments from studio to 3-bedroom. Styling references from key periods in the Chateau’s history shape the interiors of each accommodation, evoking classic French elegance with a modern twist – traditional colours, textures and materials, including wood, iron-work, lime washes -, with textiles being used alongside state of the art lighting and equipment, and carefully chosen objets d’art. The development comes with all the facilities one would expect from an international resort, including a terrace restaurant serving the best of Mediterranean cuisine, bar and show kitchen with regular tastings of the best wines the South of France has to offer, as well as reception rooms, a billiard room and an outdoor pool. It also features a superb Spa with two treatment rooms and a superior elegant indoor Roman bath. The legend tells that one of the castle lords was put under house arrest. As he could not stand the rule, like any French man would, he built 2 underground tunnels to be able to reach his vine yards. Today these tunnels still exist. The first one leads to a plot a couple of yards away, the second one, used as a wine cellar and a gallery with regularly changing collections, leads to the Spa. In the enclosure of the chateau are a vegetable garden, yoga and picnic areas. Located at the heart of the village, all amenities including restaurants, bistros, bakery, delicatessens, banks and doctor are close to hand. This is a unique opportunity to purchase a beautiful vacation/investment property on a fully managed luxury resort with guaranteed rental income available as an option when not in use, a ‘Coup de Coeur’ and a sound investment.

The Location:
La Redorte is a charming little town on the banks of the Canal du Midi which attracts a large tourist population in the summer months. The public gardens are situated just off the main road that intersects the town and are a marvellous example of municipal gardens built to a tried and tested French formula. The gardens have several monuments to wine making within them, a testament to the industry on which the region depends, as well as many beautiful plants, trees and flowers. Saint Jean Church, at the edge of the pretty town, is a fine example of an old stone church in the traditional French style, although there are hints of the Spanish influence on this area of the world that can be seen in the framing of the windows and some of the internal features. It is located in the green region of Languedoc, dotted with vines, scented with lavender and thyme, watched over by permanent blue skies and sculpted with dramatic landscapes along a 300 kilometre stretch of golden beaches from the Cote d’Azur to the Spanish border. For the sightseers there are many places to visit in the area, including medieval villages, abbeys, cathedrals, Cathar castles, museums and exhibitions (the Dali museum is 1 hour away). For nature lovers, there are national parks, hot springs, gorges and caves. There are stunning sandy beaches an hour from the town, beautiful rivers and many swimming pools both outdoor and indoor.

Activities:
Throughout the year, guests and locals alike will partake in a wide range of activities – social, cultural, gastronomic and sporting – all of which will serve to foster integration with life in the village. The village boasts numerous clubs and societies, social and sporting, allowing you to become a part of – rather than apart from – the local community. In a game of petanque, an aperitif in the shade of an olive tree, or the first tasting of the season’s vintage, you will discover the gentle art of living. The Canal du Midi, with its bistros and lively canal culture is a short stroll away. Take a boat, or cycle its towpaths, stopping for refreshment at the vineyards that mark its course. Visit the ancient Cathar sites, including magical Minerve, one of the most beautiful towns in France. A paradise for walkers and cyclists, the Languedoc offers an impressive range of sporting activities with several championship golf courses in the region, and horse-riding, tennis, fishing and sandy Mediterranean beaches are all an hour away.

Financing:
Sextant has its own French mortgage brokerage service in order to find the most suitable mortgage for each client. Whether you want an interest-only mortgage, a traditional repayment mortgage or hybrid mortgage, Sextant can get the right mortgage for you.

The investment scheme:
Your property will be managed by a well known business management specialist.
2 options: from pure investment (4% yield) up to 8 weeks personal use per year (2% yield).
Rents are guaranteed by 9 year commercial lease (renewable).
The buyer will get 19.6% VAT cash back
Rental income paid quarterly.
Flexible personal use – owners at the Chateau will be able to use any other property of the management company

Access:
La Redorte is a commune of the Aude department in the Languedoc Roussillon region of the southern France.

By car: La Redorte is off the D610, if you are travelling by car along the main A61 / E80 you need to exit at Esther junction 26 or 27. The village is approximately halfway between Narbonne (33 kms) and Carcassonne (30kms).

By train: by the Eurostar it only takes two and a half hour from London to get to Paris. Then from Paris regular trains depart to Narbonne and Carcassonne.

By plane: Carcassonne airport is about 30 kms away and there are flights from the UK and Ireland via Ryanair throughout the year. Toulouse Airport, is another very busy airport with flights from British Airways, Flybe, Easyjet, Bmibaby and Aer lingus is just over 100 kms away. Montpellier Airport, Perpignan Airport and Nimes Airport are all within a 2 hour drive of La Redorte.