La Villa is one of the area’s landmark buildings, dating to a prosperous time when Mazamet had world importance for its wool industry.
It was built for Casimir Farenc, an accountant for a large company, and designed by two local architects, Mr. Fabre and Mr. Millet. A tasty anecdote told by our neighbor: Mr. Farenc lived alone at La Villa and the original plans only provided for two floors. One day, Mr. Farenc learned that his boss was building a three-story house. He then asked Mr. Millet (our neighbor’s grandfather!) to design a third floor for La Villa de Mazamet.
The original plans handed down to us indicate that the design stage began in 1934, with other schematic designs (for umbrella stands or desks amongst others) ranging from 1936 to 1941.
Two stories project
Three stories project
An invoice for fencing amounting to … 320 Francs! (48€)
Theory…
…and practice.Since 2010, and after extensive renovations, La Villa de Mazamet has been operating as a luxury “Chambres d’hôtes” (bed & breakfast) – offering five sumptuous, air conditioned guest bedrooms, a dining room, two lounges, gardens and a swimming pool. A more recent addition, ‘Le Petit Spa’, complements the offer with its sauna, jacuzzi and a range of massages.
Throughout the restoration project, which included a complete re-wire and re-plumb of the entire property, all original features were maintained. So when you stay at La Villa, you will walk on beautiful oak parquet flooring that were sanded and varnished by hand, ceilings and cornices re-painted to show off their former glory, intricate marble fireplaces (all 11 of them) buffed and polished, the original art deco baths re-enameled and brought back to life….not to mention sanding and painting 48 pairs of shutters!
The objective: turning what is regarded as one of Mazamet’s most architecturally important buildings into a modern and sumptuous place to call “home” for all those who pass through our doors.
We appreciate how important it is to feel relaxed and “at home” when on holiday. In addition to the facilities you will find in your own private air conditioned bedrooms, we want you to feel relaxed in every part of La Villa whilst you are with us.
On the ground floor, you will find two lounges – one quiet for reading or enjoying your favourite tipple before dinner, the other with magazines, board & card games, and a selection of over 200 movies on DVD which you can watch in the lounge or in your own bedroom.
A small library on the first floor has an eclectic mix of books which you can borrow throughout your stay (and we don’t mind if you take a paperback with you if you don’t finish it!).
For the ultimate relaxation, an afternoon in Le Petit Spa with its jacuzzi and infrared sauna may help to re-charge your batteries. You can even book a massage with our professional masseur.
Outside space is also really important and our private walled garden is open to guests with a sun terrace, a gazebo fitted with comfortable sofas and chairs, as well as a swimming pool. At the rear of the garden, you can also see our kitchen garden where we grow seasonal vegetables and herbs for use in our dishes.
Self-drive tours, car rental, restaurant bookings, hiking maps – let us take care of those so that you can focus on what’s important: yourself.
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