Maison de Maître

Montaigu-De-Quercy, France

HomeExchange Collection

For the first time, we are introducing you to the wonderful concept of Home Exchanges across the world. We are starting off in Europe – and are introducing you to a Parisian-based company called HomeExchange Collection, the luxury home exchange community from the global leader in home exchange vacations. It allows homeowners to travel, connect, and exchange over 4,000 upscale homes in over 70 different countries.

Maison de Maître

Our featured home in this spring issue is the graceful Maison de Maître – a charming stone villa with a tangible piece of 12th-century history – surrounded by medieval villages in Montaigu-De-Quercy. This charming home is situated in the heart of the French countryside, surrounded by vestiges of the original fortifications, and sweeping vistas of Southwest France and the Séoune river valleys.

Boasting four bedrooms, the home also features an expansive terrace with barbeques for outdoor dining. Additional amenities include Roman steps leading to the pool, a garden with shrubs, roses, and trees, and a natural spring that supplies water to the house. A large lawn offers ample space for recreational games, even a few golf shots.

Just beyond the villa’s comforts lies Montaigu-de-Quercy, a 14th-century medieval village with winding streets, medieval churches, and the Santiago de Compostella pilgrimage route. Here, travelers can delve deeper into history, exploring nearby Bastide towns, relics from the Hundred Years War, or savor the region’s famed food and wine, from foie gras to cheeses, pastries, honey, and of course, wine.

Accessibility to Other Beautiful Parts of France

Travel around France from your home base at Maison de Maître by taking day trips to easily accessible parts of a very beautiful country. You can return to your home base at night. Bordeaux is an easy 2-hour drive from Maison de Maître, as is Toulouse. If you plan to do a day trip to Bordeaux, there is the Saint Emilion Half-Day Trip with Wine Tasting (approx. $108 per adult) or the Bordeaux Wines Masterclass paired with cheeses and charcuterie (approx. $50 per adult).

Marseille and the French Riviera is a little further (5 to 6-hour drive) so you may decide that an overnight two or three-day stay in the French Riviera is an exciting option. Also known as the Côte d’Azur, the French Riviera is the Mediterranean coast of southeastern France. It includes famously glamorous beach resorts such as Saint-Tropez and Cannes, and the independent microstate of Monaco. A health retreat in the 18th century, the area later attracted aristocrats, artists and the 1960s “jet set.” Today it’s a much-sought-after holiday destination, with paths connecting many coastal villages and towns.

Each Home Valued at Greater than $1.5 million USD

Each home featured within the HomeExchange Collection boasts a value of greater than $1.5 million USD. But, one of the real luxuries for members of the exclusive community is the possibility to feel at home anywhere in the world in luxury homes with character. The other is the possibility to uncover unique local cultures and customs from host members who offer unparalleled pre-arrival advice for memorable moments and authentic travel experiences.

From lavish city penthouses to charming coastal retreats and serene rural havens, each home is individually inspected and carefully selected by the HomeExchange Collection team on precise criteria of quality, location, and amenities. Amenities they focus on include notable artworks; recreational offerings such as private pools or boats, tennis courts, pianos, and in-home movie theaters; technology available; wellness features such as saunas, and in-home gyms; personal services like daily housekeeping or a private chef; transportation offerings; and family-friendly features including cribs, children’s toys, private playgrounds, and babysitting services; among others.

More information on the HomeExchange Collection membership, go to https://www.homeexchange.com/collection.