The house is in a great location in the old town on a quiet narrow street. It's just a minute’s walk from the shops and the Rue du 4 Septembre with its array of bars and restaurants. Here you will also find the several street markets during the week. These are excellent for food, bargain fashion goods and bric à brac. The shops nearby include a Petit Casino, a fishmongers and a fruit and veg shop. There are two boulangeries about 3 minutes walk away!

The house itself is a large traditional townhouse. It is spacious and cool in the heat. The house is attractive and well equipped. It has three floors plus a secluded roof terrace. There are three flights of stairs leading to the roof terrace. From the terrace there are good views over the roof tops of the old town towards the cathedral tower and onwards to the distant Pyrenees. The roof terrace was our favourite place for breakfast and in the early evening - for nibbles and wine. It’s a good idea to use a bag to carry stuff up and down. I probably wouldn’t recommend the stairs if you are infirm or for young children.

The house is only 10-15 minute’s walk from the train station which is also where you will find the bus stop for the shuttle bus for Béziers Airport. We didn’t have a car. We used the cheap and reliable public transport. Pick up maps, bus timetables and other information at the Office de Tourisme (they have wifi too). However, a good way to get around the Agde area, including the nearby beaches and marinas of the Cap d’Agde and Grau d’Agde, is by bicycle.

You can also walk from the house to the beaches at Grau d’Agde. Simply follow the path by the river down to the sea. It takes 20-25 minutes. We walked down and returned by bus. In fact we particularly liked Grau d’Agde. The beach is excellent and safe for bathing and there is a good choice of attractive riverside bars, shops and restaurants.

Agde restaurants we recommend are – Mare Nostrum (on the river near the cathedral). La Ribote (creperie) and Vins et Produits du Terroir both on Rue de l’Amour.

Nearby towns to visit include – Pézenas (by bus) - Visit the Museum of Doors. Marseillan (by bus) – Walk around the streets of the old town and the waterfront. Visit Noilly Prat for tasters. Béziers (by train or bus) – Like Agde, Béziers is one of the oldest towns in France. From Béziers there is a 1€ train line running north along the Orb valley. Sète (by train) – Interesting attractive waterfront town known as the ‘Venice of Languedoc’.

Great location right in old town centre but peaceful lovely road. The best bit is the roof terrace but beware of 80+ stairs to get there from the ground floor, Well equipped and comfortable beds/berooms. The ground floor is very dark and can feel oppressive. However, staying in this piece of history is a real joy and owners friendly and helpful. Not for you if you have mobility problems or young children due to stairs. Sunset on the roof is magical!

Ich war schon mehrmals mit meinen erwachsenen Kindern und Enkelkindern dort. Wie haben uns immer sehr wohl gefühlt. Das Haus ist geräumig und mit allem notwendigen Dingen ausgerüstet. Man muß aber gut zu Fuß sein, denn zwischen der Dachterrasse und der ebenerdigen Küche/Aufenthaltsraum liegen viele Wendeltreppen. Es liegt in der historischen Altstadt und hat die Atmosphäre von vielen Jahrhunderten (Stadtmauerreste in der Rückwand, alter steinener Backofen im Aufenthaltsraum, viele Gebrauchsgegenstände der vergangenen Jahrhunderte zum ansehen). Alle Einrichtungsgegenstände sind originell und funktionstüchtig. Wenn man mit dem Auto anreist, muss man kleine Wege vom Parkplatz zum Haus in Kauf nehmen, denn direkt vor der Tür gibt es nur sehr kleine Gassen. Direkt im Umkreis von 50 Metern sind Restaurants, Geschäfte und Märkte zu finden.

Der Kontakt mit den Vermietern ist freundlich und ohne Probleme.

Ich werde wohl noch oft nach Agde in dieses Haus reisen!

Having visited Agde several times in the past, this was the first opportunity to book the 'House With the Stone Door' although I had previously thoroughly enjoyed other properties of Mediterranean Holidays, the same owners. I wish that the house had been available on previous visits.

The directions were good, and from the moment I entered, everything was exactly as I had imagined, and hoped for, from the website. The handover was efficient and welcoming, the property was spotlessly clean, excellently equipped and uniquely decorated.

Importantly, everything worked, including the corkscrew..

Although the house is in the 'Centre of Town', it is quiet and because of its old, massive construction, it is very pleasantly cool.

The recent restoration of this ancient baker's shop (still complete with the original oven) has been superbly done keeping the atmosphere and some furnishing of a past time, but with all the comforts expected today.

Particular memories are of truly magic and real "sundowners" on the rooftop terrace watching the sun slowing sink down behind the distant Pyrenees.

All the activities advertised were readily available, and an extra favourite giggle at the expense of fellow tourists, was to watch the antics of hire boat skippers in the Round Lock on the Canal du Midi (close to the railway station). The best time was around 2.15pm when the lock was reopened after lunchtime. It as also a pleasant canal-side walk.

Restaurants abound, and often visited was 'Mare Nostrum', one of the new floating ones at the Quay. For a fish treat, try 'Casa PePe' tucked behind a bar on rue Jean Roger - book a day in advance for a 'special'.

A pleasant trip is to Marseillan on the Entang where the 'O Soleil' serves excellent food.

For a complete change of scene, Cap d'Agde's chromium and glitz offers the other extreme from Agde.

The Agde tourist office is good for info on local events. Watch out for concerts on the island across the main bridge - jazz and other sounds are good, and in Sete. Do be in town for the Thursday morning street market - absolutely everything, and don't miss out the cheese, olives, meats, fish, fruit and veg bit hidden behind the main supermarket.

Would I book this house again? Yes, wish I was there now.

Recommend the 'House With the Stone Door' to relatives and friends? Yes, without hesitation.

We had no idea what to expect when we arrived in Agde, and that was probably for the best. But even if we had expected something, this house would have blown us away all the same. It was that good.

The interior of the house was light and spacious, but still keeping one in mind of when it was built - the walls were rough stone and often had gaps - 'spy holes', we called them - that one could look through to the road outside. There was a sort of beautiful asymmetry to the place - slanting ceilings, tiny doors, and surprises where you wouldn't expect them. This was no sanitized hotel room - instead, it gave one a feel for what it would really be to live in Agde.

The town had the same beauty, as well - roads built before cars that were easy to get lost in if you got too sure of yourself. Every week there is a market held in the square, to barter and buy long rolls of cloth, old metal, trinkets and candies and anything one could hope to find. The nearby river lends the chance to walk near flowing water.

If anything, I would have to say that this vacation is not for the faint of heart or weak of leg. There are several flights of stairs in the house alone that one traverses several times a day, and the only place to park a car is a far walk from the house.

But if that is no object, there's nothing negative about the house at all. I recommend this to anyone interested, or even slightly intrigued, or hey, even anyone who's never heard of it before. It's worth it by far.