Rocks, sea and sun in Poilhes

David and Julia Moore-Kelly chose the Languedoc as much for its geology as its for its culture. | Maison d'Enserune - POIL102

It’s not often you hear of someone buying a house because of its elemental properties but this is precisely why David and Julia Moore-Kelly chose their house in Poilhes. Earth, Water and Fire, or if you prefer, rocks, sea and sun. Julia is a geologist and both she and David are mad about watersports so there is more than enough to keep them busy when they come down to Hérault. According to David, the Languedoc is home to some of the most fascinating geological sites in the northern hemisphere. The volcanic rocks around Agde are the remains of a very ancient mountain chain and form the most southerly part of the Massif Central. The watersports in the area are also second to none with the Mediterranean resorts offering an endless choice of waterskiing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, swimming, diving, snorkelling and fishing to name but a few. In addition, there are the Etangs around Leucate and the inland Lac de Salagou to provide different sorts of watery environments.

When they first bought their Poilhes house, David and Julia initially had no intention of renting it out but a conversation with Juliana Forte at South France Holiday Villas persuaded David of the ‘significant benefits’ to be gained from commissioning SFHV to advertise and manage the property. Juliana and her team are according to David, ‘Supremely accessible’ and ‘Pay great attention to detail. Having SFHV managing my property gives me security and confidence,’ he continues.

Spacious and airy with a good-sized pool, Sky TV, WiFi, decent furnishings and a good kitchen all combine to make the house easy to rent out. David feels there is a shortage of properties of a similar quality available. Location is also important and Poilhes, a mid-sized village located on the Canal du Midi, now offers some excellent bars and restaurants.    

Having the house rented and managed by SFHV gives David and Julia the confidence to be able to leave it for long stretches without the worry of being on-site or on-call 24/7. And when they do come down to Poilhes they have the space and time to enjoy their shared passion of watersports in this amazing corner of France.