Directions
This area remains off the beaten track, and takes slightly more than a day's drive from any of the ferry ports (see ferry routes and crossing times). We recommend an overnight stop on the way, allowing you to explore other areas of France as you go. Alternatively take the Motorail to Brive or Toulouse, or fly into Toulouse on one of the many flights from the UK.
By Air
By far the easiest (and, of course, most expensive) way to get to Mas de Rives is by flying to Toulouse Airport and hiring a car. The flight is about 1.5 hours and the journey by road from Toulouse is about 1 hour of fairly easy motorway and main road driving.
If you wish to use BA and Air France Air miles for the journey you are recommended to book early because they limit the number of seats per flight for air miles travellers and they fill up very fast. For cheap, non-air miles fly/drive bookings, we use Chris Simmons at Eccleston Foks (tel. 0207 730 2606).
With a young baby in tow this route has a great deal to recommend it.
Alternatively, you can catch a shuttle bus from the airport to Toulouse railway station and catch the train to any of three local stops - Najac, Monteils (for which you have to ask the driver to make a special stop) or Villefrance de Rouergue.
Driving from Airport
If you decide to drive from the airport, follow the signs in blue to A62 (Motorway) North to Bordeaux and Montauban. The motorway is a toll road and it will cost about 14 francs. Leave the motorway at Exit 10 for Montauban and join the N20 northbound. This skirts around Montauban. You do not go into Montauban, but follow signs to Cahors.
The quickest route is to stick on the N20 to just south of Caussade leaving the N20 and joining the D926 sign posted for Rodez. You pass through Septfonds and Caylus. About 9 kilometres out of Caylus you leave the D926 turning right at the first junction of Parisot. The Auberge de la Castille is directly in front of you at the junction. Head through Parisot and just as you leave the built up area of Parisot, past the large white Ecole Privé on your right, there is a very sharp, and concealed, turning to your left onto the D84 sign posted to Castanet and also marked for the Lac du Parisot. Take this turning, go past the Lac du Parisot (which will be on your left). Continue on this road until you see a sign for Cambayrac (immediately after the Lodgement sign) and then turn left. Continue through Cambayrac (past the large bins where you stay left, until there is a three-way fork in the road. Turn right to Mas de Rives. You will see the blue sign marked "JacKryn".