Le Jardin Des Fleurs is set amongst the beautiful Lauragais landscapes in the Aude department, close to Haute-Garonne and Tarn, 14km from Castelnaudary and the Canal du Midi. Both Carcassonne and Toulouse Airports are less than an hour away by car whilst Castelnaudary is the nearest train station (with connections to Narbonne or Toulouse for TGV services from Paris).
This is a relatively unknown area of France meaning you can soak up the authentic ambience of local villages and towns without hordes of tourists. Start off at the end of your garden where a gentle-flowing stream passes, taking water from the Montagne Noire to the Canal du Midi. This stream has historical significance and in the late 18th century the then US president, who so loved the Canal du Midi, walked along this very stream. Nowadays you can potter along the pretty towpath and reach a lakeside restaurant (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) in about 40 minutes for traditional French cuisine and ice-creams as well as a play area. Otters have been spotted in the stream recently and look out for red squirrels in the garden.
Food-lovers note that there is an excellent restaurant (formerly with a Michelin star) with a picturesque terrace in Saint-Félix-Lauragais (8km) - it’s the perfect place for a special celebratory meal but do book ahead as with all good restaurants in the region. The same village’s main square is home to a boulangerie with a fantastic reputation (closed Mondays). Closer to home, the tiny village within walking distance usually has a travelling pizza van on a Monday night.
The Saturday morning market in nearby Revel (15km) is known to be one of the best in France, taking place in the central square. Mirepoix (50km) also hosts a gorgeous market on a Monday morning and it is such a pretty town to visit. Meanwhile, Castelnaudary (14km) is the place to go for a delicious lunch of cassoulet, perhaps followed by a boat trip along the Canal du Midi. Other local delicacies include goat’s cheese, foie gras, venison and duck whilst wine-lovers can venture further afield towards the Languedoc vineyards of Carcassonne and Minerve.
This region is wonderful for cycling along the country lanes as well as lakeside walks, summer swimming and seasonal watersports at Bassin de Saint-Ferréol, just a 20-minute drive away. The incredible scenery of the Black Mountains is also waiting to be explored with its little villages, forests, streams, lakes and historic castles.
You may also wish to spend the day in Carcassonne (58km), one of France’s most visited destinations with its medieval citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. For a change of scene, don’t miss the old town, La Bastide Saint-Louis, with its atmospheric café terraces, restaurants, wine-bars, shops and markets.
The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of those areas of France where you can feel like you’re totally cut off from the rest of the country. Commercial tourism has been very slow to capitalise on the region, meaning you can still enjoy a slice of authentic French rural life at its finest. A mixture of landscapes also makes it a great place to visit, with a good stretch of coastline offering a totally different experience to more bucolic interiors. Whatever you’re looking for, our range of villas and chateaux in Languedoc means you can get exactly the kind of holiday you want with accommodation that’s perfectly tailored to you, your friends and your family.
