Comfort food in a cozy setting Our favorite local restaurant, in Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, is l’Auberge de l’Ecole, so named because it is in the former schoolhouse (école) of the town. There are two reasons we adore eating here – the restaurant itself is charming with delicious food…and the owners, Brigitte & Patrick Grau, could not be […]
The French love murals (fresques) on the outsides of buildings, and they are found in towns and cities all over France. The fun thing about murals is that they add a scenic interest to an otherwise bland wall or building, suddenly adding an element that is at once thought-provoking and charming, with a story to […]
While in Perpignan, a few days ago, we happened upon the shops of Hélène Colls. Situated on either side of a small street, at a corner of La Place de la République, these two little boutiques display and sell the stuff that gourmets’ dreams are made of. Closest to the place is the original shop […]
According to a list of the top 10 worldwide regional destinations to visit in 2018, which has just been released by Australia’s travel guide, The Lonely Planet, the ranking puts Languedoc-Roussillon in 4th position for its “various and varied charms: white sand beaches, sapphire waters, rustic markets and hills covered with maquis …” I thought […]
There are many houses in this region with ornamental, sculpted faces added to their façades. I love the way this personalizes homes – often with a bit of humor – and frequently with a jovial smile. Some of these faces are amazingly expressive. Most are quite old. Once you start looking for them, you find […]
We just brought home a precious piece of furniture – a panetière provençale. I have dreamed of having one of these for so many years, and am thrilled to finally have one to call our own! Before we found this gem, we had looked at quite a few that were either in poor shape, or ridiculously expensive. This week, […]
One of the most pleasant places I know is the Abbaye de Valmagne, which happens to be conveniently located about 10 minutes from our town. This beautiful old abbey was founded in 1138 by Raymond Trencavel, Vicomte de Béziers, and was originally a Benedictine and then later a Cistercian monastery, but was in danger of being destroyed following the […]
Last Fall, we were at the house in Montagnac for five weeks, so we had a chance to relax and do some exploring that we hadn’t been able to do during our first time living there. Our first trip there (after we had bought the house) was jam-packed with back-to-basics decorating. This more recent trip, […]
(Note: This story was first published on June 24, 2016.) The guest room at Le Bijou really needed new beds, more than anything else. The beds that we inherited were fine for a kid’s overnight camp and, well…enough said. The room also lacked any sense of personality. On a trip to one of our favorite […]
(Note: This story was originally published on May 20, 2106.) The kitchen of our house in Montagnac was what first drew us to the house. The picture, on the realty site, of the medieval stone vaulted ceiling and the four stone columns seeming to hold the ceiling up, was absolutely magical. It was that picture […]
La Joie de Vivre 