Holidays
in the South of France - the Canal du
Midi Boat Race in the Languedoc.
Did you know that a less known sporting event takes place in August on the Canal du Midi in the Languedoc? Each year since 1982 the “Canal du Midi Boat Race”, has been attracting intrepid rowers.
Canal du Midi is of course the artificial “river” that links Toulouse to the Mediterranean Sea built in the second half of the 17th century by Pierre Paul de Riquet – plane trees are planted along sections of the Canal providing much needed shade and beautiful speckled light over the water. The Canal du Midi, links the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic, and makes its way past Béziers, which is only just, as the engineering genius who built the canal was born here. A few hundred yards from the town, he had to build a series of seven locks to enable the canal to climb the Fonséranes hill. Today this is one of the major sites in Languedoc-Roussillon. Not far away, an ingenious bridge was built to take the Canal over the Orb River. It is now classed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
The competition gathers more than 200 rowing enthusiasts from all over the world. This year a great team from New Zealand competed in the race, and then came to stay in Domaine de l’Ise ref HE007A for a much needed rest after their arduous week!
The event, organized by the “Toulouse Pierre Paul de Riquet” Association lasts 6 days during which time the teams row their way on the Canal du Midi from Toulouse to the Naurouze to Béziers where the canal meets the Mediterranean sea – covering around a 200 km distance and crossing 48 locks.
Anyone signing up for next year? There is perfect Holiday Villa for 16 people in Beziers to relax in and spend time together indulging in more leisurely pursuits; cooking delicious food, having long lunches with rose sitting by the pool, going to the local beaches to catch some sun, and relaxing tired muscles by the pool.
'Our one week stay at Maison Mimosa, Roquebrun in July was
absolutely fantastic. We were a
two-family party of 9, with offspring
ranging in age from 14 to 23, and
parents of appropriate ages! Everybody
had a wonderful time.
We are all very keen wild swimmers and with children who would want some or lots of independence, we had deliberately chosen a house right on a river and right in a village. Good decision.
We had dreamy
mornings and evenings cooling off and swimming in the crystal clear water of
the River Orb against the gentle current right outside the house and also
really enjoyed being in the really spacious at atmospheric house looking at the
fantastic views of the bridge and mountains beyond and also of life on the other
side of the river where happy people and their dogs spend the day mucking about
in the river from the large natural river beach.
The river is safe and you can happily let
children from 12 years and up paddle and swim on their own.
In the house there is
an indoor pool and sauna plus games room with table tennis table and bar in the
cellar and the children enjoyed the swimming pool as a novelty a couple of
times but the weather was so good and the river so beautiful that it was very
under used. However, I can imagine that these
facilities might be wonderful to have mid-winter or when the weather isn’t
great.
Roquebrun is as charming as any tourist website tells you
but it feels properly lived-in and real and there is obviously a lot going
on. The Mediterranean Garden right above
the village is beautiful and testament to a lively community as it is run
mainly by volunteers and there was a really well attended village party on our
last night. We had a couple of great meals
out in Roquebrun; Le Petit Nice does really good pizzas and the relatively new, I think, Cave de St Martin tapas bar (tapas bar as a
description doesn’t really do the place justice I don’t think) was really
superb and is making my mouth water just thinking about the meal we had there. Everything fresh, everything
melt-in-the-mouth delicious, every ingredient top quality and everything
seasonal – plus great wine. We came
back to England enthused with the peach, tomato and basil salad we had there
and I
have served what I hope is a not-too-bad imitation of it four times
since being home! Both Le Petit Nice and
the Cave St Martin have fantastically friendly and helpful staff and wonderful
views and it was such a treat being able to walk to both restaurants in less
than 5 minutes.
Out of Roquebrun we spent a great day jumping into and
swimming in the beautiful deep clear-water pools in the Gorge d’Heric and
another day kayaking 10 and 15km back to Roquebrun, where some of our party
saw an otter and all of us loved the scenery and peace and quiet (except when
negotiating a rapid!). Also spent a day
at the Lac de Salagou, an amazingly atmospheric damn lake surrounded by
martian-like red sand and some really interesting villages and natural rock
formations. The journey cross country to
Salagou was beautiful too and a reminder of just how unpopulated and unspoilt
this part of France is.
Shopping was easy, with a village shop and a basic but
comprehensive selection of fresh bread plus tinned and fresh food and drinks in Roquebrun plus a fairly basic
twice-weekly market, and if you needed
to do a big shop, the big street market (weekly? twice-weekly?) and supermarket in St Chinian were
a pleasant 15 minute drive away. And of
course there’s a vineyard round every corner……..
We had to do an airport run to Montpelier near the end of
the week and it was extremely hot so we combined it with a trip to the beach on
La Corniche, just outside Sete. We had a
good swim in some great waves and it was perfect for a quick cool-off and to
dip into the Med quickly. Easy parking
and a nice freshwater shower was available.
But I know there are better beaches in Languedoc and, given a choice, I
wouldn’t have moved from the river Orb!
The South France Villas team were wonderful. Helped with travel arrangements, gave great advice and were generally as helpful as they could possibly have been. The fact that all their staff have lived in the area for a very long combined time really shows as they have brilliant local contacts and can answer almost any question you put to them. Thankyou all very much for a wonderful holiday.
L’Auberge du Presbytèreis a gourmet French restaurant not far from the village of
Vailhan, at the centre of the Herault department. The restaurant overlooks the
lower lake of the Barrage (dam) des Olivettes and from the terrace you have a
spectacular panoramic view of the Massif Viel Castel.
The produce is always fresh and mostly local, and the
chef Baptiste uses seasonal produce in imaginative and delicate ways. Saffron,
basil, red quinoa, green beans, celeriac and courgette feature alongside
delicious meats and fish.
They offer a selection of fine goats cheese from the
Mas Rolland farm very close by in Montesquieu as well as a seasonal cheese
selection; both accompanied by sucrine lettuce and hazelnut oil. Wild peach,
blueberries, redcurrants and prunes are used in a range of inventive desserts
and they serve an extensive list of regional wines.
Baptiste and Marine manage to maintain simplicity whilst
introducing many different flavours to their dishes. It works; the salmon
Carpaccio was perfectly cut and served fresh without seasoning, allowing the
anchovy and parmesan sauce (served artistically beside the fish) to complement
but not overpower it. The saffron sauce was full of flavour and the light,
succulent courgette added refreshment to the dish. The end result was a truly
flavoursome and fresh.
Their presentation is smart and simple, yet not too refined
(portion sizes are spot on). Spiralled metal chairs and a simple green and
white colour scheme fit effortlessly with the historical beauty of the church
and the abundance of greenery surrounding it.
We arrived as the sun was
beginning to set behind the mountain, casting a low, warm light on the whole
restaurant. It was so tranquil to sit facing the stunning valley from the
terrace. What’s more, the service was quick and friendly and Baptiste served
the amuse bouche to each table, beautifully describing what we were about to
savour.
Our conclusion: for locally-sourced, imaginative cuisine in
a beautiful, serene setting with service the way it should be, the price is
good.
Don’t forget to
walk around Vailhan before or after your meal; see the Dam and lake des
Olivettes and take the winding road between the mountains- past vegetable
gardens, churches and flower-lined pathways from the village to the restaurant.
Stay in the nearby Chateau St Marthe - it is only 15 minutes drive from the Auberge de Presbytere and has it's own private tennis court, large pool and a beautiful nature park as well as fantastic views over the surrounding vineyards - pictures below:
There is a reason the South of France is renowned for its
wine…
Vineyards cover a vast area of land in the South of France.
The Languedoc Roussillon region makes up 40% of France’s total vineyard area,
which is evident when walking, cycling or driving around the region. Long hours
of summer sun create a hot, dry climate which is perfect for grapes to ripen
well and quickly. Almost anything can be grown in the Languedoc region, and is.
Provence is well known for its very pale, light and refreshing rosés. The
Southwest is extremely diverse and venerable in wine-making and there are many
grape varieties which can only grow here.
Certified organic “bio” wines (meaning organically produced
from A to Z, from the vineyards to the processing) are now produced in the
South. The Domains listed below all worked hard to offer lines of fully organic
wine.
Know the lingo:
Domaine- an estate
which produces wine
Vigne- vine or
vineyard
Cave/caveau-
storage cellar for wine
Sylva Plana- 04 67 93 43 55
Sylva Plana is a welcoming and modern Domaine in Laurens.
There work a small team of ambitious individuals who, despite their success are
very happy to talk to you and show you around. Régisse orchestrates the wine
production in all its stages and can tell you about the different processes and
grapes.
Wine-inspired modern artwork is displayed and sold around
the Caveau and in the shop (look out
for Jane Appleton’s work). The shop also
stocks a wide range of other produce, including foie gras at only €5, confit
de volaille, terrine au piment
d’espelette and confit d’ognions. Sylva Plana also have a café and restaurant on site with a large outside
seating area. You might find yourself eating vegetables and fruits from the
chef’s very own potage (vegetable allotment)!
Our pick: under the recommendation of Régisse, the ‘Songe de l’Abbeye’(made up primarily of
Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mouvèdre grapes)is a dark,
fruity and full-bodied red wine that he buys. Perfect with red meat, chocolate
and mature cheeses.
Château de La Liquière - 04 67 90 29 20
Château de La Liquière also has a modern feel when you step
into the caveau, with bottles
beautifully displayed on curved racks complementing the spiralling stairs.
However, if you turn your attention to the detail of the foundations of the
building, you will notice authentic stone floors beneath you, and around a
corner the original caves with old, damp walls which smell of nothing but a
wine cellar! Large shelves also display a variety of local products for sale including
honey, tapenade, fleur de sel, fine
olive oils and vinegars and even aubergine caviar!
The Vidals are a family of winemakers, the business started
in 1960 and still run by them today. They strive to “remain faithful to our terroir and our country origins” whilst
making better and better wines each year. They use organic manure and aim for perfectionism,
handpicking harvest with great care.
Our pick: try their light, white flower and citrus white
wine, Les Amandiers,or even LesAmandiers
rosé
with raspberry, redcurrant and crème caramel aromas.
Don’t miss:
Cave de Roquebrun - 04 67 89 64 35
This is a great cave for wine tasting and gourmet local products! It sells
some of the best wines known to the region.
Our video featuring all of these wine Domains and more!
Did you know?
In the late 19th century, the French government commissioned Louis
Pasteur to study the French wine industry in order to decipher what was
plaguing the wine. Understanding the role oxygen played, as well as the
processes of yeast and fermentation was indispensable, and those same
techniques are still used today, although aided by modern machinery. Leftover impure sediment can be used as a raw material in products such
as lipstick.
Anyone signing up for next year? There is perfect Holiday Villa for 16 people in Beziers to relax in and spend time together indulging in more leisurely pursuits; cooking delicious food, having long lunches with rose sitting by the pool, going to the local beaches to catch some sun, and relaxing tired muscles by the pool.
