Coursan holiday house: Nr Narbonne

The villa was everything that we expected. It is located deep in the vineyards well away from any other properties. The accommodation is spacious and despite their being eight adults you never felt crowded. We drove down through France to start the holiday and this was busy as the start of the French holidays contributed to heavy traffic. We were met upon our arrival and briefed about the house and made to feel very welcome. The pool was in constant use in the first few days relaxing and keeping cool in the heat. The first day Sunday we had to travel to the Casino supermarket about 10ks away as it was the only one open on a Sunday morning but managed to spend a few Euros on wine and cheese. The local Super U in Coursan is excellent. The villa has a good refrigerated capacity (2 in kitchen and two in 2 room) so keeping drinks and food cool was not a problem. I discovered the river at the rear was able to be accessed by climbing down the embankment , this is a fantastic spot for fishing and there are lots of cat fish and similar to be caught and even otters to see if you just sit quietly watching the banks. We explored the local towns and had day trips to Narbonne for the Thursday Market and to eat out in the evening and to Carcassonne to visit the old city. We took a trip into the mountains ( be warned SAT NAV does not like being driven through the rock surrounded valleys and can let you down badly so pack a map as well) . It was great to return back to the villa and cool off in the pool , play some table tennis or I must confess watch a bit of British TV . The weather was fantastic but as it got hotter the family preferred to stay nearer the pool than to go off exploring. The customer service was excellent everything was explained and any questions dealt with quickly. The locals were friendly and tended their vinyards and melon crops daily but only once came near the house as they were trimming the vines in a tractor. The wine regions are very interesting and you could spend weeks trying to work out the different cooperatives, and house hold names are all around.
I had a great time ate and drank to much but it is hard not to when the choice is so good.

I would recommend this villa especially if you like your privacy and want to experience the real french life , which can take a little slowing down for us to get used to.

The villa would benefit from an extra bathroom when its at capacity but I am aware that the owner has that in hand.

We stayed the first week of September just as the grape harvest was begining so much activity in the vineyard in front of the house and surrounding area. Great to feel a part of a special time of year. The house itself is really good and not too huge considering that there was just the two of us, we used the bedroom at the front of the house overlooking the vines, it had a really romantic french farmhouse feeling to it , which on some occasions was hard to drag ourselves away from, just to move to the sun lounger near the pool! Narbonne is a pleasant suprise with a fantastic market hall selling allsorts of local food and only ten minutes away. We drove down to Collioure what a lovely town, fantastic seafood lunch , quite touristy but then we are tourists. Loads to see and do in the area, Perpignan and Carcasonne are musts. Only downside some train noise and not many restaurants locally.

Along the tiny little vineyard-lined farm road La Favette is a fabulous villa which just oozes the character of the region, exactly how we imagined an old wine keepers lodge to be. Outside, it’s a picture, and inside its just bursting with atmosphere.

After getting our fresh provisions we spent the first day chilling at the pool. In the evening, I walked the 10 metres from the well equipped kitchen out to the facing vineyard and gathered a few bunches of black grapes. (I probably shouldn’t have done, but hey, with mile after mile of vineyards - who’s counting?). I think they were Shiraz – or the French equivalent “Syrah”. I then got a recipe from one of the cookbooks in the kitchen and made Shiraz Grape Jam, much to my wife’s amazement!! Even more amazing, it turned out great and we had it with fresh croissants every morning thereafter. How cool was that!

The grounds surrounding La Favette offer nice gentle walks into the country, or for kids, its one giant countryside playground. The swimming pool is beautifully presented and the surrounding terrace areas offer great sunbathing with outside music.

The location of La Favette is excellent, being quite central within the region. The diversity really surprised us, ranging from great beach resorts & ports, to beautiful villages, and busy towns, to the landscape along the Canal Du Midi and into the Corbieres hills.

Our highlight was a planned trip to a restaurant high in the hills in the tiny village of Fontjoncouse, driving through beautiful countryside to the “Auberge du vieux Puits”…a 2-Star Michelin Restaurant run by top chef Gilles Goujons.

What an experience, although the bill is not for the faint hearted. My wife & I opted for the cheaper of the set lunch menus which came to 200 euros (incl a 20E tip). A table of 8 sitting next to us was presented with a bill for nearly 2,000 euros! (OK – in fairness they were drinking wine!). It was a fantastic day out which included a visit to medievil Lagrasse, worth seeing.

All in all, our week at La Favette flew by all too quickly & we really hope to return again some day. So whether you are a couple looking for a quiet break…or a group of friends…or a family with kids, we have no hesitation in recommending La Favette. It’s a great property in a great location and offers huge diversity within an hours drive…but with so much to see and do, its best to research the area before you go to make the most of your stay.

Have Fun.
Ian & Eleanor.