We had a wonderful time at Le Trabet (the overall name of the property--each site is separately named). If you are considering a trip to the beautiful area around Carcassonne in Languedoc-Roussillon, this is the place for you. The gites are in a beautiful old country home down a little country lane. The house is perfectly situated for day trips in this interesting area. As you leave the house for your adventures, the snow-covered Pyrenees are clearly visible directly in front of you.

We stayed in Le Palmier. It has a large main bedroom and a large living room. There is a small additional bedroom. The fireplace in our bedroom had the date 1791 carved in it, but all of the units have been tastefully updated with modern conveniences. Each unit has its own little terrace area opening to the beautiful grounds. The owner, Claudia, is from Germany, but after many years living in the U.S. speaks perfect English, as well as French and Spanish. We had interesting conversations with her over wine and cheese at the ends of several of our days exploring the area. She brought us fresh bread on the days she was going to the bakery in a nearby village.

Carcassonne is the most famous site in the area, and it deserves its reputation. It is a beautifully restored medieval city with all of its walls and turrets in place. The gite was also a perfect base for day trips into the surrounding area which we found equally interesting as Carcassonne itself. There are many scenic places connected with the Cathars, an early Christian group that was wiped out by the Catholic church in the 1200's. The countryside is varied but consistently beautiful. This is the largest wine-producing area in France. We often took local wine, cheese, and bread for picnics along the way, but there are also three Michelin-starred restaurants within 15 minutes of the gite, so you can have it all--and without the crowds of tourists in more heavily visited areas like Provence.

Tyler and Margot Baker

Carmel Valley, California