Carcassonne, setting for new series for Channel 4

The beautiful, medieval city of Carcassonne is the setting for an adaptation of the best selling novel, The Labyrinthe by Kate Mosse. http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-03-27/labyrinth-discover-the-setting-of-channel-4s-new-fantasy-series

Stay at our holiday cottage or bed and breakfast in Languedoc and spend the day exploring the cobbled streets of the ancient city. They offer a poignant insight into what life must have been like, lived among the ramparts, besieged by the Crusaders. The stained glass windows in the Basilique Saint-Nazaire alone are worth the visit. Spring time in the south of France avoids the baking heat and crowds of the summer months. Grab your cheap flight into Carcassonne… http://chezmaisonbleue.co.uk/getting-here/

Carcassonne, close to our holiday home in the south of France

Festival de Carcassonne 19 June – 3 August

The programme is announced for one of the premier music festivals in the south of France this summer. An eclectic mix of opera, ballet and contemporary music, venues include the spectacular Roman theatre of La Cité. Over 120 shows, more than 80 are free. Highlights include Elton John 23 July, Patti Smith & Lou Reed 22 July, opera in the open air 6 July. The stunning medieval Cité de Carcassonne is about an hour from our holiday home in Languedoc. Click for the full programme (en francais).

Festival de Carcassonne summer 2013

New routes into Beziers

Ryanair have announced additional [cheap] flights into Beziers for 2013 from Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick. Beziers is an easy 2hrs drive from our holiday home in Languedoc south of Carcassonne. See Ryanair

Last minute Christmas break

Try our Gourmet winter treats in our holiday cottage and bed and breakfast in the south of France this Christmas and New Year. Think bracing country walks followed by hot chocolate and home made cakes in front of the roaring log fire. A day’s skiing in the beautiful Pyrenean resorts of Ax les Thermes or Les Monts d’Olmes, it won’t break the bank, no queues either. Wine tastings and lavish dinners of local produce, and visits to Cathar chateaux - Montsegur and the stunning medieval citadel of Carcassonne are close. For more information visit Gourmet Winter Treats

Christmas & New Year in our holiday home in the south of France

Christmas magic in Carcassonne

A month of Christmas celebrations in medieval Carcassonne lasts until schools go back on 6 Jan. Christmas markets every Saturday, handmade crafts, fairgrounds, skating, sledging, and free concerts in the beautiful Basilique Saint-Nazaire among the ancient ramparts. About an hour from our cosy 18th century bed and breakfast and holiday cottage in the south of France – think homemade cakes and hot chocolate by the roaring log fire. Watch out for cheap flights into Carcassonne and Toulouse. The full Christmas programme is here (en francaise only).

A winter wonderland, Sonnac sur l’Hers in the hills south of Carcassonne

Tour de France 2013

The route for the Tour de France 2013 shows Stage 8, Castres to Ax 3 Domaines, coming close to our B&B in the south of France when it passes between Limoux and Quillan. Limoux is 26km from our French holiday home in the hills south of Carcassonne. Our holiday cottage is booked already but we have rooms available in our very French bed & breakfast on the tranquil village square near Chalabre.

Tour de France, Chalabre 2012

Biker friendly B&B

We were delighted to welcome more bikers to our biker friendly accommodation in the south of France. Angela livened things up in the foothills of the Pyrenees for a few days, she wrote in my guest book…”good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere.” Ha, fabulous.

Our biker friendly B&B south of Carcassonne

Cycling in the hills south of Carcassonne

A sixty km round trip from our holiday cottage in the south of France covered some beautiful terrain. It’s a marvellous time to be in the south of France, fields stuffed with sunflowers, grapes ripening on the vine, the sun mellowing the ancient stone of ruined chateaux that stand on rocky outcrops, testament to past conflicts of Languedoc.

We had an early start from Sonnac sur l’Hers following the old railway line through Camon, a plus beaux village de France, onto Mirepoix and Fanjeaux, all key strategic towns during medieval times and the crusade against the Cathars. Quiet roads, twisty cols (if you want them in this heat) and wide valley floors that sweep through vineyards and ancient towns and villages, make cycling Languedoc joyous. I was grateful for the old French law decreeing its people should always have free access to drinking water as I replenished my water bottle (and dunked my face and arms) in the centuries old lavage (communal washing facilities in a bygone age) in a tiny village by the roadside.

Great reviews for our holiday home

June has been a very busy month for us in our holiday cottage and bed and breakfast in the south of France. And it is soooo satisfying to get some great reviews for what we are doing here at Chez Maison Bleue. All from our guest book in June…”5* hospitality, accommodation and food” – Roy & Elaine, UK, “Great service and friendliness, fabulous place for hiking and bicycle rides” – Robert & Catharine, Germany, “What a welcome to this part of France, nothing was too much trouble and no effort spared, the best gite we have stayed in” – Terry & Elaine, France, “A wonderful place to stay, great company, we have loved it” – Deane & Ella, Utah.

This is our first year running our business in this beautiful part of Languedoc / Midi Pyrenees. It is interesting to see what our guests are choosing to do - walking the GR7, cycling,  the towns and cities, especially Mirepoix and Carcassonne, wine tours including Blanquette de Limoux, the ruined chateaux of the Cathars, and now that the weather is baking, swimming in the river and in the lakes at Puivert and Montbel. So you could do something different every day, or you could simply put on a CD, pick up a book from our library, and lounge on your terrace ’till the cows come home (literally) it’s up to you.

Puivert Chateau, a magnificent backdrop for swimming in the lake

Baby friendly holiday home

A great review for Chez Maison Bleue in the south of France from guests who stayed with a young baby…”A beautiful, traditional yet modern gite in the most peaceful and idyllic setting, a real home from home! Wonderfully accommodating and hospitable, we have had a fantastic week exploring Carcassonne, Mirepoix, and venturing as far as the coastal resorts of Argeles and Collioure, definitely worth the 2 hour drive.” Photos of the Mediterranean courtesy of our guests.

Beautiful, quiet Mediterranean beaches, 2hrs from Chez Maison Bleue