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Switch off in Southern France Between the walled town of Carcassonne in Southern France’s Languedoc region and buzzy Montpellier heading north on the coast, lies a mellow wine resort with a difference. It aims to transform smartphone zombies into civilised creatures who can converse, dawdle, dream and drink in a timeless village in the vineyards. Switch off, tune in to nature and tuck in to Michelin-starred cuisine at quirky Chateau & Village Castigno - Wine Hotel & Resort. TEXT: LISA GERARD-SHARP | PHOTOS: CHATEAU & VILLAGE CASTIGNO - WINE HOTEL & RESORT
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witch off and listen to the birds,” is Julie Malves’ advice for newcomers to this serene stone village. As the manager of a hamlet reborn as a wine resort, Malves surveys a harmonious collection of higgledypiggledy properties: “Chateau Castigno represents rural luxury, meaning remarkable experiences and real connections rather than internet connections.” It’s a return to a simpler age of unmanufactured entertainment. Think recharging batteries, roll-top baths and retro scooters rather than tedious television and virtual reality. The peace is palpable.
Dream in dusky pink Surrounded by centuries-old vineyards, this village is designed in a wine-themed palette of dusky pinks, mauves and burgundies. 52 | Issue 4 | May 2019
The boutique wine resort sits close to the Languedoc’s Canal du Midi but within easy reach of the Mediterranean coast at Sete. Castigno feels off the beaten track yet is close enough for canal cruises or visits to Cathar castles. As Malves explains, it’s almost an accidental resort: “The Flemish owners fell in love with both the region and Photo: Wine Hotel & Resort & Verne
the estate and planned to keep it for their friends - but then couldn’t resist dreaming big and opening it up to guests.” Visitors are met by a collection of stone houses clustered around a quaint square. The properties may be ancient but the concept is fresh, celebrating a communal approach to living. The estate is a hybrid, less a hotel than an organic wine resort with an equally organic approach to everything else. Funky beamed bedroom suites are tucked into former stables while whimsical hideaways are concealed in converted grape-pickers’ cottages. The mood is boutique retreat meets farmhouse, with swish bathrooms and eclectic artwork but also recycled doors and vineyard views. As Malves says, “We’re special in that we’re not a traditional hotel – with all the rooms dotted around the village square, it really feels like a timeless village.”
Fine-dining in the vineyards The organic approach to living continues in the resort’s three restaurants, with locallysourced cooking and a refusal to follow the rules for form’s sake. The Michelin-starred La