Tarn: one of France’s best-kept secrets

You don't have to go to the other side of the world to make a change. In the center of Occitania, the Tarn is the perfect location to go on holiday in France with your family, your partner or your friends.

Pre-lockdown, most of us dreamed of exotic, far-flung holiday destinations. But now is the ideal opportunity to find out that you don’t need to travel halfway around the world for exoticism, adventure and a complete change of scene: the south-west of France and in particular, the southern Tarn, is full of little-known treasures.

Tarn: an exceptional area

The siege of the Cathar fortresses, religious wars: the vestiges of Tarn’s eventful – even turbulent – past can be seen everywhere, in its many castle ruins and fortified towns.

In addition to its remarkable cultural and historical heritage, the area is also blessed with an ideal climate, combining the hot, dry Mediterranean air with frequent rain from the south-west coast and the Basque Country, which irrigates the lush vegetation, streams and waterfalls, and the many highland lakes between the Monts de Lacaune and the Black Mountain.

Located just outside Castres on the edge of the Haut Languedoc Regional Park, halfway between Albi with its UNESCO World Heritage-listed cathedral and the medieval citadel of Carcassonne, Domaine du Castelet is an ideal base for exploring the region.

If you’re looking for action and adventure, there are plenty of outdoor and sporting activities, such as hiking (with some of the trails starting from the estate), via ferrata, canyoning, lake water sports or golf.

Idyllic villages, steeped in history

History lovers can visit the region’s many bastides (fortified towns), the ruins of the Cathar castles  and some of France’s “Most Beautiful  Villages” such as Cordes-sur-Ciel and Lautrec, a medieval village renowned for its pink garlic and its association with the family of the famous painter, Toulouse-Lautrec.

Tarn also has a great deal to offer connoisseurs of good food and fine wines: sample wines from Sud de France, Europe’s largest vineyard, and try typical Occitan specialities such as cassoulet, pumpet (lemon puff), and casse-museau, a sort of brioche made with ewe’s milk curd.

Between visiting these treasures, you can relax at our elegant bed and breakfast and enjoy the excellent facilities such as the large salt-water pool, boules court, sauna and gym, as well as the many paths and trails if you fancy a quiet stroll or a more ambitious hike.

On the catering side, a range of options are on offer: we can provide a set-menu dinner and packed lunches for a picnic, or, of you’d rather do your own thing, you are welcome to use our barbecue and kitchen.

Whether holidaying with friends, family or on a romantic getaway for two, you could not choose a better location.