Behold! The medieval village of Lagrasse with its cobbled streets, quiet squares, 8th century abbey and very own river beach is officially classed as "one of the most beautiful villages in France" and enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year. Nestled in the foothills of the Corbières, the village is just 40 minutes from the Mediterranean Sea and its sandy beaches. 
 

Time stands still in this extraordinary place; it is a medieval marvel, replete with cobbled streets, golden stone houses and quiet squares. It has an abbey commissioned in the 8th century by Charlemagne which overlooks the river Orbière where, during the summer months, villagers young and old swim in the crystal clear waters. Two old stone bridges span the river and give access to the garrigue and the green hills beyond. The 'garrigue' is the local name for the low-growing vegetation on the limestone hills of the Mediterranean coast. A multitude of bushy, fragrant plants grow wild here, such as juniper, thyme, rosemary and lavender. According to one of our friends “the most wonderful honey in the world” is made here, where the bees produce many different flavours of honey depending on which plants they feed on.

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There were many reasons for choosing to buy a house in this particular village such as the easy access to the river for swimming and the fact that there are half a dozen places to eat within the village itself. During the day, we can not only saunter out of our front door and be on the small pebble beach in less than a minute, but every evening we have the option of dining at any one of the excellent, friendly restaurants and then meandering home through the tiny, cobbled streets. 

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Everything is on hand: we have the obligatory café, boulangerie/patisserie, tabac, pharmacie, as well as the Poste and the Mairie, both located in the central Place de la Halle which itself is not only enclosed by magnificent 14th and 15th century houses with their wrought-iron balconies overlooking the square below, but also boasts its very own medieval open-air market hall with a wooden roof supported by eight stone pillars covering the large, shiny flag stones, polished and smoothed over the centuries by countless passers-by.

 

However, the most pleasing aspect for us is that it is renowned for being an artists’ village. There are many potters, painters and sculptors who exhibit their art in quaint galleries, studios and shops throughout the village and along the Promenade, as well as an abundance of musicians who often appear out of nowhere to serenade us with trumpet, soprano saxophone and guitars, playing in the restaurants, outside the vintner’s outlets or even on the beach at night! The abbey hosts cultural events during the year including the internationally renowned book and philosophy fair “Le Banquet du Livre”, classical music concerts and even once hosting a performance by dancers from the Royal Ballet.

 

What’s more, our village is just forty minutes from the Mediterranean coast with its oyster bars, pink flamingo lagoons (“étangs” in French) and luxurious sandy beaches that stretch for miles and miles. Peppered along the coastline, there are many hip and stylish beach bars and restaurants serving an abundance of fish and seafood in a relaxed, informal setting which we often visit in the company of friends. We’ve had some great parties here! Inland, there is a huge choice of restaurants in the nearby villages and towns from old fashioned bistros and lunchtime cafés, to ‎crêperies and even a Michelin star restaurant. Obviously it goes without saying that a trip to France, and especially the Corbières, is a gastronomic delight. Oh yes…and the wine is very cheap as well.

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