If we were having coffee, I’d talk to you, rather belatedly, about what we did in November. That was the month when we closed up the house in Castelnaudary for the winter and returned to the UK. I love autumn in France, and we had enjoyed our stay, since September as much as ever – if not more!

Castelnaudary has changed in the ten years we have been here. Some businesses have closed, others have opened. I have always been fascinated by these gates, which have gained some new signs. You might be able to spot one that says ‘Le jardin d’amour‘. This is the name of a new lifestyle boutique that offers workshops, tarot readings, and Reiki sessions. I will investigate in future!

One of the highlights of November was a visit to Domaine le Fort. We had been introduced to one of their wines by some French friends. Knowing that we had loved the wine, they took us to the Domaine where it is produced. It is situated near the charming village of Montreal, about a 25 minute drive from our house.

This Domaine is one of the westernmost vineyards in the Languedoc region. It has stunning views of the Pyrenees and is eighty kilometres from the Mediterranean. Its location allows for a wide range of grape varieties to be produced. The gallery below gives an idea of the interior of Domaine Le Fort.

I love the stone
The entrance
Domaine Le Fort also produces olive oil

Back in September, I wrote about changing the route for our drive down to Castelnaudary. On our return in November, we went the usual way, via Tours, because the tunnel timings are much more favourable. We stopped briefly in an attractive village called Argy and had a peek at the château. Perhaps we’ll spend more time there on a future trip.

Our weather was typically autumnal, with plenty of sunshine, pleasant temperatures and occasional storms. Zeph is terrified of thunder and decided that the shower was the safest place to be.

I have never counted the number of photos I have taken in Castelnaudary, standing beside the Canal in the port, and looking through the bridge to the Bassin. I think this most recent effort is one of my favourites and reflects a fabulous Autumn in our little corner of SW France.

I am happy to be joining a link run by natalietheexplorer called #Weekend Coffee Share

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