We Do More Than Asia
This tour gives you the chance to taste the life of a winemaker. Staying with an “American family in France”, you explore medieval villages, Cathare Castles, eat like royalty, try your hand at cooking local specialties, taste their best reds and learn to make your own red wine blend. Carcassonne Vineyard Life is a wine adventure in which you live like the locals in an incredibly rich and diverse region of France known as one of the world’s largest wine-producing regions in the world.
Day 1 – Toulouse/Domaine O’Vineyards
Arrive in Toulouse where you will be met at the airport. Take an hour long scenic drive to Domaine O’Vineyards north of Carcassonne. Enjoy a great drive entering wine country and watch the terrain change before your eyes as you go from the flatlands of Toulouse to the rocky, sun-drenched vineyards of Carcassonne to Villemoustaussou. After you drop your baggage off at Domaine O’Vineyard and meet the O’Connells, you’ll have a guided visit of the winery and vines. Evening relaxed seated wine tasting, and a five course dinner at the winery with the winemakers.
Day 2 – Domaine O’Vineyards/Villegailhenc/Domaine
After a breakfast, enjoy a nature walk through the garrigue on the Plateau de La Bade with views of the medieval Cathare village of Villegailhenc. On the plateau, pick herbs and fruit that will be used for lunch (though the exact plants will be different depending on the season). After lunch at the winery with the winemakers, enjoy a wine blending workshop where you’ll be able to create your own blends from the vineyard’s many distinct parcels. Relax before a short walk through the Bastide St. Louis of Carcassonne and a picnic dinner along the banks of the River Aude.
Day 3 – Domaine O’Vineyards/Carcassonne/Domaine
Brunch at O’Vineyards before visiting the medieval cité de Carcassonne and its castle ramparts. The castle fortifications were built over centuries starting as a small Roman trading post circa 300 BC and eventually becoming one of France’s most impregnable citadels used by Knights throughout the Crusades. Visiting the citadel can seem a bit surreal like a fairy tale since many of our contemporary story tellers like Walt Disney were inspired by the real ramparts of Carcassonne. An afternoon cooking workshop shows you how to prepare local specialty foods. Enjoy a relaxing dinner at the winery.
Day 4 – Domaine O’Vineyards/Lastours/Domaine
After breakfast, explore the castle ruins of Lastours north of Carcassonne. This is a bit of a hike with many steps, but the views of the mountains and the nearly impregnable Cathare Castles at the top make the journey worth it. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the mountains.
Alternative: if you don’t want to hike, you can visit the Gouffre Geant de Cabrespine and have a picnic in the mountains around Cabrespine.
Enjoy a six course farewell dinner at the vineyard.
Day 5 – Depart Domaine/ToulouseTransfer to the airport after breakfast for your departure flight.
Cost from 1365 Euros per person for 6 – 8 people
Cost from 1505 Euros per person for 2 people (single supplement of 300 euros applies)
