Nancy McGee of ย Tour with Absolutely and I scouted out Occitanie wine and food for new tour ideas.
The three-day trip took us from the Mediterranean seaport of Sete, along the Canal du Midi, and to villages near Carcassonne. I was anxious to explore the area because of its extraordinary Occitanie food, famous Minervois wines, Plus Beaux Villages, and its history related to the Cathars– a 12th-century religious cult. Plus, Nancy threw in a visit to “oyster heaven” and the promise of a spa day.
Discovering Foods and Wines of Occitanie
The first stop on our “discovering Occitanie” tour was Tarbouriech, the luxurious oyster-themed spa and wine domain near Marseillan. There, we were treated to an oyster massage and a guided visit to the infamous oyster farm on La Lagune de Thau. This is a MUST-see if you love oysters like I do. Their oysters are among the best in the world. So good, in fact, that they rarely, if ever, leave France.
Overnight at a Wine Domaine
Next, we drove through the flat plains of the Aude and into the Corbiรจres wine country — one of the best-known and most productive appellations in the Languedoc-Occitanie region. We arrived at our resting place, Chรขteau Canet, for the next two nights just in time for a cheerful greeting and sparkling wine.
Family-owned Chรขteau Canet is a perfect respite for travelers who want to be away from crowds, to be pampered … or both. Within a short drive of Carcassonne, the chรขteau has a nice mix of cottages and apartments for groups of all sizes — originally “vignerons” for grape harvesters. While we were visiting, a wedding party was being hosted. Space and privacy are abundant for all.
Chรขteau Canet was initially built around 1895 as a wine Domaine. Floris and Victoria, the current owners, discovered Chรขteau Canet more than twenty years ago after searching for the “perfect” spot to create their eco-friendly wines. Today, the early buildings of the winery have been modernized, the property has expanded to include more acreage, and an active, bio-diverse wine-growing ecosystem is in place. The estate has acres and acres of vineyards, olive groves,ย fruit trees, and pine forests. Eighty percent of the domain is recognized as “Minervois,” one of the Appellation d’Origine Protรฉgรฉe (A.O.P.) of the Languedoc Roussillon. The remaining vineyards are classified as Pays d’Oc I.G.P. (Indication Gรฉographique Protรฉgรฉe)
Dinner by the Canal du Midi
Since we were traveling, we didn’tย use the kitchens in our private guest quarters at Chรขteau Canet. Instead, we drove fifteen minutes down the road to theย Canal du Midiย andย Le Moulin, a restaurant Nancy was eager to visit because of the rave reviews. The choice was perfectโa canal view, a fantastic menu, and wonderfully gracious service.
Wine Pairing with a Pro
We said our “goodbyes” to Chateau Canet in the morning, but not before we had a winery tour. We were sipping wine again in the afternoon and being schooled on wine pairing with Emma Kershaw of La Maison du Rire.
Emma Is a true connoisseur of fine wines. She teaches about wines to WSET Diploma level students. She has worked with chefs worldwide, sharing her knowledge and flair for partnering wine and food. We were delighted to be invited to her home for our private lesson, where the atmosphere was relaxed and informal. Emma offers a wine tasting with a tapas course from her home, a day of cooking and wine, or an event of your choosing. If you’re in the area near Coustouge, Emma will come to you to entertain and educate parties of any size.
I didn’t leave Emma’s empty-handed! After our delightful lunch, she gifted me her newest cookbook of Occitanie food. Thank you! Merci beaucoup!
Questions, Questionsย
What did I learn on our “Discovering Occitanie” tour?
Why does goat cheese from the south of France taste so good? Like none other? Ask Emma …
What makes wines from the Minervois region so unique? Learn more from the Chรขteau Canet …
