Staying with new friends in Languedoc

When we visited our friends, Tori & Ray, in Chicago last July, they put us in touch with a friend of theirs, Joanne Hurley, who now lives in Durban-des-Corbiers, in the heart of the Languedoc region of France.  We have been amazed by her generosity in offering, not only to share advice about exploring the region, but to host us in her home for a week!  Joanne and Apolo live in an old stone home in this small village.

We arrived here on Halloween and even had some trick-or-treaters come to the door. The house is cozy and warm and a lovely place to take things a little easier after our week on the road.

Apolo is a talented painter, who works all day long in the cave/studio below their home. We were able to see a few of his paintings on display at a local restaurant where we had Sunday lunch. These are two of our favorites.

We explored the village, the oldest part of which is built into the hillside leading up to the ruins of an old castle and a church. We visited the local market that, while smaller than the urban markets we’ve seen, had wonderful produce, a poissoniere, a fromager, and a purveyor of local honeys and essential oils.

We spent half a day in Perpignan, which we reached over a VERY narrow and winding road. I was glad that Rick was driving (!), but sometimes wished that his inner race car driver would slow down just a little bit… Perpignan is an interesting city rather near the Spanish border where the Caltalan influence is evident. The trees lining the streets include date palms and orange trees along with the chestnuts and other deciduous trees we expect to see. The canal that runs through the city is very picturesque as are the buildings dating back to the 13th century. We plan to return there in a few weeks when we’ll be staying in Narbonne, which is closer and eliminates the need to drive over the mountains.

We’re enjoying the wines of the Corbiéres region. Most reds are a blend (in varying proportions) of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. Heartier and more robust than the Cab Francs of Chinon, enjoyable and inexpensive. The whites are primarily Vermintino, Grenache, Marsanne & Roussane. As we drive through the countryside, the fall colors become evident, especially in the vines, in contrast with the evergreen hillsides.

Next we’ll head about an hour north to Paraza in the Minervois region of Languedoc.  More wines to try, more places to explore…