Life in Villefranche de Rouergue.

04/08/2019

We may be just 7 weeks away from closing the doors of La Roseraie, but we are still busy with guests from around the world.

This review just popped onto our website from someone who booked with us direct.

Tine spent most of her time enjoying the view from the terrace and eating fresh ripe plums from the tree opposite!

We will see her again. This week, other members of her family are staying with us, as Tine and her husband run the amazing Chez Brigitte ice-cream shop in the centre of town !

http://chezbrigitte.fr/

25/07/2019

As you know, La Roseraie Gîte will soon be closing it’s doors and since we are fully booked right up until the end of the season we are no longer taking any more bookings and our website will soon be closed.

This page will continue though because we know that we have fans and followers all around the world, who love to hear our stories about France and so we shall be slowly making some changes to turn this page into a personal blog.

Facebook doesn’t make that easy though so it could be a while before it looks very different and we will only change our address once we move!

In the meantime we wanted to share this photo, taken by drone over the river. It shows the town hall on thé left and both bridges - the smaller of the two which leads to our favourite cafe.

Towards the top of the photo you can see the valley in the distance where further downstream, between Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val and Bruniquel the dramatic limestone cliffs form thé famous Aveyron Gorges.

15/07/2019

A fantastic article from the National Geographic which highlights our region describing it as “somewhere with a Mediterranean climate, a Latin spirit and a tendency to view Paris and the north with a wary gaze”

It also shares the fact that more wine is produced here than in any other region of France.

Virtually unknown outside of France, and dwarfed in terms of popularity by the more commercial exported Bordeaux and Burgundy, our local Cahors and Gaillac are well respected and very popular amongst those who really know.

The French have always been very good at keeping the best of the countries produce for themselves, and it seems that our wines are no different.

Our direct bookers all get a bottle of local wine on arrival.

An ancient region in the South of France has risen from the ashes. Occitania is an area doused in heritage, its name long entwined with the old hamlets, towns and cities that stud its hills, and the intriguing language marking out many of its inhabitants.

14/07/2019

July 14 – Fête National is known as ‘Bastille Day’ outside of France (its almost never referred to as such in France however)

Today is a national holiday, and every town in France recognises it as such. Shops are closed, workers have a day off and huge town celebrations are planned.

The holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution in 1789.

In Paris, there is an impressive military parade down the Champs Elysées - in fact its being streamed Live on Facebook later, and there are firework displays, live music, street parties and feasts.

Here in Villefranche-de-Rouergue it is recognised all over the town. There are special ‘fete’ menus in many of the restaurants, car parks are taken over with stages and lighting so that live musicians can entertain the crowds, there’s a big street party at the Place de la St Jean with food, music and dancing and at 11pm the crowds all move to the river bank to watch an impressive display of fireworks.

Whatever you are doing this evening, we wish you a safe, fun and happy 14 juillet!

03/07/2019

An interesting article about where the French prefer to go on holiday. According to this study, the Occitaine region is the second most popular area in France for French people to visit - more so even than the Cote D'azur.

It's certainly been our experience that most of the tourists here are French people, looking for a real taste of French culture, history and good food.

Tunisie, Grèce ou Occitanie ? Pour les touristes estivaux de la région, direction l'Occitanie. Cet été encore, en famille ou entre amis, la tendance n'est plus de passer les frontières mais de profiter des trésors...