Pack Your Bags | Staying at Le Chateau Les Carrasses

I stumbled across this gorgeous chateau while researching a place for a work project. {Yes, I know- best job.... but it is a lot of work!} Like most places online, it looked too good to be true.

Which, as a traveler, can be a common disappointment after arriving to find the location of your vacation less than it looked in the photoshopped pictures online. So while these photos are, indeed, photoshopped- don't worry, I've taken the risk and checked it out myself: Le Chateau Les Carrasses. It's not only as amazing as it is in pictures... but it's better.

Here's what I loved about it:

1. First things first, it's affordable for people like me.... which makes me think that you can afford it, too. For a two bedroom apartment in high season, we paid 280euro a night. Split up between friends staying with us, this wasn't bad pricing... especially when you consider how luxe the property is!

2. You have your own kitchen so you can keep food costs down. Not only does each place within the property have a full kitchen, but they also have a terrace or garden with outdoor dining & a barbecue. 

You can shop at the market in town and make your own outdoor dinner party...or head to the chateau's terrace restaurant  for a gorgeous night of being pampered.

3. The staff is wonderful. A common complaint from American travelers is that while the destination is gorgeous, the service is lousy....but guess what, not here. I was blown away by the kindness and attentiveness of the staff. From the initial inquiry I made online that gave me an immediate email & call back to the sweet waiter who laughed off the pool of baby poop our daughter left on a chair cushion. Viola didn't seem to mind, but Tyler & I were horrified. Nothing says "classy" like pooping on a chair. {Plus, they offer good free wifi... major plus in rural France.}

4. It's so easy to get there. To reach the Chateau, you fly into Beziers...a little under 2 hours from London Luton if you're flying RyanAir or Flybe. From there, you hop in a rent car from one of the companies sitting in the small airport and drive 43 minutes- according to our Garmin route- to the Chateau.

5. The pool. This pool will receive it's own post later this week... but let's just say, I was in heaven....

And I wasn't the only one with such affinity for the infinity. :)

6. The possibilities it offers for day trips. The Chateau sits in a great point to explore the region. If it's vineyards, castles, churches, rivers, beaches, hillside towns...whatever, it's not too far away.

The medieval city of Carcassonne is about 1.5 hours away. The gorgeous hillside city of Roquebrun is 40 minutes away. Montpellier is an hour away...and the smallest city in the world to be the home to a cathedral sits at the footsteps of the chateau's vineyard...And for everything else, the chateau leaves extensive/honest book of options in your apartment to let you choose your fun.

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So if you're looking to stay somewhere amazing, affordable & accessible in France-this is your place. Made up of private apartments and "maisons" that you can rent, I have no doubt that you'll be as smitten with your stay in the Southwest of France as we were.

*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy