JC Stays: Chateau Asturias, near Carcassonne

I have to confess, relying on my sat nav to navigate the narrow lanes of Aragon Village in a hefty people mover is perhaps not the best way to introduce ourselves to the locals. But a Gallic shrug is all it took to win them over.

Spending most of our time in the open living space, the huge living room has a large dining table to one side and some couches on the other. Patio doors lead out to the courtyard and garden where a pool sits amid Balinese statuettes, proudly overlooking a stunning view of prime Languedoc countryside below.

Back inside, a smaller TV room lies off to one side with plenty of comfy settees if we need to escape for some quiet time. A long corridor leads to the generously sized kitchen dominated by a huge American style fridge freezer, with an equally large gas stove coming a close second.

Another exit leads to the pool and garden this way too, perfect for getting cool drinks when we need them.

Upstairs six large bedrooms are spread over two floors, all with a varying mix of period furniture; the master bedroom has its own four-poster bed and shared access to a balcony overlooking the village.

The village shop is perfect for daily supplies, each morning starts with a walk to get fresh bread and cheese — set at the bottom of town, the return journey is more challenging. And along with the huge supermarket 10 minutes’ away, there is nothing better than finding market days in local towns and indulging in some fresh local produce.

Settling into the tranquil rhythm of life here, I can’t imagine why anyone would brave the crowds along the coast instead.