We stayed at the Chateau during Bastille Day and the arrival of the Tour de France at Carcassonne, about an hour away. Those dual events had filled most of the hotels and Chateaux in the region, and forced us to use a travel agent. It turned out that this situation resulted in one of our most pleasant stays during 3 weeks in Europe, and the most memorable. Our room was large, bright and comfortable. Monsieur and Madame de la Panouse (Count and Countess) were most charming and delightful to discuss history, current events, politics, and the local region of France. We found them to be refreshingly, truly French, not as worldly or cosmopolitan perhaps as our Parisian friends, but in a refreshing way, and still warmly welcoming to American tourists despite the occasional tension among our political leaders. We communicated well, in a combination of French and English. Since it was summer and hot, and the Chateau has no airconditioning, our windows had to be open at night. There was a surprising amount of traffic noise for such a very small village. We recommend the Chateau, but would ask for a room away from the street next time, and would avoid the hottest time of year. Note that the Chateau and its village are located in a rural area amidst miles and miles of sunflower fields with a number of interesting, small villages nearby waiting to be explored. Many of the roads are lined with trees on both sides, forming a canopy. As the Michelin guide might say, it's worth a detour.
D. Hall, Chicago, Illinois
