Decorating your fireplace for Christmas

Here at La Villa we are getting into the Christmas spirit – here’s our step by step guide to creating an impressive decorative fireplace.   We are very fortunate to have some magnificent fireplaces at La Villa, each made from locally quarried marble from either Sidobre of Caune Minervois, from where the pink marble in ….

Château de Labro – a weekend away in the Aveyron

We wanted turrets, log fires and good food – Château de Labro delivered all of these… and much, much more!     Two hours north of Mazamet, in our neighbouring Département of the Aveyron, sits the city of Rodez (just one hour north of Albi). The city, like its Tarnais neighbour, has a stunning 13th ….

Tomato & Gin Soup

Believe us, this combo of flavours works perfectly for this tasty soup that we recently served at our first ever Gintastic weekend Ingredients (serves 6) 1 kg of ripe tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped thyme 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped sage 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped (or dried) oregano 1 large onion, roughly ….

Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons

Raymond Blanc’s French Masterpiece   Just 8 miles from the spires of Oxford, set amongst resplendent gardens, chef Raymond Blanc has created his French masterpiece – the 2 Michelin Star Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons. Rounding off our joint 50th birthday year, we were treated by dear friends to a wonderful lunch, 10 years since ….

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