Part of the appeal of the South of France has always been the pace of life, where days unfold more slowly and are shaped less by schedules and more by the landscape.

The Tour de France, one of the world’s most prestigious bicycle races, passes close to us this year during Stage 4, between Carcassonne and Foix.

Most visitors to this part of southern France know Carcassonne for its famous medieval citadel, but the wider region beyond the city is what makes a stay at Domaine de la Vène so rewarding.