This is one of the most adorable hotels that it has been our good fortune to discover. It stands at the heart of medieval Belcastel, another of those ‘plus beaux villages de France’. From the fuedal château (floodlit at night) the stone houses seem to tumble down the hillside to the infant River Aveyron.
A narrow, 15th century stone bridge connects the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant with its accommodations. The bedrooms are in a converted barn, hidden behind trees on the opposite bank. There is room here to park your car and to have breakfast in the sunshine, reflecting on the pastoral pleasures promised by the day ahead.
The setting alone is tear-jerkingly romantic. But it’s the exceptional care shown by Nicole in the front of house and the unassuming quality and purity of her sister’s cuisine that really touches the heart. Dishes such as Les premières asperges
grillées, oseille et cresson, des notes d’orange et églefin fumé are well matched with local wines from Entraigues and le Fel.
The sisters are the third generation of the Fagegaltier family to welcome guests to their picturesque village, mixing today’s exigencies with the traditional values of French hospitality.