Take a standard southern French village of roughly two hundred humans, erase the frankly uninspiring car park that acts as the primary city rectangular, and turn the whole area right into a digital detox haven dotted with three gastronomic restaurants, places 5-star fashion designer rooms. The result, Village Castagno, a luxurious village resort boasting 12 private homes scattered around a handful of cobblestone alleyways. From magenta to lilac, plum to lavender, each house has its walls and shutters painted in contrasting sun shades of purples and pinks to create a “village inside a village” effect. Since its opening in 2015, the area has remained a voluntarily exclusive way with strict no-WiFi coverage. As a result, you received’t discover many Instagrammers across the stunningly photogenic streets.
Belgian couple Tine et Marc Verstraete are behind this precise design undertaking. They managed to maintain that French nation-state vibe, loved by tourists and locals, whilst offering a truly costly journey to revel in the southwest. An excellent example is their nine-bedroom Maison des Amis (Friends’ House), which formerly housed the grape pickers and can now be fully booked. The residing room includes velvet cherry-colored chairs and dad magenta wallpaper; the exterior kept its unique white stone wall included including foliage. And if you’re questioning why a lot purple, it’s because this location is a wine sanctuary. So the choice quite actually pays homage to the grapes!
Upcycled cutting-edge decor
I stayed in Marsanne, a business searching room with uncovered beams, a private terrace, and rich violet walls positioned a few minutes away from the city’s square. Besides the lovingly intimate surroundings, I was pleased to recognize that the decor is made with upcycled materials and repurposed antique furnishings. Interior dressmaker Marzia Chieretti (Be Clever) revived antiques from neighborhood flea markets and paired them with quirky items determined around the arena to create an extremely modern-day vibe. It doesn’t get greater sustainable than that.
Following the innovative thoughts of owner Tine Verstraete, whose previous career as a cinematic set decorator really helped, they modified the face of the once fading village of Assign. The town square is now domestic to a scenic outside terrace belonging to La Petite Table, the first eating place of Village Castagno. Vines of red wisteria climb along with white brick partitions and round, dusty crimson window frames.
So: ‘Action’! It’s your cue for breakfast. Sit beneath a vibrant crimson parasol and bask in nicely deserved slow-meal licensed French pastries. If that is lunchtime for you, opt for a desire of grilled cuisine made on the huge traditional barbecue, under the supervision of Uruguayan Chef Nacho Sosa.
The art of natural wine
Village Castagno is set within the heart of the St Chinian vineyards, in the southern French location of Languedoc-Roussillon. To acquire the St Chinian appellation, a wine must comprise Syrah and Grenache grape types. You can examine this and other facts in Castagno’s nearby vineyard, which critics have dubbed the “cathedral of wine.” Amen. I don’t need to sound dramatic, but this is quite incredible. Firstly, the building is fashioned like a bottle, and that’s not something you see normally. Secondly, the ceiling-high wood tanks used for vinification and aging are painted in specific reds and purples for maximum visible impact (and consistency). Thirdly, and most significantly, it overlooks 32 hectares of century-old vines that might be organically grown, harvested by hand, and carried using Percheron horses! An own family-owned sustainable enterprise, it produces one hundred twenty bottles per year, which can be, in most cases, served on the lodge grounds.
