A little Restuant just outside the Castle walls. We weee very surprised…read more The food was delicious the service polite.

La Rapiere makes a bad first impression. From the outside it looks like it has seen its better…read moredays...many years ago. Pulling into the dirt driveway you may be tempted to turn around and find another hotel. But that would be a mistake. This B&B is a real find for those who are willing to look past the rough exterior. First of all, there's the location. You could not ask for better. You get a clear, unobstructed view of the Cite, so close that you almost feel like you are ready to lay siege to the fortress. From the door of your room to the drawbridge is about a five-minute walk. In contrast to the outside of the building, inside the rooms are clean, modern, and extremely comfortable. The shower in our room was the most spacious we had in Europe. The AC worked very well, and we had no problems connecting to wi-fi. Breakfast is included in the price, and was not terribly thrilling...fresh croissants were the highlight. The only real complaint we had was that the outdoor stairs leading down to our room were a bit slippery and treacherous. The warm and friendly staff speak no English, but unlike most places in France, they cheerfully worked through our communication barrier. Very, very nice people who run a great hotel. If you are looking for an affordable place to stay in Carcassone, this is it.

Really nice drive in the hills to get to this lovely village…read more The place is nice, modern interior with a style that mary itself well with the character of the stones. Food-wise, you cannot be disappointed when you get to a top rated French chef like him. You can still be forgiven to ask why all the fuss with 3 Michelin stars when 2 would have been well deserved and not create too high expectations (hence my rating)... Service is a bit too relaxed or familiar to match with this level of cooking (or the bill). Despite being a little underwhelmed overall, we must outline the magnificent cheese selection that gave a special note to the degustation menu. Definitely recommend to try if you have the time to spare for the discovery.

Sometimes a meal in a fine dining restaurant feels a bit like a marathon; you are not sure you are…read moreenjoying yourself at the time but you look back on it fondly, perhaps through a rose tinted lens or two. I find myself convincing myself that it is not the restaurant's fault - "I ordered poorly" or, more commonly, "I gorged myself on bread". However, often the food just is not *that* good. There was a point mid way through our 5 hour meal here that it looked like it could be one of those nights. We had chosen the chef's menu which featured those dishes from the a la carte that he fancied serving to his guest's that day, and, apparently, chef was feeling generous. By the time we reached the principal main course of beautifully cooked bull (apparently recently slain by a matador) we were uncertain whether we would reach the end of the feast. However, persevere we did and while the meal as a whole did stray into marathon territory at times, the food we ate (and largely enjoyed) was beautifully (and often theatrically) presented and cooked. Stand out dishes included succulent prawns served on finely diced ceps inside an arc of potato, and red snapper served with the most intense sauce of fish stock and saffron I have ever experienced. However, for us there was just too much richness in all of the food to make the meal as a whole truly memorable. Apparently it is possible to have too much of a good thing. When we return, I think that we will just order off the a la carte to avoid M. Goujon's generosity overwhelming us again! For those interested, the wine list is comprehensive featuring many of our favourite vignerons from the surrounding countryside and from the rest of France. Wines are grouped by AOC and then Vin de Table which made the selection process harder than it needed to be. Still, we were more than satisfied by an unusual Roussillon red our sommelier guided us to. Interestingly, unlike other 3 star restaurants I have visited, the atmosphere was never formal which we enjoyed. Perhaps this is caused by the slightly rustic dining area which appears to be a series of farm buildings knocked together. However, I think that this also stems from the staff who, while attentive, were also friendly and engaging.

We were driving through the south of France and we needed an inexpensive and clean place to stay…read morewith parking. Our friends found it on booking.com. It was a good deal, although a short drive from the center of the city. The surroundings aren't that great, as it is pretty much in the parking lot of a shopping center, but it is easily accessible by car. The hotel itself is super cute and looks like it was assembled in parts after being purchased from an Ikea. The room was clean and nice with a nice bathroom and good bed. We also had the breakfast in the morning, which was excellent (but only served until 9am). It was large, buffet style with cheeses, cold cuts, breads, and delicious crepes. Overall, this was a really comfortable place at a good price.