Chateau Castigno, France

Nov 30, 2017

In September, I had the opportunity to travel to the South of France, and to visit a lesser-known vineyard called Chateau Castigno. From the moment I arrived until the moment I left this beautiful French village, I felt like I was one of the locals, having left the hassle and routine of Los Angeles behind. I had landed in the land of beauty, wine, and exquisite farm-to-table foods.

I drove from the small airport of Beziers, a 45-minute ride of unhurried road and roundabouts (it was a very simple and scenic ride), and arrived in the quaint village. I was received at La Petite Table with a lovely glass of red wine, and later on was taken to my room at ” La Maison de Famille.” My room was decorated with beautiful Asian art and shades of red and purple, with lots of wood and intricate little wood details. The windows opened to the expansive vineyard of Castigno and the beautiful sparkling pool below. It’s important to mention there are no phones, no TVs, and definitely no WiFi offered in the rooms; this is when you know Castigno is serious about providing guests a digital detox. You totally disconnect, which allows you to reconnect to yourself. I have to say it was a little hard for me in the beginning. However, I felt that I slowed down quite a bit after the first 12 hours, and I felt perfectly relaxed like I have never been before.

With that being said, WiFi is offered only in the central room they call “Wine School.” I found out later that this room served as the wine tasting hall. We tasted some gorgeous wines in that room, which I will tell you about in a minute.

Wellness is big at Village Castigno. Reni, the Balinese therapist (who has hands made of silk), works daily at Le Petit Peche. You will certainly be pampered with a fabulous massage and treatments tailored to the scents of the vineyards, or the exotic scents she offers. This is a treatment that no one should miss when you visit Castigno.

The cuisine varies from comfortable and casual to more refined, gourmet options. In the lovely courtyard at La Petite Table, they serve wine and tapas. I really enjoyed the gourmet French cuisine at La Table. And then there was Le Thai, an exotic restaurant with fresh and locally grown ingredients. The chefs in the different restaurants come from different parts of the world, and with that comes so many different flavors.

The rooms range from standard to luxury suites, and they also offer prestige suites. I enjoyed Maison de Famille, which was the house where my room was located. It has a huge kitchen and two private pools, 9 bedrooms in total, beautifully decorated sitting areas, and a lovely garden with outdoor dining.

The Chateau Castigno Estate passionately produces organic wines. My personal favorite was “Secret Des Dieux/Rouge.” I highly recommend it, but it’s safe to say I didn’t have one wine which I didn’t thoroughly enjoy.

Castigno also has an art gallery. Each year, a new exhibition by renowned artists are displayed. With art workshops, ceramic workshops, and summer night concerts, the village lights up with joy, linking a strong commitment to the environment and the rich heritage of this beautiful region.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, where village Castigno is located (and specifically near Assignan), stretches from Provence to the Pyrenees. It has been a strategic border since Roman times, and these days it’s best known for its vineyards, which produce a third of France’s wine. With its busy beaches sprawling along the Mediterranean shore, I believe Castigno is one of the region’s hidden charms, a must visit!

Nina Omari