Words from Polly Curtis organiser of Steph’s Hen Do Event.
Before the Event:”Our weekend in Toulouse and visit to you is finally here! We are very excited…
Cannot wait to finally meet you all, you’ve been by far the easiest people to deal with and so helpful! So thank you in advance for all of that! See you Sunday! “
After the Event: “We are back to reality in the UK, and wanted to send you an email to say thank you so very much for everything you did this weekend.
I couldn’t have asked for our day to have been better. Everyone said how incredibly welcome you made us all feel, as shown by how relaxed everyone was all afternoon!
The wine was lovey and plentiful!! We enjoyed a few more bottles in the park that evening, with a few saved for the top table at the wedding!
Your food was delicious and the efforts you went to for all our varying requirements was above and beyond!
I’ve attached a few photos, and if you wanted us to write a review of any sort to go with it for anything don’t hesitate to ask!!
Enjoy the rest of your summer, it would be hard not to in such a beautiful place!
Merci Beaucoup!!!”
In this video, our proprietor and chief wine-maker, Joseph O’Connell, describes the process of harvesting grapes to make red wine. This process is much different than the process for harvesting grapes for making white wine.
Join us soon at O’Vineyards for a tasting, tour, night among the vines in one of our four elegantly furnished B&B rooms, or a gourmet meal!
We were up early at O’Vineyards this Thursday morning to harvest the merlot!
The moonlight over the vines was beautiful at 2AM!
Like an impressionistic painting, the lights from the equipment could be seen shining in the field from a distance.
As always, you can just barely make out the lights of Carcassonne’s medieval city over the O’Vineyards vines.
Soon we will have more delicious wine for you to enjoy!
Carcassonne is home to a spectacular walled medieval city. The walled city is a UNESCO world heritage site, and international tourists flock to its walls each year. The Carcassonne region is also home to many renowned wineries, and a visit to a winery can take you away from the busy tourist sites into the heart of Southern France.
A walled medieval city that features fun shops and acclaimed restaurants lies at the city center of Carcassonne.
Tourists who are enjoying the sites, sounds, and tastes of Carcassonne get sleepy too. It is important to find a comfortable place to rest that is suitable for your needs. The TripAdvisor websiteis my favorite site for searching for places to stay. The website searches for places to stay by the most precise name for the town or village, so when you are looking for a place to stay in Carcassonne, it is also helpful to consult the TripAdvisor website for places to stay in nearby villages. It is particularly fun to stay in one of the villages surrounding the walled city, because this is the best way to get into the quiet and scenic French countryside that is away from the bustle of the larger city lights and the tourists. So, when you consult TripAdvisor, it is helpful to consult a map of nearby villages and to search TripAdvisor for places to stay in those villages.
The O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is modern and lavishly furnished structure.
Villemoustaussou is one small village that is just minutes from Carcassonne. The O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is located in Villemoustaussou. If you look under Villemoustaussou, you will find reviews of the O’Vineyards Winery and the O’Vineyards B&B. These reviews have been written by many happy visitors. If you find yourself in Carcassonne, I highly recommend staying a night at the O’Vineyards B&B. The B&B is a modern structure. The rooms in the B&B are spacious and are elegantly furnished with comfortable beds. Each room in the O’Vineyards B&B has a large private bath. Breakfast is served each morning in the beautiful common area where you can also relax in the evenings to enjoy a glass or bottle of wine from the wine bar over a lively discussion with your spouse, friends, or other O’Vineyards guests.
The Ovineyards B&B features spacious, elegantly furnished, bedrooms with views of the vines and private baths.
The O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is not only an excellent destination for the weary traveler. The O’Vineyards Winery is also an excellent place to learn about wine. Joe is an American who has become an award-winning French wine-maker. Joe gives tours of the winery and explains the wine-making process in English or “en franglais”. As a result, the O’Vineyards Winery is a particularly good destination for the English speaker who would like to learn about the French wine world.
O’Vineyard wines are prepared directly on the property from grapes grown within your view.
After you take a tour of the O’Vineyards Winery and have learned all that you want to know about the wine-making process, you will be thirsty. The O’Vineyard decks are a peaceful place to relax and enjoy a glass or bottle of O’Vineyards wine. Liz and Joe offer a wine bar that serves wines made directly from the vines that are within view of the decks. The Black Mountains form a particularly breathtaking sight in the far distance.
The O’Vineyards Winery and B&B offers a wine bar. You can sample O’Vineyard wines by the glass or bottle.
The O’Vineyard Winery and B&B decks offer breathtaking views of the vines and the Black Mountains in the distance.
If you are hungry after your wine tour, you are in luck because Liz is a fusion-inspired chef. In the afternoons, Liz prepares street foods that are selected specifically to pair with and enhance the flavors of the O’Vineyards wines.
Tasty bites are served in the afternoon. These bites replenish the traveler and tempt the palate after enjoying an informative tour of the wine-making facilities.
If you find yourself in Carcassonne enjoying the sights of the walled medieval city, I hope you will take some time to visit O’Vineyards Winery and B&B. You will enjoy gorgeous sights away from the tourists, learn all about the wine-making process, quench your thirst, and tempt your palate. If you stay the night, I think you will find yourself well-rested and inspired by the elegant surroundings. It will be an experience you will talk about for a long to come.
Just beyond the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B decks, you will find a garden featuring herbs and indigenous plants.
This article was written as a part of series on accessing Carcassonne and O’Vineyards Winery and B&B from Barcelona. Barcelona can make an excellent entry point into the South of France, Carcassonne, the surrounding wine regions, and O’Vineyards Winery and B&B. Carcassonne is accessible by train from Barcelona or it is about a 2-3 hour drive by car. Toulouse can also make an excellent entry point into Carcassonne and the surrounding wine world. Carcassonne is accessible by train from Toulouse and it is about an hour by car from Toulouse. If you access O’Vineyards Winery and B&B by car, it can be helpful to use GPS coordinates to find the vineyard and B&B.
I introduced the series of articles about Barcelona in an initial post, and the other ten parts of the series are:
How to Select a Place to Stay near Carcassonne (this post)
Coming Soon:
10 Things to Do Near Carcassonne
Wineries to Visit Near Carcassonne
10 Foods to Try in the Carcassonne Region
10 Souvenirs to Buy to Remember Your Trip to Carcassonne
How to Plan an English-Speaking French Wine Tour from Barcelona to the Cabardès AOC Near Toulouse and Carcassonne in 10 Easy Steps
Step 5: How to Get from Barcelona to Carcassonne
The South of France is home to some of the most outstanding wineries in all of France. The Languedoc-Roussillon region is one of the most distinguised wine regions in this part of France. O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is in the Cabardès AOC which forms a portion of the western extent of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is in Villemoustaussou, a small village that is just minutes from Carcassonne, the home a walled medieval city that is a UNESCO world heritage site and popular international tourist destination. Carcassonne is about an hour away from Toulouse by car, and Villmoustaussou is just minutes from Carcassonne.
The walled medieval city that lies at the heart of Carcassonne is a popular international tourist destination
Travelers to Barcelona frequently take excursions into the South of France, particularly to enjoy the scenery and the wines. Carcassonne is an extremely popular tourist destination because of the walled medieval city that lies at its heart. Carcassonne is about a 2-3 hour car ride from Barcelona, and the Carcassonne train station is also accessible from Barcelona. For these reasons, it is highly recommendable to take some time out of any trip to Barcelona to explore Carcassonne and the world of French wines. I recommend taking a trip into Carcassonne to see the walled medieval city, and while you are there, I recommend stopping by my in-laws’ winery and B&B in the the Cabardès AOC.
Within the walls of Carcassonne’s medieval city you will find many fun shops and restaurants.
You can plan to access Carcassonne by train by visiting the RailEurope website. You could also rent a car in Barcelona and drive into the South of France. See the Europcar website for details about how to rent a car. The border is exceptionally easy to cross, and according to my research, most drivers easily qualify to rent a car through a company like Europcar. I do recommend doing your research about the renting process ahead of time. There are several things to consider, such as whether you should take extra insurance. Many credit companies cover losses if you rent using their card, so sometimes the extra coverages that the car rental company offer are unnecessary. If you are traveling by car, it can helpful to use GPS coordinates to find a vineyard.
Carcassonne is easily accessible from Barcelona by train or car.
If you make your way from Barcelona into the region of Carcassonne, I highly recommend visiting the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B. The O’Vineyards Winery is particularly fun destination for the English-speaking wine enthusiast. My father-in-law, Joe, is an American who has become a critically acclaimed French wine maker. Joe gives friendly tours of the vineyard and the wine-making facilities in English or “en franglais”.
Guests to O’Vineyards Winery enjoy wine tours in English or “en franglais”.
The wine prepared at O’Vineyards Winery is made directly from the grapes within view.
After you take a wine tour with Joe, you can relax on the O’Vineyard Winery and B&B decks that have gorgeous views of the sloping hills of vines and the Black Mountains in the distance. The O’Vineyards Winery offers a wine bar. You can sample the numerous delicious wines prepared directly at the vineyard by the glass or bottle. In the afternoons, my mother-in-law, Liz, prepares fusion-inspired street foods. You can take part of this very enjoyable foodie experience, and Liz will help you expertly pair the delicious bites with wines from the wine bar.
The sloping hills of vines and the Black Mountains are viewable from each room in the O’Vineyards B&B.
The O’Vineyards Winery and B&B decks are the prefect place for relaxing and enjoying a glass or bottle from the wine bar.
Each room at the O’Vineyards B&B is spacious and is equipped with a large private bath.
The trip from Barcelona to Carcassonne is just far enough, that you may also want to spend a night or two in the Carcassonne region. O’Vineyards Winery also has a beautiful B&B. The B&B is located in a modern structure. Each room in the B&B is spacious, has breathtaking views of the vines and the Black Mountains, and has a large private bath. The common area at the B&B is elegantly furnished and is optimal for enjoying the wines or a tasty breakfast or evening meal.
At O’Vineyards Winery and B&B, meals are served in the common area.
If you find yourself in Barcelona, I do hope you will consider making your way to Carcassonne and the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B. My in-laws will be very pleased to welcome you. You could also access the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B through Toulouse. My brother-in-law, Ryan, has previously written about how to plan a wine trip near Toulouse, how to plan a wine trip near Carcassonneand things you can do in Carcassonne.
The O’Vineyards Winery and B&B common area is the perfect spot for enjoying an evening glass or bottle of wine and a lively conversation.
If you have been following along in this series, you know that my name is Darren and that I am part of the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B through marriage. I am hoping to develop a more permanent relationship with O’Vineyards, but the details are still in development. In the meantime, I am doing some writing for the O’Vineyards B&B blog, and now you are reading one of my articles. My spouse and I are currently in-route to the winery to discuss the details of our future with my in-laws, Liz and Joe. Since we are traveling through Barcelona, I am sharing the details of our trip planning process. I hope that this information will be helpful for any visitor to Barcelona who would also like to take the time to enjoy an French wine tour.
I introduced this series of articles in an initial post, and the other ten parts of the series are:
10 Souvenirs to Buy to Remember Your Trip to Carcassone
Join me next time when I will discuss other options for selecting a place to stay in Barcelona. In the meantime, please explore this website for more details on the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B experience. Please contact my in-laws, Liz and Joe, by email or phone if you need help planning a visit to O’Vineyards Winery and B&B.
How to Plan an English-Speaking French Wine Tour from Barcelona to the Cabardès AOC Near Toulouse and Carcassonne in 10 Easy Steps
Step 4: 10 Foods to try in Barcelona
At O’Vineyards Winery and B&B, we are very serious about delicious food. If you visit our winery, you can take a tour and then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing on our deck with breathtaking views of sloping hills of vines and the Black Mountains. As you relax on the deck and try our wines, you can sample foodie-worthy, fusion-inspired, street foods prepared by mother-law and O’Vineyards proprietor, Liz.
My name is Darren, and I am an American and member of the O’Vineyards family by marriage. My spouse and I working on developing a more permanent relationship with the winery and B&B, and in the meantime I am writing articles for the O’Vineyard Winery and B&B blog. My articles will focus on travel, the wine-making process, food, interesting happenings at the vineyard, and fun things to muse about while enjoying a bottle of O’Vineyards wine.
Trah Lah Lah is a popular bottle of O’Vineyards Wine.
My spouse and I are currently making our way to the vineyard to discuss our future with my in-laws, the proprietors of O’Vineyards Winery and B&B, Liz and Joe. For this particular trip, we are traveling through Barcelona to Villemoustaussou, the small French village that is the home of O’Vineyards. Villemoustaussou is just minutes from Carcassonne. Carcassonne is famous for the walled medieval city that lies at its heart. This walled city is a UNESCO world heritage site and a popular international tourist destination.
The heart of Cacassonne is a popular international tourist destination.
I thought it would be helpful if I shared our planning process for our trip through Barcelona. Barcelona can make an excellent starting point for a trip to the wine regions near Toulouse and Carcassonne because it is a short trip by car or train to Carcassonne. Toulouse is another excellent starting point for a trip to Carcassonne and surrounding wine regions because it is just an hour away by car from the Cabardès AOC that is the home to O’Vineyards Winery and B&B.
In this series of articles, I am discussing accessing Carcassonne via Barcelona.
I introduced this series of articles in an initial post, and the other ten parts of the series are:
10 Souvenirs to Buy to Remember Your Trip to Carcassonne
Barcelona is an excellent destination for the foodie and wine enthusiast. A typical food experience includes, tapas, small dishes that are popular in Spain. A light evening meal typically consists of multiple small dishes that are enjoyed by a group of people over a lively discussion. Tapas are usually served later in the evening, beginning around 10 PM.
Barcelona, Spain
Here are ten foods I recommend trying while you are in Barcelona:
Paella
an iconic rice and seafood dish served throughout Spain
Bombas
tennis-ball-sized potato croquettes served with garlic aioli or spicy red sauce
Calçots and Romesco Sauce
grilled sweet onions (and all sorts of meats) served with romesco sauce, a traditional Catalan salsa made with hazelnuts, almonds, and red peppers
Esqueixada
raw salted cod served with romesco sauce, tomatoes, onions, and black olives
Pa amb Tomàquet
bread rubbed with salt, olive oil, garlic, and the juice of a tomato
Escalivada
wood fired eggplant and red peppers served on toasted bread dashed with olive oil, garlic and salt. It is popular to eat this dish with anchovies.
Mató
a goat cheese served with honey and walnut
Crema Catalane
a creamy vanilla custard with a crispy blow-torched crust
Jamon Iberico
a popular cured Spanish ham
Tapas
popular tapas dishes include: patates braves, xipirons (fried squids), truita de patates (kind of omelette with potatoes), formatge manchego (Manchego cheese), pernil iberic (Spanish ham), olives, gambes a la planxa (grilled shrimps with garlic) and croquetes de pollastre i pernil (croquettes of chicken and ham).
The O’Vineyards B&B includes an elegantly furnished common area where wines can be sampled and breakfast is served.
In my next article I will discuss how to get from Barcelona to Carcassonne. In the meantime, please explore this site and consider a visit to O’Vineyards Winery and B&B. My in-laws would love to welcome you, and if you are so-inclined, you can spend a night in the modern B&B. Each room has a private bath, a view of the vines, and breakfast is served each morning.
How to Plan an English-Speaking French Wine Tour from Barcelona to the Cabardès AOC Near Toulouse and Carcassonne in 10 Easy Steps
Step 3: 10 Things to Do in Barcelona
Barcelona is a the magical capital of Catalonia that is very close to the southern border of France. For people who are visiting Barcelona, a short trip to the South of France can make for a very enjoyable side-trip. Wine lovers will find many distinguished French wine regions and vineyards in the areas of Toulouse and Carcassonne. O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is located in Villemoustaussou and is a short trip by car or train from Barcelona, about an hour away from Toulouse by car, and is just minutes from Carcassonne.
O’Vineyards Winery is a particularly good place for the English speaker to visit. My father-in-law, Joe, is an American, and he is an experienced French wine-maker. Joe gives tours of the winery in English or “en franglais”. My mother-in-law, Liz, is a native French citizen. Liz prepares street foods in the afternoons that are served on the decks overlooking the vines and the Black Mountains. Liz expertly pairs the foods with samples of the various O’Vineyard wines prepared from the vines in your view. So, if you are planning a trip to visit Barcelona, you will also want to consider taking a couple days to enjoy French wines in the South of France. In particular, I hope you will take time out of your trip to Barcelona to visit O’Vineyards Winery and B&B.
My name is Darren, and I am part of the O’Vineyards family through marriage. I am hoping to develop a permanent relationship with the winery, but while the family and I develop the details, I am doing some guest writing on this blog. My spouse and I are currently planning a trip to O’Vineyards Winery and B&B to visit my in-laws, and we are traveling to Carcassonne through Barcelona. In this series of posts, I am sharing our planning process for visiting Barcelona and getting to the vineyard. Here are 10 interesting things that we have on our list of things to do in Barcelona that you may also want to consider doing prior to a wine trip to the South of France and O’Vineyards Winery and B&B:
1.Visit La Sagrada Familia
This gothic cathedral is Antonin Gaudi’s architectural masterpiece that has been in progress for over 130 years.
Flamenco shows feature singers, dancers, and musicians, and the shows are usually viewed while dining, particularly on tapas. Check TripAdvisor for an interesting location.
4. Tour Old Town by foot, Segway, or bicycle
Old Town is easy to tour on foot on your own, or there are several tour companies that offer tours by foot, Segway, or bicycle. Check TripAdvisor for more information.
5. Visit the beaches or take a sailing tour on the Mediterranean
TripAdvisor features several sailing companies that can help you experience the water breezes. Some offer dining and drinking options.
6. Visit the Picasso museum
The Picasso museum offers an excellent collection of the artist’s works that can be particularly helpful for viewing the artists development over time.
7. Ride the Montjuïc Cable Car
The beautiful and popular hill of Monjuïc is accessible by cable car from the city center.
8. Enjoy Tapas
Tapas is served throughout the city, particularly later in the evening. I suggest using TripAdvisor to find a place to your liking.
9. Visit Salvador Dali’s birthplace of Figueres
You can take a high speed train to visit Figueres and the Dali theatre and museum.
10. Visit la Boqueria market
The market can make an excellent visit for the hard-core foodie. Be sure to sample some of the hams, especially Jamon Iberico.
Whatever you do in Barcelona, you are bound to have a fabulous time. Please consider taking a side-trip to France. If you are a lover of wine, you will not be disappointed. O’Vineyards Winery and B&B is located just minutes from the town of Carcassonne. A walled medieval city that is a UNESCO world heritage site and a popular international tourist destination lies at the center of the city. My brother-in-law, Ryan, has previously written about how to plan a wine trip near Toulouse, how to plan a wine trip near Carcassonneand things you can do in Carcassonne.
This series of articles is about planning a trip to Carcassonne and the O’Vineyards Winery and B&B from Barcelona.
I introduced this series of articles in an initial post, and the other ten parts of the series are:
10 Souvenirs to Buy to Remember Your Trip to Carcassonne
How to find us
Domaine O’Vineyards, located in the North Arrondissement of Carcassonne, is just minutes from the Carcassonne train station, the Medieval City, and the Carcassonne Airport.
GPS coordinates: 43.259622, 2.340387
O’Vineyards
Wine, Dine, Relax at our Boutique Vineyard
Unique thing to do in Carcassonne
Wine Cellar. Winery Visits. Wine Tasting.
Wine & Food Pairing
North Arrondissement of Carcassonne
885 Avenue de la Montagne Noire
11620 Villemoustaussou, France
Tel: +33(0) 630 189 910
Best by GPS.
Follow the signs to Mazamet/ Villemoustaussou using the D118. At the end of the last straight part of D118, you will come to a roundabout with the Dyneff gas station.
Take the exit towards Pennautier. Continue 500m to a small roundabout and go straight over.
Look out for the second road on your right, Avenue des Cévennes which curves up hill (about 1km) to Avenue de la Montagne Noire on the left.
At the last juction, bear left. the road sign “Ave de la Montagne Noire” (confusing as it seems to show a right turn)
After another 500m you will see our red brick color building in the middle of the vines.
