Hôtel Écolodge - Domaine Riberach ★★★★

The turbulent history of the Languedoc-Roussillon area, with its Spanish and French influences, is reflected in the story of the Écolodge - Domaine Riberach. A long, slender building, clinging to the hillside beneath the medieval castle of Bélesta, the Riberach started life as a wine co-operative. It closed in 1995 after operating for 70 years, and was then transformed into an eco-oeno-gourmet destination. The conversion has been carried out so sensitively that it looks as if it was always in the form we see it now. Even the stone façade, originally almost completely without windows, has been rebuilt with narrow windows reflecting the profile of the castle standing above. The natural swimming pool lies at one end of the building, looking as though it has simply been created by the landscape.

What gets lost in all the simplicity and beauty of the surroundings are things behind the scenes: a triple-tank system which naturally filters the pool, 500 m2 of rooftop photovoltaic solar panels supplying the energy needs of the hotel, or the love of the land and its produce which has inspired this creation. All we saw when we arrived was the stone building glowing in the evening sun, olive-shaded terraces leading to the serene pool with the vineyards and mountains beyond.

A warm welcome in classic French style greeted my daughter and I, and we were shown to our room on the ground floor, with a nice little terrace and walkway to enjoy the outdoors. It was a fabulous bedroom of warm muted colours, with a four-poster bed and pretty, diaphanous hangings draped over the frame. Everything felt clean, fresh and very stylish. Almost best of all, the bathroom had locally-made organic toiletries which were gorgeous. You can even buy more from the hotel’s boutique to take home with you. The boutique sells the Riberach’s own wine of course, as well as wines from around 30 local organic wineries.

But the toiletries, truth be told, were not the best of all: that was dinner! We dined on the terrace under an olive tree, with the glow of the lights reflecting on the glasses and the pool beyond, with those glorious mountains darkening in the distance. We had hare à la Royale accompanied by beetroots and duck cooked in two different styles. The desserts were works of art on a dish: a chocolate-noisette fruitcake in the form of a mouth and a fruit-filled lipstick to go with it. It’s not often that your food makes you laugh with delight before you eat it!

We spent a lovely and relaxing few days and made the most of our free entry to the Spa, including a birthday massage for my daughter. She forgot her blues, and started happily planning a return to the Écolodge - Domaine Riberach, this time with her husband and child. Serendipity gave her a lot to look forward to!