| WHY GO |
| A stay at Castelnau des Fieumarcon promises to be a holiday like no other. Situated in the commune of Lagarde, between Lectoure and Condom, for the last 25 years this medieval hilltop village has been restored and regenerated by French entrepreneur Frédéric Coustols - an ecologist and an eccentric, with the kind of energy and drive that make dreams come true. One of the best-known examples of his work is the 15th-century Palácio Belmonte in Lisbon, which he bought in 1995 and restored at a cost of €2 million. Five years later, the Belmonte opened as one of the most exclusive hotels in Europe. If it's poolside lounging you're after, don't contemplate staying here (there are no pools, for a start, nor any televisions or vehicles within the walls). This is very much a hands-on experience: on a visit to Coustols' village, you should expect to learn something, and for parties of like-minded individuals, Fieumarcon has much to offer; with itineraries tailor-made for each group. If your idea of heaven is lunch on the shaded terrace of an unpretentious restaurant, or a visit to a great, slumbering ruin of a château that has been uninhabited for a quarter of a century, then this is the place for you. |
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