OUR LIFE IN CHALABRE: An American Expat in the South of France

LOOKING FOR CHATEAU MONTY (September 2008) Chateau Monty is a (British) Channel 4 TV series in which a slightly poncy British wine expert, Monty Waldin, bought (or perhaps rented, the show isn't clear on the subject) a small vineyard located on the slopes of the Pyrénées-Orientales near Fenouillet and set out to produce his own "bio-dynamic" wine. (Visit their official website.) The show is a great deal of fun. So, on a beautiful Saturday of September, we set out to find Chateau Monty. We drove through Puivert and Quillan, and then onto the D 117 past Axat until Caudies-de-Fenouilledes. There, we turned right and went into the mountains of the Roussillon...   ...until we reached the beautiful mountain village of Fenouillet, which gives its name to the area...   This is the ruins of the ancient castle of Fenouillet...   Then we followed a tiny country road past the village of Fosse... ...until we reached our goal: the village of St. Martin-de-Fenouillet... This is the Auberge Taichac where Monty stayed... The same with our Beanie parked in front.   St. Martin is a lovely place, rather small and hard to reach, but very charming...   The local church... JM walking Shmoo...   A beautiful local house...   St. Martin is nestled between the mountains...   Just outside the village are the vineyards...   This is not Monty's actual vineyard, but it's close enough!