Mr & Mrs Smith

What a grand über-chic hideaway Domaine de Verchant is. Just a stone's throw from Montpellier. We stayed in a deluxe terrace that was spacious, offered great views and an opportunity to watch TV immediately in front of the spa bath (albeit offering only French Channels). I would love to recommend surrounding places to visit, but we were too busy relaxing and reading by the pool to leave the resort.

My wife and I would recommend the following restaurants when staying at Domaine de Verchant. Firstly, La Terrace du Mimosa (http://laterrassedumimosa.blogspot.com/), a wine shop/restaurant/bar situated in Montpeyroux, about half an hour's drive north from Montpellier. It's located close to Saint Guilhem le Désert, making it a good option for lunch when visiting attractions in that area. The tables are scattered around the square in a simple and attractive fashion with lots of options to sit in the sun or shade, as your prefer. There are also a few tables inside, but to sit there would be to miss some of the joy of the place. The village of Montpeyroux is quaint and quiet, making the situation of the restaurant very charming. Dining options are limited to a simple set menu with options for starter, main course and desert (plus an optional, but desirable cheese course) costing €19 at lunch or €24 for dinner. We enjoyed a perfectly made roquefort tart served with cured ham, followed by a delicious bavette of beef, the cheese course (featuring three local varieties) and an orange/apricot pudding. However, the star of the show is the wine list. In order to travel to Montpeyroux you pass through miles of beautiful vineyards and the list features wine from all of the producers in the surrounding area, with multiple vintages to choose between. Best of all, the wine list is priced exceptionally fairly with a flat €9 mark-up over cellar door prices. Consequently, you can sample an aged bottle of very fine wine without the cost becoming excessive. There is also a long and interesting list of wines available to try by the glass as an alternative. If you like the wine you drank over lunch, it is possible to buy it from the wine shop at the same price you would pay if you travelled to the vineyard to buy it from the cellar door. Arguably, the shop would be worth a visit for this reason alone.

Secondly, Prouhèze Saveurs (www.prouheze-saveurs.com/) restaurant – our favourite place in Montpellier, notwithstanding its location outside of the main town. The restaurant has a pleasant terrace and a stylish interior. On our visit it was busy with locals who were enjoying a mid-week lunch – a lovely atmosphere. Again, the food was excellent, we sampled from both the a la carte menu and one of the set menus with an interesting wine list which focuses on Languedoc-Roussillon but does feature wine from outside the region as well. The highlight of the meal was the desert which was highly inventive and worthy of a far higher price tag!

Don't miss out on the private degustation/wine tasting tour bookable via the hotel. It was the highlight of our trip. Book on a Monday if you can, as the after tour dinner is then at Bertrand's family B&B in a tranquil romantic countryside setting with your table tucked away in a private outside corner. Yes, it's rural and more basic than the hotel but the food is wonderful and you're treated as special guests.