Last weekend, I stayed at La Belle Eco. It was, truly, a slice of natural paradise. Situated in green, sunny Carcassonne, the manor house and grounds are unlike any other I have had the pleasure of staying at. At the heart, its magic comes from its connection to nature; surrounded by dense forest that has been left untouched for 70 years, the birdsong is quite deafening coming from the city. The mature trees sway in the breeze. And the regenerative systems that La Belle Eco implements are keeping it that way, too.
If you’re thinking about visiting La Belle Eco – be it as a wedding guest, a retreat attendee, or a holiday goer – read on to discover the magic that’s in store…
Introducing: La Belle Eco
La Belle Eco was founded by partners Ruby and Dimi. They discovered the manor house and grounds in disrepair, after spending almost 70 years with no occupants, and have spent the last five years renovating it with care. This covers everything – from preserving 1920s stained glass windows to sowing the seeds of a permaculture garden. Today, it stands as a decadent 9-bedroom hotel, arts centre, and wedding venue. La Belle Eco is situated just 13 minutes by car from Carcassonne Airport, and 25 minutes from Carcassonne.
The Flora Suite At La Belle Eco
I was invited to visit La Belle Eco to experience their twice-annual Feel Good Feasting Retreat. Staying in the Van Gogh-inspired, Almond Blossom-walled Flora Suite for four days, eating three decadent meals a day made from foragings from their regenerative ‘food forest’, and connecting with fellow foodies felt like a dream. In fact, sitting here writing this in the middle of a bustling city – perhaps the antithesis to La Belle Eco’s surrounds and ethos – really makes it feel like one very vivid, very special dream.
I wanted to shine a special spotlight on the Flora Suite, as it really became my home across the long weekend. This beautiful, expansive suite comes with everything: a superior king bed with princess crown, dressing table, regency-style seating, and two French windows that open up over the park. It is an en-suite bedroom, with a bathroom and rainfall shower tucked inside the wallpapered walls. I stayed during early May so it was still a little cold, but the room came with extra bedding in the wardrobe.
A Place For Regeneration & Relaxation
Alongside being an Arts Centre, Wedding Venue, and Boutique Hotel, La Belle Eco is also home to a number of regenerative and relaxing activities. You’ll likely make the most of these on one of their retreats, but much is open to guests or bookable for your stay.
Food Forest
In the grounds of La Belle Eco, you’ll find the ‘Food Forest’. Fernando, the resident gardener, took us for a foraging workshop and showed us the seven layers of their permaculture forest, from the mature trees that have stood on the land for hundreds of years, to the scattered shrubs, roots, and vines. In 5-10 years, they hope to have a forest that can feed everyone, all year round.
Natural Pool
A stone’s throw from the forest is the natural swimming pool. Here, frogs live among the reeds, and loudly chirrup in the sunshine. Despite visiting in early May, the weather was warm enough to sunbathe and swim, and it made for a delightfully cool dip (that was completely chlorine free!)
And, for when the weather isn’t quite as warm, there is also a hot tub, sauna cabin, and pool-house with Honesty Bar. It made for two idyllic afternoons during my stay.
Yoga & Meditation Space
At the back of the manor house, you’ll find an old grain store, which has been restored and turned into a dual-level barn. In the upper, loft area of the barn, La Belle Eco hosts restorative activities such as meditation, sound baths, and yoga, led by external practitioners. It’s the ideal setting: the warm wood floor leads to a large, open-air archway where the old trees sway and birdsong emanates from. During my time on the Feel Good Feasting Retreat, I enjoyed meditating in this space the most. The archway provide a great focal point, and it’s easy to sit and feel still amongst the trees.
Fancy-Dress Dressing Room
Now, don’t let all of that calm fool you – La Belle Eco is one great party house too. On special summer nights, La Belle Epoque is brought back to life here, and the best place to find it is in their fancy-dress room. This dressing room is filled with 1920s glamour, frocks and feathers, as well as costumes from all eras. At the end of our retreat, we all found an outfit to wear here – the dressing room is size inclusive! – and got dressed up for a three-course meal in the dining room before heading to the neon-lit den to continue the party.
For La Belle Vie, Visit La Belle Eco
La Belle Eco has to be one of the best places I’ve visited in my 10+ years of documenting eco-friendly travel. Just like all things in nature, it doesn’t fit into one box, and instead caters to individual stays, retreats, weddings, artist residencies, and more. It also comes with a community of guests – past and present – plus practitioners, staff, and volunteers, who all love the place. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time I stay there – I already have a list of friends who want to visit after seeing my highlights!
Book your summer stay at La Belle Eco on their website.
