La Cascade is the name Gwen Gibson has given the 17th century house she renovated in the South of France. It’s in the medieval village of Durfort, a twenty-five minute walk from Soreze where art workshops have taken place for the past 10 years. The name La Cascade well suits the house because it’s on a mountain stream whose waterfall fills the house with its music. There’s a terrace overlooking the stream where we will eat by candlelight under the stars. It is a large three story house that sleeps eight people, has a large living room with a fireplace, a dining room with French doors onto the terrace and a huge studio on the top floor complete with ancient beams and skylights. It took three years to finish the house because they’ve installed modern bathrooms and a gourmet kitchen as well as furnish the rooms with paintings by Suzanne L’Hoste and Carole Watanabe, not to mention treasures found in village antique shops and flea markets.
Durfort is an artisan village that’s been devoted to the making of copper vessels for centuries. Because of its location at the foot of a mountain gorge, there’s a natural supply of running water that’s necessary for tempering copper vessels. In fact, many of the streets have a channel of fresh running water down the center. La Cascade 
is located on such a street. The address is 27 Rue des Martineurs, or street of the copper beaters. There are several shops in town that sell everything from bed warmers to cookware made of copper. Les Montagnes Noir that rise so dramatically above Durfort offer miles of hiking trails. One can start from the front door and hike forever. Golden fields of sunflowers take over where the forested slopes end, a pastoral contrast to the rugged beauty of the gorge.
There are many nearby points of interest. Soreze with its jazz café and art scene is just next-door. There are many beautiful villages within easy driving distance, some of which are listed by the French government as Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Carcassonne is only 45 minutes away and Albi, with its great cathedral and the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, is a little over an hour’s drive. There’s a large swimming lake about 15 minutes drive into the mountains and, if you continue through the mountains on the road to Carcassonne, you will pass through ancient stone villages that were Cathar strongholds in the 12th century. One such town has revitalized its economy by becoming the book village, a paradise for people who collect old images, antique books or materials for collage. We always come back from Montolieu with a treasure or two. Just outside of the book village there’s a studio for making fine hand crafted paper and books that also has a fine collection of art books for sale. We usually make a point of stopping at the pottery on the way back. Even when our bags are full, we manage to find space for some charming little piece that we wouldn’t find anywhere else. The graceful old city of Toulouse, an hour and a quarter away, has much to offer – from fine domestic and civic architecture to wonderful restaurants and a good art supplies store. You can view the city from aboard one of the tour boats that ply the Garonne.
La Cascade has four bedrooms that comfortably sleep eight people. There are two full bathrooms on the 2nd floor and one on the first floor. There’s also a studio, a sitting room, a dining room, two terraces by the river and a large, well equipped kitchen.
Location
- Dufort is a
medieval copper artisan village, approximately 45 minutes east of Toulouse. (The French estimate time rather than distance because distance could mean anything in terms of time on country roads)- Mediterranean beaches – 1 hr 30 minutes
- Lake – 10 minutes
- Nearest shops/restaurants – 5 minutes
- Airport – 1 hr 20 minutes to Toulouse airport in Blagnac
- Medieval Cité of Carcassonne – 45 minutes
- Medieval village of Soreze – 5 minutes, famous Abbey School and music festival in June and July
- Canal du Midi – 20 minutes
- Castres – 30 minutes; Goya Museum
- Toulouse – 45 minutes
- Albi – 1 hr, Cathedral and Toulouse Lautrec Museum
- Montolieu- 35 minutes, The book town
Art Affair in France 