The Early-Rising Fitness Enthusiast
He is already outside by the time you open your eyes. Trail-running shoes on his feet, GPS watch on his wrist, he has already covered 12 kilometres between the Grésigne Forest and the vineyards before you have even enjoyed your first coffee.
He booked an activity for the very first day: trail running in the morning, gravel riding in the afternoon, hiking the next day. He has a schedule. And he sticks to it.
In the evening, he is the first one at the table. He eats an enormous amount, talks passionately about elevation gain and heart rate, and falls asleep on the sofa in front of everyone at 9:30 pm.
His favourite moment at the Domaine: Setting off along the trails at dawn, just as the forest begins to wake up.
What he says when leaving: “I should have booked an extra week.”
What he does when he gets home: Signs up for a trail race in the Tarn so he has an excuse to come back as soon as possible.
The Mum Who Finally
Gets to Do Absolutely Nothing
She packed everyone’s suitcases. She remembered the sun cream, the medication and the activities for the children. She organised everything.
And now, for the first time in months, she puts her things down, stretches out on a sun lounger beside the swimming pool and does absolutely nothing.
Nobody is asking her for anything. The children are in the pool. Her husband has everything under control. She finally reads the first few pages of a book that has been sitting in her bag for months.
On the second day, she books a massage at the Spa & Wellness Centre. A one-hour bespoke massage. She comes out wearing an expression her children are not used to seeing: relaxed and smiling.
Her favourite moment at the Domaine: Her morning coffee on the terrace before everyone else gets up. Alone, in complete silence.
What she says when leaving: “It’s the first time in years that I’m going home feeling genuinely rested.”
What she does when she gets home: Books for next year before she has even unpacked the suitcases.
The Dad Who Discovers the Spa
He made it perfectly clear from the beginning that it was not for him. As far as he is concerned, holidays mean the swimming pool and a glass of Gaillac wine on the terrace – definitely not spas and massages.
On the second day, his wife goes. She comes back looking completely refreshed. He looks at her and says nothing.
On the third day, he discreetly asks reception whether there are any appointments left.
He comes out of the spa two hours later without saying a word. Then: “That was brilliant.” Which, coming from him, means it was one of the best things he has done in a very long time.
For the rest of the stay, he tells everyone about the spa as though he were the one who discovered it.
His favourite moment at the Domaine: The massage. Even if it takes him a while to admit it.
What he says when leaving: “When we come back, we’re booking the spa.”
What he does when he gets home: Searches for wellness centres near home. None of them seem quite as good.
The One Who Swore He Would Switch Off
He made his intentions clear before leaving: “For me, it’s going to be zero phone. I’m properly switching off.”
On his first evening, he checks his emails one last time “just to make sure”. The next morning, he replies to an “urgent” message that was not actually that urgent. In the afternoon, he still takes a few photos for Instagram.
And then something happens. Maybe it is the swimming pool. Maybe it is the silence of the parkland, or the Sunday morning massage. At some point, his phone ends up face down in the bedroom – and he simply stops thinking about it.
On the journey home, he realises that he has not checked his emails for hours. He waits until he gets home before picking up his phone again.
His favourite moment at the Domaine: The moment he stopped looking for the Wi-Fi connection.
What he says when leaving: “I’d forgotten that was even possible.”
What he does when he gets home: Says to his wife, “We’re coming back in August.” She tells him she has already checked the dates.
The Child Who Didn’t Want to Come
He wanted to go to the seaside, stay with his friend or simply stay at home with his games console. Anything except going to “an estate in the heart of the Tarn”, which sounded to him like the exact definition of a boring holiday.
He got into the car sulking. Put his headphones on. Stared silently at the scenery through the window for the entire journey.
Then he arrives and discovers the villa, the swimming pool and all that space. The freedom to run around the parkland. Not to mention a bike ride through the Grésigne Forest, where he sees a roe deer dart across the path in front of him, and a visit to Castelnau-de-Montmiral with one of La Toscane Occitane’s costumed guided tours.
And that is when he realises this is a holiday he will never forget.
His favourite moment at the Domaine: Jumping into the swimming pool on the first evening.
What he says when leaving: “That was actually so cool,” with the smile of someone reluctantly admitting that he was wrong.
What he does when he gets home: Tells all his friends about his holiday.
