Au Nid de la Madeleine

Au Nid de la Madeleine occupies a townhouse on Rue de la Madeleine, in the historic centre of Gaillac. From outside, nothing sets it apart from its neighbours — a brick-and-stone façade, French shutters, a shop at street level. Ring the bell, walk up, and you enter a lounge that looks like a cabinet of curiosities: a Venetian chandelier, a gilt mirror, striped armchairs, damask wallpaper. The tone is set.

Three rooms, no more. Each is named after a Gaillac grape variety. Muscadelle is the most romantic — pink tones, a gilt-framed mirror, a view over the rooftops. Braucol plays the baroque card — velvet, a black chandelier, deep colours. Mauzac is the brightest — blue and white, a mezzanine reached by a spiral staircase, ideal for a family or friends.

Breakfast is the highlight. Homemade jams, fresh pastries, local produce — served in the lounge or the dining room, with all the time you need. For the rest of the day, guests have use of an independent kitchen with a Nespresso machine, fridge and everything necessary. Gaillac is on the doorstep — the Abbey of Saint-Michel five minutes away, the Friday market ten.