Maison d'Hôtes Delga

Maison Delga is a centuries-old townhouse hidden behind a carriage gate on Rue des Frères Delga, in the heart of Gaillac. Push the door, cross a vestibule paved in rough marble, climb a heavy wooden staircase — and step into a pink-brick courtyard with a heated pool. The contrast between the quiet street and the sunlit courtyard is the first thing that wins you over.

Émilie, French-Canadian, has turned this house into something between a B&B and a friend’s home. Five rooms, all different — the largest with a king-size bed and a bath, the most intimate tucked under the eaves with a view over the Gaillac rooftops. Pared-back decoration, white linen, second-hand furniture. The high ceilings and old walls do the rest.

Breakfast is one of the reasons to stay. Émilie makes her own jams — she has turned it into a workshop for guests who want to learn — and serves them with fresh bread, market cheeses and pressed juice. She also arranges electric-bike rides through the vineyard in partnership with Station Bee’s. You leave in the morning, and come back for the pool.