A vintage taste e of history; Clare Hickie finds the most modern cuisine mixing with the splendour of the past in France.

Byline: Clare Hickie

HIDING from the rain under a shelter while waiting to go through passport control - this is not what I had expected from the south of France.

And, in a taxi with steamed-up windows, not only could we not see outside, but I feared the driver's view of the road was disappearing between every hurried wipe of the windscreen.

But when the medieval walled-city of Carcassonne came into sight, I was stunned by its grandeur. With its towers and turrets, no wonder it is thought Walt Disney came up with the idea of Cinderella's castle after visiting here, and it is a Unesco World Heritage site.

Driving over a draw-bridge to enter the city, the narrow cobbled streets and old-world buildings are simply gorgeous. Stepping out of the taxi and gazing around, I realised this place is a true gem. But I was soon to discover that Carcassonne is not only rich in history and culture, but full of gastronomic treats.

Lunch at Restaurant le Saint Jean was only supposed to be light, as something special was planned for the evening. So imagine our surprise when we were served the biggest salads I have ever seen.

Duck leg, which melted off the bone, and goat's cheese sitting on a mountain of lettuce leaves dressed in delicious vinaigrette and encircled with cucumber, tomatoes and fruit slices.

I had never known anyone to be beaten by a salad before, but I gave a valiant effort. Room was even found for a dessert of light, fluffy chocolate cake and the meal was, of course, accompanied by locally produced wine - more about that later.

It was all we could do to finish eating in time for our Englishspeaking guide to take us on a tour of the city and castle.

With a history dating back to the 6th century, there was a lot to learn.

By the end of the tour, my mind was full of battles and clever defence tactics.

My mind was soon to be occupied by something much more pleasant.

Carcassonne is in France's biggest wine-producing area, Languedoc. At Comptoir des vins et terroirs, our hostess, Stphanie Delmotte, treated us to some of the flavours of the region. The array on offer was mindboggling, but delicious. From sparkling ros to deep, spicy reds.

Each vineyard is different and getting back to nature to care for the land seems to be a growing trend.

Horses are chosen over machines, and some even use the moon to dictate how they cultivate the vines.

With our taste buds still tingling with "du vin" it was on to the special treat for the evening, Le Parc Franck

Putelat, one of the three Michelin star restaurants in the area.

Everything about Le Parc was beautiful and inviting. While the interior decor was immaculate, I couldn't stop looking at the gorgeous garden outside. Franck and his wife Cline, our hostess, say they aim to create a "warm and purified case in which you will let yourselves go in the culinary pleasures". We certainly did. After an aperitif of sparkling wine with grapefruit and lemon syrup, it was the "Mise en Bouche", a pre-starter to "amuse the mouth", where the chef really let his imagination run riot and showed off his skills. In some cases the presentation of the food alone was stunning, with scallop served in a steaming basket of dry ice or king shrimp in a citrus mousse lollipop.

But the combination of flavours always succeeded in delighting the taste buds. With one dish, the mascarpone and truffle flavours came first, and seemed too dominant to allow any other through, but then a light cleansing whirl of lemon appeared in my mouth.

Such culinary skill was very impressive, and set the tone for the rest of the meal. By the time dessert was served, we were all fit to burst, but the temptation to taste another amazing morsel was too strong to resist. Attention to detail and focusing on the customer experience was everything at Le Parc, and what a fabulous experience to enjoy.

As if not content with one Unesco World Heritage site, Carcassonne has a second, the Canal du Midi.

Built 400 years ago, it connects the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean sea, and we spent two days cruising between Argens and Le Somail.

If the words beauty and tranquillity have any true meaning, it can be found on the Canal du Midi.

Cruising along the tree-lined canal with vineyards everywhere we looked, the rush of work was a world away..

The welcoming boating community always had a friendly "bonjour" to share, and in the places we passed it was as if time had stood still in the most charming of ages.

The real freedom of travelling in our penichette, which had everything from en suite bathrooms to central heating, was mooring up wherever we liked.

Grabbing the bikes off the boat and exploring sleepy French towns in the way cycling should be done - on virtually traffic-free roads.

Our galley kitchen was fully equipped to cook onboard, but I would also recommend indulging in local cuisine and wine at restaurants along the canal.

A taste of Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi definitely left me wanting more.

On the trip, we were warned: "The thing with Carcassonne is when people visit, they come back". I can see why.

[e-mail] say when people visit, they come back. I can see why

CAPTION(S):

A siesta in the sunshine by Canal du Midi Penichette boats in the lock, on the Canal du Midi The old town of Carcassonne The tranquil charm of Canal du Midi and the picturesque bridge in Le Somail