After 5 frantic days in Madrid and Barcelona, I was ready to slow down the pace, stay at a rural location, and just putter for a day. I got all this at Pascal’s charming inn, located about 25 minutes’ drive from Beziers, France. Pascal offered to pick me up at the Beziers train station, and we had a lovely drive to his inn. He kindly walked me 1/2 block to the local cafe so I could get a bite, and it was exquisite French cooking (chicken in cream sauce, a meringue dessert with very thin sliced braised pineapple). Then I took a stroll through the village streets, taking photos of everything from bees buzzing the vines to closeups of locals’ bonsai (you don’t get this in big cities). The inn is decorated in authentic French antiques, with delightful paintings and personal collections. Hats off to Pascal and wife, I adored my stay at the inn.