Like most models, I spend the majority of the year on the road, and I’m in France all the time. But that’s usually glitzy spots such as Paris, Nice, Cannes and St Tropez, where there’s always that thought in the back of my mind that paparazzi could jump out at any moment. What I needed was a place where that wouldn’t be an issue — and where I could completely switch off.
When I read about Carcassonne, in southern France’s Languedoc area, in Kate Mosse’s 2005 bestseller Labyrinth, I couldn’t believe it actually existed. She described “a view that extends for miles southeast towards Narbonne and the Mediterranean Sea”, and the epic histories of the surrounding villages. I felt inspired to visit.
Which is how I came to find myself staying at the Domaine de la Vène, a large private estate with a villa and cottage set in 630 acres, 15 minutes from the fortified city. The original house has its own history, dating back to 1750, and is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, a pine forest and hillsides covered in wild lavender that stretch to the horizon. It was the perfect place to unwind after a hectic year of working on the McQueen campaign, as well as back-to-back shoots for magazine covers.
What I loved most about the Domaine de la Vène was the complete silence; there was no noise from traffic or planes. It is utterly secluded. I even had a bit of a digital detox. There was wi-fi, but I chose not to switch it on, and I checked my phone only once or twice a day. It was wonderful simply to focus on friends and family.
My six-year-old son, Alfred, is the main reason my boyfriend, David, and I chose the property. It was large enough that we could take a gang of friends, including a couple of playmates to keep Alfred happy, plus their parents and a couple with a baby. There was a lovely group dynamic and plenty of room for us all to have our own space. Alfred and I were the first ones up in the mornings, so we’d drive to the nearby village of Palaja to pick up freshly baked croissants and pains au chocolat from the boulangerie.
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The pool house, surrounded by greenery, became my favourite spot. I spent most days there, wafting around in a kaftan. It was such a luxury to be able to read on a shady sunlounger, too. I packed only one book — War and Remembrance, by the American writer Herman Wouk — as it is quite a doorstopper. I had recently finished The Winds of War, by the same author, and wanted to see what happened to the characters. Based around a Jewish family during the Second World War, it’s both upsetting and gripping. I felt invested in the story.
We went on a day trip to the coast, about an hour’s drive east. There we found Biquet Plage, a bar-restaurant where we lunched outside on fabulously fresh fish and creamy oysters caught by the local fishermen. We chilled on the sandy beach for most of the day and swam in the clear sea. It wasn’t overcrowded or touristy — there were only French families — so it felt authentic.
I usually exercise most days, but as there wasn’t a gym at the villa, we kept fit by going for long walks, swimming or riding, which was a wonderful way to be amid nature.
My friend arranged for us to have an at-home spa day. There were proper therapists, obviously, but the children play-acted the parts, too, giving us (slightly messy) manicures, pedicures and head massages. Alfred has continued to give me daily head massages, so that worked out pretty well.
I don’t drink, but our friends drove an hour west to explore the vineyards of Corbières, where they discovered a local wine, Château d’Aussières by Domaines Barons de Rothschild, which they raved about.
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We tended to stay at the villa in the evenings, barbecuing, putting together enormous fresh salads and mixing fruity mocktails (for me, at least). I didn’t have to stick to an eating plan because all the food was home-cooked, nutritious and not too rich. It was such a treat to dine under the starry sky, late into the night.
On the last night of our holiday, we got dressed up (well, out of our swimming costumes) and went to the Restaurant le M’11, in Monze, a 15-minute drive away. We more or less ordered everything on the menu, a mix of prawns, mussels, grilled beef, charcuterie and mixed salads (mains from £10; restaurantm11.com).
There is so much more to see nearby — pretty villages such as the private hamlet of Château de Ribaute, and Lagrasse, with its 12th-century humpback bridge. Wandering round the medieval houses and streets, it’s easy to imagine what it must have been like hundreds of years ago, just the way Kate described.
Lara Stone was a guest of the Domaine de la Vène. A week’s rental of the house and cottage, which sleep 22, starts at £8,950 (domainedelavene.com). Fly to Toulouse with easyJet (easyjet.com) or to Béziers or Carcassonne with Ryanair (ryanair.com).
