Welcome to our family-run Bed and Breakfast, a wonderfully unique Enchanted Paradise with abundant healing waters, a mystical chapel and a fun-filled animal sanctuary.
Les Contes is notably large and stands out like a gleaming white jewel against the majestic pristine nature of the Occitan French Pyrenees. The property was once a Colonie de Vacances, a summer holiday house for children and adolescents owned by the Catholic Church in the 1930's. Older still is what Les Contes stands on. Back in the 13th Century, the site was once a Water Mill, hence the meeting place of numerous water sources.
The name Les Contes (which means the tales) came about because local women would bring their washing to the waters and catch up on the latest news and happenings. It was a place for exchanging information – and still is! The information we share today is of a spiritual nature, where the conversation around the many pressing issues we face today can be freely explored and inspired. Recently, Les Contes's transformation appeared on the Channel 4 show Help We Bought A Village, documenting its metamorphosis into a thriving bucket-list Bed and Breakfast with wildly spectacular surroundings.
Situated in the valley beneath Château de Montségur, a historical location that offers a unique and privileged view of the majestic surroundings. Les Contes finds itself in a 'dark sky' area, a place with minimal light pollution, making stargazing an unforgettable experience. Because of the mountains, we are also in a White Zone, a rare and sought-after area without mobile coverage or electromagnetic smog. This unique feature allows our guests to unplug and immerse themselves in nature's healing power, especially those suffering from hypersensitivity to electromagnetic waves or multiple chemical intolerances. Our internet coverage comes through fibre optic, which is much less invasive and far healthier for all life.
Our nineteen spacious, elegantly decorated guest rooms are each unique, boasting the magnificent artwork of world-famous artists and hugely talented friends. Keeping the original features of our home, we have embraced the character and history of the space, maintaining its authenticity and personality.
Because we are home, not a hotel, you can expect beautiful touches that invite you to feel at home. With zero light pollution, complete and utter silence, and sumptuous bedding, we can ensure you a restful night's sleep.
Our central kitchen is open for everyone, fostering a sense of community and shared experiences among our guests. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice cook, you can prepare your favourite meals and share them with fellow guests, creating unforgettable memories and connections.
Some folks hibernate in the library, refusing to go anywhere as they devour one book after another in front of the open fireplace surrounded by shelves of ever-expanding books.
Breakfast is served in our Refectory, which overlooks our beautiful and enchanted riverside garden. You can spot our regular visits by the Red Squirrels, Eagles, Herons, and countless other small birds by eating your breakfast on the terrace. Part of our passion is to be as sustainable as possible. We cater for vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free & dairy-free, ensuring everyone can enjoy our sustainable practices.
Three powerful places are within walking distance of Les Contes: Château de Montségur, Les Gorges de la Frau, and La Fontaine de Fontestorbes. Les Contes draws inspiration from all these places. Château de Montségur, the emblem of Catharism, evokes powerful emotions as its grandiose history and legacy continue to touch the heart.
Due to an underground tremor, the Fontestorbes fountain, a unique geological curiosity, is known for its natural intermittent waters. The Incantadas, beneficent fairies, are said to wash their clothes at night in the limpid waters of the fountain with their traditional golden beaters.
Les Gorges de la Frau are part of the Chemin des Bonshommes (Cathar pathway), a 107 km Cathar trail that runs through Ariège and is known as being the escape route for the treasure of Montsegur to higher pastures. Aletheia will gladly guide you to these places and show you the caves and other areas of interest she has discovered at these sites.
Les Contes teems with life and is a highly energetic place. Things move fast in these surroundings, and it is a place where important decisions get made. Streams of living waters, symbolising the revival of tumbling, bubbling wisdom, surround the property and even flow beneath it. The source of our great spring is Pic de Soulerac, the Cathar Holy Mountain, whose waters flow into an underground river at the base of Montségur and resurface for the very first time at Les Contes.
Layers of history emanate through the stones, craggy rocks, and boulders. Caves, gorges, and underground tunnels drenched in myth and legend are magically close and strangely empty—as if expecting your inevitable arrival.
Les Contes produces a large proportion of its food, keeping goats, sheep, pigs, and a collection of poultry and a thriving permaculture garden/food forest. That long, hard work, which requires Aletheia and Pete to be outside in all weathers tending to other living things, as well as a continuing daily need for long walks to explore old, forgotten Cathar paths, caves and mountains, has blessed them with a deep and nourishing sense of connectedness to the spirit of place that they feel drawn to share with others.
In the future, we plan to build tree houses, cabins, bell tents, and yurts in our forested areas—for those who love the outdoors and a real sense of peace.
At Les Contes, we believe in inclusivity. Children and Animals are Welcome, creating a warm and family-friendly atmosphere.
If you were to stay at Les Contes and not go anywhere else in the region, you would return home, forever changed. Everything comes to you in this place, as it is a gateway to the Other World.
Les Contes provides accommodation with access to the garden, riverside, and pathways to the forests. There is also FREE private parking and WIFI! Breakfast is available daily and includes vegetarian and vegan options. From Easter to September, we run the Red Rose Café, a vegetarian/vegan eatery.
