The Area

Oleander Cottage nestles in the Lomagne region of France, known for its comfort and quiet. The cottage is within a few hours' drive of the Mediterranean Sea, the Pyrenees, and the Atlantic Ocean.

This region's known for its "douceur de vivre," the sweetness of life, delicious wines and lively bastide towns. The French Resistance found powerful supporters here during World War II, due in part to the fierce independence of the Basque people. There's a memorial at nearby Castelsarrasin. It's a place of creative individualism; D'Artagnan, immortalized in The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas, hails from this area. In medieval times, Eleanor of Aquitaine had the allegiance of this land. Now, it's known as a place of peace and revery.

Many of the finest foods in France come from this region, including the white garlic of Beaumont de Lomagne, sweet strawberries, delicate almonds, white asparagus, the best beans for cassoulet, crystallized violets of Toulouse, locally produced cheeses, fine wines, and walnut liqueur.