We recently spent five days here and would highly recommend it as a base for exploring the stunning countryside and historic sites nearby, in particular the Cathar castles. The approach to Cucugnan is very dramatic coming from the south, as there is a steep climb up towards Queribus (the nearest castle, built on a vertiginously high rock), then a descent towards the village, which sits above vineyards. On arrival we found the flat (it's actually on two levels) to be very clean, comfortable and well-equipped, and the owner had thoughtfully bought some fresh supplies for us, besides what was in the store cupboard, including milk, butter and delicious bread from Cucugnan's famous bakery, next to the windmill. She also invited us in for a drink so we could sample a couple of the wines drunk as aperitifs locally, and told us some more about the village and what to look out for. The bedroom, which is on the lower level, opened onto a small terraced garden overlooking the beautiful landscape. Cucugnan is a very pretty village, not overly busy in early July, with three restaurants, all good but one in particular served real gourmet food and we would recommend eating there at least once as a not overly expensive treat. We really enjoyed our stay and would love to go back one day to see more of this fascinating part of France.
