In the forest glades dark carpets of leaves are punctuated by a scattering of violets, like a stolen hoard of amethysts, hurriedly discarded. And every now and then the paler daisy-shaped jewel of an anemone blanda, so charming, so delicate and as tough as old tree roots. Overhead the first green has begun to appear, long lines of chartreuse willow and tangles of hawthorn and honeysuckle, complemented perfectly by a froth of blossom from the early blushing brides, wild cherry, almond and blackthorn. A triple wedding - a promise of good times to come.

Our holiday at Pagel became a source of stress-relief from the baggage of modern parenting months before we left for the airport. An email listing all the things we wouldn’t need to pack (monitor, sleeping bag, plastic cutlery, books, toys et al) immediately lightened the suitcase list and the anticipation of travel stress. We were also reassured with several thorough and informative emails; all felt more manageable, highly important for parents taking their first holiday abroad with 14 month old Maisie. This was clearly a destination designed around creating the best time for children by also supporting the parents as much as possible.

“If you want the perfect holiday with children then look no further than Pagel”

Dawn revealed a sparkling scene. The huge pines at the bottom of the valley were veiled in a delicate frost, junipers shook the icing sugar from their needle sharp leaves, oaks bowed under the weight of their snow overcoats and forest animals creeping ever closer to the warmth of human habitation. It was Christmas Eve in the Quercy.

WOW- Just arrived at Pagel and all is White simply stunning

A new tiled floorhas been laid and in January Bish will install a new bathroom and kitchen before starting work on the refurbishment of The Winegrowers house.

Easter 2011 - To celebrate Easter in 2011 Pagel is creating a special Easter break at Pagel. Flexible dates are available in April to allow families to enjoy Pagel on Easter Sunday leaving on Easter Monday.

What a Fantastic 2010 and whats new for 2011.

Mists drift past the dripping hills, shrouding the oaks and walnuts in their delicate, damp veils. As they shift and part shafts of topaz light pierce the scene and a breathtaking world emerges. The countryside is spiced with cinnamon and saffron, peppered with cayenne. Autumn has finally arrived in all her blazing glory.

Summertime - and the living is easy… Okay so it’s not very original, but in countries where summers are hot, harvests are lavish and lazy rivers run full of fish, it’s so very true - nowhere more so than here in the Quercy. The fields are dominated by harvesters, crawling across the landscape like vast locusts; the markets are full of eye-popping colour and equally full of misty-eyed tourists.