SET BETWEEN TWO RIVERS in the foothills of the Black Mountains, the town of Montolieu has all the dreamy trappings of French country life. I arrived from London around breakfast time to find empty lanes that ran through tiny plazas to a large buttressed Gothic church. Wooden shutters in cornflower blue and poppy red echoed the colors of the region's wildflowers. But around 10 a.m., gears shifted. Shutters opened and trestle tables laden with books began to multiply in the streets. Browsers arrived and began sifting through the volumes.
While other villages in this region rest on their charming, sleepy laurels, Montolieu has spent the past 30 years building a fizzing arts community. Though it has just 821 inhabitants-and no ATMs-the town is remarkable for its 16 bookstores, more than 20 public and private art studios, and a cosmopolitan population that hails from around the globe. (During my visit, word on the street was that an Israeli pop star had recently bought a house there.)
It all started in 1990, when Michel Braibant, a Belgian bookbinder who was living in nearby Carcassonne, began encouraging collectors and small-business owners to open bookshops in Montolieu and, later, helped raise funds to create the Musée des Arts et Métiers du Livre, a space dedicated to the practice of bookbinding. (Braibant was reportedly inspired by Hayon-Wye, a town in Wales with a similar bibliophile focus.)
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2023 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TOTALLY TANGIER
With the debut of an impeccable seaside villa turned hotel, Morocco's bohemian enclave is suddenly back on the map.
OF SEA & STONE
In a quiet corner of mainland Greece, a glamorous new resort offers access to extraordinary treasures, both natural and archaeological.
Full Speed Ahead
High in the mountains between Spain and France, a long-neglected train station has become an opulent hotel. Simon Willis takes an express trip to a hidden chapter of World War II.
Exceptional in Every Sense - Hilton
From Chicago's thriving avenues to Cancun's idyllic waves, Hilton's stunning collection of hotels and resorts offers the very best in hospitality with beautifully comfortable accommodations, thoughtful amenities, and attentive service that goes above and beyond expectations.
FOOD & WINE CLASSIC - CHARLESTON
Join Us September 27-29, 2024 The Food & Wine Classic in Charleston is the premier three day culinary experience on the East Coast showcasing hospitality, foodways, culture, and history of the Holy City.
Changing Nature
A mountain town in Japan has become a showcase for forward-thinking design.
Waking Up Waco
A reality-TV couple did more than open a hotel in the middle of Texas. They gave the city a public makeover.
To the Manor Born
In Mallorca, Spain, new resorts carved from old estates offer a break from the crowds.
NATURE'S KEEPERS
Brazil's vast, varied landscapes are home to enigmatic creatures like the jaguar, the spider monkey, and the maned wolf. Stanley Stewart visits three eco-lodges that are leading preservation efforts to help the animals make a comeback.
AS TIME GOES BY
A decade and a half after a life-changing sojourn in Vietnam, a writer returns to track the country's transformations-and his own.