About Us
Villa Ripaud
Nestled on the edge of the spectacular Narbonnaise en Mediterranée National Park, surrounded by rocky gorges and rivers, lies this idyllically placed property. Villa Ripaud was originally built in early 1900 as a Railway station/Auberge for the old railway linking the coast to Narbonne via the vineyards and wineries in the Corbieres. It is now a family home and accommodation for holidays and residential courses. Situated on the Route des vins and Chemin des Cathars, it’s perfectly placed to enjoy the rugged natural beauty of the countryside. Wine, castles, breathtaking scenery, wild swimming on the doorstep and the vibrant city of Narbonne and beautiful Mediterranean beaches are just a 25 minute drive.
The Owners
Nikki coordinates the marketing, social media and blog. Author, editor, estate agent for Leggett Immobilier, lecturer, mother of 5… there aren’t many areas Nikki hasn’t worked in! Lecturing in IT gave her a strong grasp of computing, which she’s developed over the years in running several businesses. She writes a popular A Mother in France blog and published her first book, “What have we got Toulouse – A family moving to France”, available on Amazon. Her second book “No time Toulouse – raising a family and making a living in France” will be published later this year.
Gary leads the horticultural courses. He has been in love with plants and nature since his childhood, with 40+ years experience in garden design, a BSc in Landscape Management and a HND in Amenity Horticulture. Gary spent many years as a University Lecturer for Hadlow College in the UK and has run several gardening businesses, garden centres and landscape design companies, including Kingdom Vegetal, specialising in Natural Swimming Pools. Gary loves gardening and has a unique knowledge base with his academic, entrepreneurial and practical experience.
English (UK) 
Français