Out and About

All around the area are castles, mountains, historic abbeys, churches, gorges, grottoes and spas. The town lies in the very heart of Cathar Country, the location of some of the most important and portentous events of medieval Europe, vestiges of which can be seen everywhere. Many of the most famous Cathar sites are only a short drive or cycle ride away. It is less than a two hour's walk away to the hilltop village of Rennes-le-Chateau, the site of continuing mysteries surrounding the discovery of vast treasures by the local priest over a century ago. (There are local bookshops in the area entirely dedicated the Cathars, local Templars and the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery.) The area is a delight for those seeking active holidays. Cycling, the French national sport, is the most popular. And there's horse riding, hang-gliding, white-water rafting, kayaking and canoeing, mountain climbing, fishing and walking…even hot air ballooning. In the winter, there's skiing in the Pyrenees, less than an hour's drive away. Hot springs abound in this area and there are many naturally heated swimming pools and natural lakes. The surrounding countryside is beautiful and varied. To the South are the foothills of the Pyrenees, then the real Pyrenees, and the Spanish border, about an hour's drive away. One of the old pilgrimage routes to Santiago (St-Jacques) de Compostella passes through Limoux, Espéraza, the Gorge de Pierre-Lys, through the mountains and on into Spain. To the East are the Corbières, one of the few remaining wildernesses in Europe, where boar still roam wild, and beyond it the Mediterranean coast, including Perpignan and a number of holiday beaches. To the West lies the Plateau de Sault, a high plateau of forests and rolling countryside, and beyond it Andorra. To the north are vineyards and historic cities like Carcassonne. Local wines worth investigating include Blanquette de Limoux, a white sparkling wine; Fitou a rich red from the nearby Corbières; Maury, a sweet white wine drunk as an aperitif, and to the north the famous red wines of the Minervois. Though now French, the area was Catalan for many centuries and the Catalan language is still spoken in this region. The Catalan influence stretches as far as Espéraza - even the name of the town recalls the Catalan connection. At the Sunday market, you can sample Spanish delicacies as well as the many local ones, many of them organic: bread, dairy products, honey, vegetables and wild mushrooms. Five minutes' walk away near the railway station is a museum dedicated to hat making, the traditional industry of the area. Another, next to it, is dedicated to dinosaurs. The area is rich in prehistoric fossils and major discoveries have been made near here. Some of the digs are open to visitors. Local wildlife is also an attraction for many visitors. Because of its varied terrain, the Aude possesses more than twice the number of plant species than the whole of the UK, including some 80 types of orchid. It is similarly rich in animal species, particularly birds. This property is located near the following major towns: Carcassone 50 km Perpignan 60 Km Toulouse 90 Km Foix 70 Km

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