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Aude / Ariege
The Aude is one of the departments in
Languedoc-Roussillon . Other than the Mediterranean beaches and resorts it's a
relatively undiscovered vacation destination.
Carcassonne with the old medieval
fortress ‘La Cité’ og Canal du Midi are both a world Heritage site.
 
Enjoy the
incredible variety of wine, visit cellars to discover tastes.
Carcassonne Golf
club, 18-hole golf course, practice, clubhouse, equipment hire.
  
  
Several Castles and Abbeys. Museums, the
museums of the
Aude, there are the heirs of our long history, of our culture,
our traditions, and also the place to discover our nature, our flora and our
fauna.
Nature & discovery. Lagoon areas,
Pyrénées summits, forrests,
canyons and cavities.. the climatic and landscaped diversity of Aude nature is
there for the visitor who takes the trouble to slacken the pace. But to discover
nature, also means the pleasure of approaching the animals the local or exotic
fauna, via individuel visits to parks and farms.The Lake of ‘La Cavayère’ is a perfect
place to spend the day, picnic tables are at your disposal.
Towns and Villages of the Aude,
foremost, are the towns of Carcassonne, Narbonne, Castelnaudary, Lézignan,
Limoux and Quillan, but there is a multitude of tiny, authentic villages, each
in their own way, demonstrating the diversity of the Aude, circulades, flower
villages (Village de Fleur).
 
Longing for calm, rest relaxtion
problems? Thermal cures are a very old tradition in the Aude, perpetuated today
by two well known and recognized spas: Rennes-les-Bains and Alet-les-Bains.
With a Mediterranean climate, it enjoys
an average of 300 days of sunshine each year. Tourism is 'gentle'. The
geography is varied, in half an hour you can drive from the vineyard covered
plains of the Minervois to the mountains of the Corbières with hilltop Cathar
castles guarding small villages.
You can have as busy or as relaxed a
holiday as you choose. Montpellier and Perpignan to the east and Toulouse to
the west are large cities and only about 90 minutes away.
With a population of about 310,000 the
Aude represents .5% of the population of France and 14.1% of the population of
Languedoc.
Be sure to visit:
 
Limosis caves
Carcassonne
Canal du Midi
Winetasteing
Was it in Aylas new world?
Read the no. 1 bestsellers novels by Jean M. Auel, Children on the Earth
The Ariege
The department of Ariège nestles in the
Pyrenees, next to Andorra, its highest peaks visible from Toulouse. It is one of
the least populated, most unspoiled regions of France, whose inhabitants have
held fast to their traditions. Numerous species of butterflies, orchids and
raptors thrive here thanks to the endurance of ancient farming practices such as
the transhumance .
Our closest town Mirepiox is in the
Ariege, situated in the heart of the Cathare region, it’s a charming medieval
town it will delight you with its rich heritage, its scenery and the whole range
of activities it has to offer, among others the populaire monday market who
offers everything from chikens, wine, vegetables, cheese to flowers, art and
crafts.
 
Mirepoix
The square with covered galleries. The
half timbered houses over wooden pillars make up covered galleries adorned with
sculptures. St Mauricee’s Cathedral, a meridional
gothic style cathedral (12th and 16th century) . A good
selection of restaurants and Cafés.
Far from the centres of power, Ariège
has always served as a refuge: for prehistoric man who sheltered in the many
caves , for the cathar heretics who defied the Church, and for resistance
fighters, refugees and downed WWII pilots who eluded the Nazis to escape over
the mountains into Spain.
Montsegur the last heretics of the
Cathar history.
  
The Cathar Mystery
The countryside is wild but easily
accessible. Top grade trout streams rush down forrested mountainsides into rivers
where kayakers paddle. Waymarked walking trails lead to 3000 metres peaks where
isards (chamois), marmots and even bears roam. Cyclists can take in a stage of
the Tour de France , mountain bike down tracks or gently pedal in the valleys.
And in winter, skiers enjoy the
uncrowded pistes or strap on "raquettes" to hike the snowcovered mountain
trails.
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