Long Term Property Lets In The Languedoc

ANDORRA
Duty free shopping, Skiing, Spectacular mountain scenery and some pretty villages (if you haven't found enough in the French Pyrenees!)

CASTLES/CHATEAU

• Carcassonne
• Jousting at Carcassonne
• Roquefixade

A spectacular, intact, walled mediaeval city. Fascinating to look around, tours available. Many good restaurants and cafes available within its walls along with gift shops (which tend to be touristy & pricey). You can take a horse drawn carriage trip around the walls. Depending on the time of year there may be various fetes or special attractions, such as a Jousting Tournament to watch, usually on for most of July & August. Should be a guidebook in the bookcase.

To get there go into Quillan and turn left onto D117 for Carcassonne. As you approach Carcassonne will go straight across roundabout, under motorway and then straight across 2 sets lights. At roundabout turn right for La Cite and carry on following signs for La Cite. You will go under motorway and then back over it and shortly after cresting hill get an impressive first view of the city spires ahead & to your left. Keep following signs for La Cite & parking.

The Cathar Castles.
There are many dotted around the region most set in remote dramatic locations, often perched high up on an inaccessible rocky outcrop. Usually a stiff climb to get up to but well worth it for the spectacular views once you get there. Due their exposed situations they may be closed in wet or very windy weather.

Montsegur - one of the final Cathar strongholds where, after the siege in 1244 over 200 survivors chose to burn to death rather than renounce their faith. There is a charge that also includes admission to the small museum in the village below the castle.

Peyrepertuse - is probably the most famous. There is a charge to get in and will often have displays within the walls, such as falconry, actors in costume etc during the school holidays. Queribus is visible across the valley. Suggest you combine Peyrepertuse with Galamus Gorge.

Puilaurens - small charge to get in. The crenulated walls are pretty much intact.

Queribus - small charge to get in. Is 2,400ft up on a crag with Peyrepertuse visible across the valley.

Roquefixade - no charge to climb up to the chateau high above the village of the same name off the D117.

The sites of other Cathar strongholds are to be found at Arques, Padern, Puivert, Termes and Villerouge Termenes.

Chalabre - a pleasant little town. Has themed chateau with various displays and activities for children and adults to do, such as archery, calligraphy, painting, pottery, mediaeval dance and games, weapons & armour through the ages, blacksmiths forge and a jousting tournament. Chateau is set above the town, look out for small sign guiding up a side street as you drive through. Market day is Saturday.

Foix - large castle has 3 impressive towers and a museum that overlooks the mediaeval town. Market days on Monday & Friday.

Puivert - 14C castle on site of earlier Cathar stronghold. Privately owned & small entrance fee pays for the ongoing restoration. Overlooks the lake & amateur airfield.

Caves
There are many caves throughout the region of various shapes and sizes. Some have cave paintings, some have stalactites/mites, and some have lakes or even a river to take a boat trip along.

Grotte de Niaux - Above Niaux village the most spectacular cave paintings in the region. Dating from 13,000BC and one of the few places you can still see the original paintings. The guide takes you 800m underground to the paintings with only hand held torches for light. Are English-speaking guides available but only in small groups of 12 so it is important to book in advance. As the English tour is usually first thing it can be linked with a trip to the Prehistoric Park at nearby Tarascon which has a copy of the cave paintings and prehistoric museum as well as various activities (mainly for children) such as spear throwing, make your own cave painting, demonstrations on how to make fire etc.

Grotte de la Vache at Alliat, across the valley from Niaux, where 30,000 flint tools have been unearthed.

Grotte de Bedeilhac above the village of Bedeilhac contains examples of every known technique of Palaeolithic art.

Grotte de Lombrives - a massive complex accessed by underground train with superb stalactite formations.

Riviere Souterraine Labouiche - northwest of Foix, off the D1 from Vernajoul. An underground river you travel along for 1.5km on boats hand propelled by your guide. Extensive stalactite/mite formations. Apparently it is the longest navigable underground river in Europe.

Gorges
The Hermitage at the Gorge de Galamus

The Gorge de Galamus

There are many gorges in the region, for example locally Joucou below Belvis as you head down the Rebenty valley and Pierre Lys after you leave Quillan towards Perpignan. The most spectacular are the Tarn Gorges farther away. The Galamus Gorge is nice because you can combine it with a trip to Peyrepetuse and it has a 17C Hermitage to visit there too. Can be found by following the signs off to the left in the centre of St Paul de Fenouilledes on the D7. As you approach the Gorges go past the first parking area on the left & stop at the second that has a small kiosk & toilets. Path to the Hermitage starts at the far end of the car park. The Hermitage has a small church in a cave, other chapels, tables in the courtyard for picnics and you can buy drinks there.

Lakes
There are lots of freshwater lakes in the region where you can swim and go boating. They will usually have a lifeguard on duty during the summer holidays. Most have artificial beaches.

Belcaire - the closest. Swimming, jetty to dive off, pedallos, tennis courts, boules pitches and playground, ice cream & snack bar kiosk.

Puivert - next valley over. Swimming & jetty to dive off, pedallos & canoes, snack bar, playground, boules pitches, volleyball court & Astroturf football pitch. Wednesday evening market by the lake in the summer that tends to have mainly jewellery and cooked food stalls (mussels, oysters, chicken, pizza, etc). Usually put out tables & chairs & may have live music. Can be nice to go there after a hot day for a swim and buy supper to eat there or take home. (Suggest you take own drinks & cups).

Lac Montbel - a large lake. Various points of access to the lake itself but best approached via the town of Leran and then following signs for La Regatte. Has beach, restaurant, boats etc.

Lac de Matemale - a large lake below the ski resort of Les Angles. As well as usual lake attractions are many other activities to do in the surrounding woods such as mountain biking (bikes hireable), horse riding, diy bar-b-q (bring your own charcoal or copy the French and make your own from fallen branches!), aerial assault courses through the trees and much more.

Markets
There will be a market every day not too far away:

• Mirepoix on Monday
• Quillan on Wednesday & Saturday
• Esperaza on Sunday

Mirepoix on Monday is our favourite. A large market in the central square which is surrounded by timbered houses dating from the 13C. Many of the beams supporting the first floor over the covered arcades are intricately carved. Best at corner opposite the Mairie both on the outside and in the covered arcade. Well worth a visit even if not a market day. For Mirepoix head into Lavelanet on D117 & turn right onto D625 at roundabout in centre. As you approach Mirepoix pass Super U on right, go straight across roundabout & lights to approach centre. Chaotic on market days, just need to find anywhere to park! If planning to eat lunch there at a restaurant best to find one & reserve a table for, say 12.30pm, when you arrive and then look round the market. Can also buy your lunch at various stalls and eat it on one of the benches in the central square.

Museums
Many and varied in the region. E.g. the dinosaur museum at Esperaza. Leaflets & guide books at the house on most.

Sports
Zip wires at Les Angles

White water rafting

Horse Riding - There are many places that advertise riding. As the standard and the type of ride you want will vary considerably it is probably best to speak to the individual establishment. The guide books also give details and phone numbers.

Aerial assault/adventure course - by Lac de Matemale below Les Angles ski resort. A sort of assault course through the trees involving rope ladders, tightropes, trapezes, tarzan swings, rope bridges, zip-wires etc. For almost any age, the courses start just a few inches off the ground for 3-4 year olds, up to 30 feet or more high in the trees. There are others around but this seems to be the most varied & extensive. When heading from Formigures for Les Angles on the D32 is signposted off to the left just before you reach Les Angles. Are many other activities on the site - swimming & boating on the lake, horse riding, cycling, even a golf driving range. For food is a restaurant by the lake and diy bar-b-q sites dotted about.

Boules - the traditional French pastime. Can be played almost anywhere and most towns and villages have an area where it is played. There are sets of boules in the barn.

Climbing - specialist information required. Probably best to find details out through your club locally at home in advance.

Rugby - southwest France is the hotbed of French Rugby Union. Toulouse, Perpignan, Castres, Carcassonne, Montpelier, Brive, Beziers...

Ski Resorts - we have skied at 4 of the nearby resorts, Camurac and Mijanes which are the closest but quite small, ideal for a day or an afternoons skiing. Ax les Thermes and Les Angles are larger and have good English speaking ski schools. A little farther away are Andorra, Pyrenees 2000 and Font Romeau. In the summer most of the ski resorts will have summer activities usually based around walking or cycling. You can hire bikes to go up on the lifts.

Swimming - Quillan, Limoux and Lavalanet have outdoor pools which are unheated and so seasonal. Limoux also has an indoor heated pool open throughout the year.

A word of warning - at pools like these you will usually have to wear briefs rather than shorts and at indoor pools will usually also have to wear swimming caps.

Tennis - are courts for hire by Belcaire lake. Also in L'Aiguillon, turn right heading through town towards Lavalanet just before road bends right, also sign for L'Amical Pub Restaurant on corner. Indoor court & Squash court there too. Also at Lavalanet on way out towards Foix. Turn right at roundabout at top of hill (Super U supermarket opposite). Tennis club is 2-300m on right. Squash court there too.

Waterslide parks - are 2 in the region. The one we normally go to is Aqua land at Port-Leucate simply because it is usually less crowded and has no restrictions on age or height for the slides. Kids simply have to be able to swim. Head for Perpignan on the D117, after Casa de Pena and before Rivesaltes turn left at the roundabout immediately before the small sports stadium. Follow the road round past the wind farm, over the motorway and then at the next roundabout head for Les Barcares on the D83. Stay on this road, mostly dual carriageway and exit at junction 15, you will see the waterslide park from the dual carriageway. (On leaving the waterslide park turn right out of the car park, take the first right around the waterslide park, go under the dual carriageway, left at the T-junction for Perpignan, left at the T-junction, which brings you back on the dual carriageway).

The second is south of St Cyprien, also Aqua land. It is larger with more variety of rides but we found it much busier with many restrictions for the kids. (It may have changed as we have not been there for some years).

White water rafting - great fun. You will see loads advertised all over the region. We have used Roc Aqua who seem friendly, fun and well run. Also convenient as they are probably the closest. Will take kids from 7-8 who can swim well. You need to arrive with just swimsuit & trainers/soft shoes you don't mind getting wet. They then kit you out with wet suits & helmets.

Will also do kayaking, hydro speed and canyoning.

Turn left out of Les Roches and out of village. When you reach the D613 go straight across for Joucou & Belfort, follow D222 down a series of hairpin bends into the Rebenty valley. At the bottom turn left for Joucou & Marsa. Follow this road all the way down to the D117. Immediately before T junction with the D117 will see the Roc Aqua base on the left (and Le Rebenty restaurant on the right).

Windsurfing - the prevailing wind on the Mediterranean around the Perpignan coast is supposed to be ideal for windsurfing.

THERMAL SPRINGS
Are many in the region e.g. Ax Les Thermes, Alet Les Bains and Rennes Les Bains. We have only used Rennes Les Bains as in addition to all the various treatments adults can have it also has a swimming pool run off the hot springs making it more child friendly. The guide books also give details.

WALKING
Pretty much unlimited. Can be as short or as long as you like. There are detailed local maps in the house which mark paths on. (similar to our Land ranger OS maps). Most villages will have routes marked on their notice boards and the guidebooks also list some routes.

WINE
In recent years the Languedoc's reputation has grown considerably and while the Plateau de Sault is primarily a farming area, once off the plateau in any direction you will come across countless vineyards and co-operatives. Most of these will have signs for 'Vente du Vin' or 'Cave' where you can taste and buy wine direct. Typically they will be open 9-12pm and 3-7pm but it does vary a lot.

If you have an interest in champagne, don't miss the speciality around Limoux, the "original champagne". Blanquette de Limoux is a sparkling wine which is claimed to have been produced long before champagne. Of course the locals claim it is better than champagne but the marketing for champagne was much better giving it its special cachet, and the rest, as they say, is history.

SHOPPING AND EATING OUT

Belvis.
Belvis only has one shop, the Post Office, which also sells a few basic provisions. Mobile shops come every day, the baker, butcher etc. These routine ones just tend to park on the road through the centre of the village and give a few loud blasts on their horn to let you know they are there.

The village also has a PA system that informs you when less frequent visitors arrive. At some point in your stay you may well be surprised by some unexpected music followed by an announcement like "'Allo, 'allo. Le marchand du melon de Mazerolles est sur la place". In other words the melon seller from Mazerolles has arrived in the village.

Roselyne, house between Les Roches & the Post Office sells vegetables in season & jams etc.

Espezel.
Has the Vival, a Spar type shop which sells fresh fruit & veg, bread, meat cheese etc. Further into the village is a Pharmacy, butchers & bakers.

Belcaire.
Has a slightly bigger shop than the Vival in a hexagonal shaped building on the right as you drive through. Also a cash point and bakers further on the left.

Supermarkets.
Most supermarkets will sell fresh milk. Often have only a small amount so can sell out.

Closest is Carrefour in Quillan. As you go into Quillan from the house cross the railway and turn left at lights (for Carcassonne). Follow road out of town going past rugby ground on right. Just after you leave built up area will see Carrefour on left. (will also pass Ed supermarket on right which is more basic).

Lavelanet - Carrefour on left as you enter on D117 and a Super U left off roundabout at top of hill as you leave on D117.

EATING OUT
Generally in the region, but especially on the Plateau de Sault, restaurants will concentrate on local, home produced, seasonal food.

Belvis.
Roselynes - a 'Tables d'hôte' which means you eat with the family. Is found between Les Roches & the village Post Office. Friendly couple, Roselyene does the cooking & grows vegetables (also makes excellent jam you can buy) while her husband Marcel is a butcher and a hunter so any pate, saucisson etc will be homemade and you may have wild boar, deer, rabbit or hare if he has been hunting. Speak little English but put up with our dreadful French and speak very slowly to help us understand - very good to practice your French & they are trying to learn some English. (Can also take a dictionary along for any tricky words). Just knock on the door to see Roselyene to arrange a meal, best to give her a day or twos notice. If kids are not keen on 'strange' food let her know & she will probably be able to do some plain chicken/fish/steak hache.

Typical meal will be cold meat starters, seasonal vegetable course e.g. tomatoes/asparagus, main course which could be anything depending on Marcel's recent activities (when you book Roselyene will usually check, if not you ask in case it is something you don't like so she can change it), cheese course, pudding/seasonal fruit and coffee - along with all the Muscat/wine you can drink and, depending what time Marcel has to get up, various fire waters after. Luckily you only have to stagger up the hill.

Le Petit Jardin Bar in Belvis is currently changing hands and closed.

Espezel.
Le Relais du Pays de Sault. Opposite the Vival shop in the square.

Not for vegetarians! A set meal, basically all you can eat & drink for 22 euro's. (kids 7 euro's). We love it but not everyone's cup of tea.

The table will be laid with carafes of fortified wine, red wine, water (kids have orange) and with duck scratchings when you arrive. Then a gesier salad and cold meats (ham, pate, saucisson, boudin all home made). Main course is various steaks, duck steak, duck thigh or daube de boeuf (the tenderest beef casserole) all with potatoes. (Kids have steak hache or strips of duck). A cheese platter is followed by crepes with home made jam, ice cream or fresh fruit in season and finally coffee. (For a few extra euro's you can add a foie gras course and/or a wild mushroom course. We can only just manage to do some sort of justice to the basic menu!). A word of warning - you have the same plate & cutlery for each course except the sweet so make sure you mop up with some bread after each one.

Is open every lunchtime and Saturday evenings, often busy so good to book in the morning when you're doing the shopping or via phone (0033) 04 68 20 72 89.

Belcaire.
Hotel Bayle. On the right past the other shops almost as you leave the village.

Another of our favourites. Family run with a nice varied menu and they make a real effort to present the food well. Often have very imaginative twists and their menu changes regularly. (Also has a separate bar with pool table & table football, handy for entertaining the kids). Prefer you to book but will fit you in (0033) 04 68 20 31 05

Belfort.
Le Rebenty. Head out of Belvis on left fork down to D613, straight across onto D222 for Joucou & Belfort, down into Rebenty valley, left at bottom for Joucou and Marsa. Go all the way down valley through Joucou & Marsa on D107. Restaurant is on right at the T junction where D107 hits the D117. (Roc Aqua white water rafting opposite).

Have not eaten there since changed hands but heard good reports.

Quillan.
Hotel Cartier. As you go down into Quillan cross railway, turn right at lights D117 for Perpignan, straight across next lights & Hotel is short distance along on left. Has good regional food.

Forgotten name! - turn left in front of Hotel Cartier. Bar 100m on right with nice restaurant above. Italian/French style. Often busy so best to book.

Another with no name! Go past restaurant above, turn right and then left past the church down to Town Square with old stone bridge across River Aude. Friendly bar restaurant, basic menu but can be nice to eat outside on a Thursday during holidays if there is an evening market and live music going on in the square.

Pierre Lys Hotel - down into Quillan, over railway & turn left at lights onto D117 for Carcassonne. Hotel is on left directly opposite the rugby ground. Good regional food.

Maury.
Auberge de Queribus. On D117 on way through Maury. Is on right just before section of narrow road on way towards coast/ on left just after narrow section heading for Quillan. We often stop here on way back from the coast. Is a small public parking area on same side as restaurant on the Quillan side of the D117.

Family run, friendly, regional food.

Formigueres.
Hotel Restaurant Picheyre. In central Formigueres next to the church. We will go there after skiing at Les Angles or a day at Lac de Matemale. Good regional food.