Each year France’s High Committee for National Commemorations selects about 100 anniversaries, multiple of 50 years, that are considered significant in the history of France. Death of Simon de Montfort, anti-Cathar crusader, Count of Toulouse Deep into the era of the Crusades, the papal pleasure of seeing the Catholic kings and knights of Europe kill…
Deep in the rural sprawl of Southern France lies a place like no other; the fortified city of Carcassonne. It’s actually a tale of two cities. The first dates back to the Middle Ages and is filled with typically French cafés, restaurants, and bakeries lining its charmingly atmospheric streets. The second is a towering, majestic citadel which looms large over…
Ancient stone villages built right on the water’s edge pass you by and large iron barriers groan under the pressure of the water that is pushing against them. You are sitting back in a deck chair, relaxing with a glass of French champagne in your hand, watching the sun set on yet another glorious day…
Last month, I got to discover a part of France I had never been to: the Languedoc region (if you follow me on Instagram, you will have already spotted quite a few photos from the trip). It was absolutely beautiful and one of the most relaxing holidays I have had in a long time. Our…
While recently staying on holidays in Villenouvelle, we were so close to Carcassonne that it would have been a pity not visiting it. Not only the history of the city goes as far back as the 6th century BC, which is impressive in itself, but the entire area is really beautiful (we could even spot…
Explore Carcassonne, one of the largest fortified towns in Europe, and one of the best conserved thanks to restoration work carried out by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. Almost at the centre of the Aude département lies the two-tiered city of Carcassonne. The lower town – La Ville Basse – is built around the bastide of St…
Whether you are with your family, your friends or your partner, you will find something to enjoy in Aude. Discover our ideas for outings and stays and unmissable points of interest. Whether you stay in Carcassonne or explore the surrounding area, are looking for vineyards, nature or culture, planning a short stay or a longer…
The force of gravity had pressed me back so far that I felt I was at a 90 degree angle to the world. Heart pounding, I closed my eyes, clenched my teeth and gripped my car seat. Concentrating on my breathing, I said a silent prayer. For someone afraid of heights, I had picked a…
The Aude , a “department” or district in the Languedoc region is Cathar Country, whose most notable towns are Narbonne and Carcassonne. Cathar was a Christian sect that flourished in western Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries. It was considered heretical and was roundly condemned by the Roman Catholic Church. Carcassonne is one of the…
A wonderful French touring holiday – no experience necessary. We are a quality canal boat hirer based in the South of France on ‘Le Canal des Deux Mers’ (the canal of the two seas). One of the most famous canals in the world and a world heritage site which links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.…
Aude Cathar Country 