Lauragais Area

Overlooking the region of Toulouse to the West, with Castelnaudary its capital, the Lauragais is famous for its cassoulet, fatted poultry fairs and its pleasure port on the Canal du Midi. Nearby, awaiting discovery, lies the Seuil de Naurouze and Saint Papoul abbey.

Carcassonne Area

An ancient route between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, this low-lying region with Carcassonne as its main city, is known world wide for its exceptional Cité architecture and the monuments of the Lower Town. The Montagne Noire (Black Mountain) is the meridional balcony of the Cévennes with its Pic de Nore rising to 1210 m, this is a country of majestic forests and lakes, sheltering feodal castles (Lastours and Saissac) and remarkable underground caves (Cabrespine and Limousis).

Corbieres & Minervois

Bordered to the East by lagoons and the Mediterranean with La Franqui and Leucate, seaside resorts, to the West and North by the Aude river, to the South by the Pyrenees, the Corbières is a land of increasingly famous vineyards and rich historical monuments : Romanesque abbeys (Fontfroide, Lagrasse) and medieval castles (Quéribus, Peyrepertuse, Termes, Villerouge-Termenès).

Composed of planes, slopes and scrubland, this famous wine-growing area dates from Antiquity (especially Minerve), it abounds in prehistoric menhirs and dolmens, pre- Romanesque chapels, Romanesque abbeys, "capitelles" or art constructions bordering the Canal du Midi.

Narbonne Area

With Narbonne, former Roman capital and crossroads of all cultures. Nearby awaiting discovery lies the Fontfroide Cistercian abbey. Fine sandy beaches harbouring new and more traditional resorts (Gruissan, Port Leucate, Fleury Saint Pierre, Narbonne Plage and Port la Nouvelle), bordered by lagoons and benefiting from the nearby, nature-preserved hinterland.

Upper Valley Of The Aude

A country of gorges, ranges and plateaus (Pierre Lys, St Georges), this region possesses the coolness of the finest forests of fir trees in France, and opportunities for white water sports in the Aude.

A visit to the medieval Pyrenees Châteaux is a must (Puilaurens, Puivert and Quillan). This country of hills and vales, cradle of the famous Blanquette de Limoux, the oldest brut wine in the world, is also known for its traditional Carnival which has taken place without interruption since the Middle Ages. To visit nearby : the Dinosaurs Museum and the Hatmaking Museum at Espéraza, the Arques château.

Further Information

Comité Départemental du Tourisme de l’Aude
Allée Raymond Courrière
11855 Carcassonne cedex 09 - France
Tel : +33 4 68 11 66 00 – Fax : +33 4 68 11 66 01
www.audetourisme.com

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