Exploring Around

East

In the east there is so much to be seen that we better take two days. We first go to Bugarach, then to the Col de Linas from where most people climb the Pech Bugarach and then on to Cubieres. It has a lovely little church. Here we turn south to the famous Gorges the Galamus. A spectacular road hacked out of the rocks in the nineteenth century. Halfway is the Hermitage de St Antoine with a church in a huge cave. Really spectacular. On to St Paul de Fenouillet in a broad valley stretching all the way to the Mediterranean. An area famous for its wines. Especially the Cotes de Roussillon, the Rivesaltes, the Banyuls and the Fitou wines.

We take the road to Maury and turn left for the Chateau Queribus. The last Cathar castle to fall in 1256. A steep road leads to a parking place close to the castle. Then down to Cucugnan with the pregnant Mary in the church and the characteristic Omers mill. Now we have a choice. Going a few miles back to the west and visiting the largest cathar castle Peyrepertuse. Then going north to Auriac, the castles of Thermes and Villerouge Thermenes and the abbey of Lagrasse. And still further to the northwest the abbey of Fontfroide and the beautiful city of Narbonne.

Or we can turn east at Cucugnan and visit the castle of Padern, then on to Tuchan which has some good restaurants and next to the chateau Aguilar. From Tuchan we have several choices, all located to the southeast of Tuchan. There is the Castle of Opoul, the village of Perillos and the magical cave of Perillos. A little to the south is the impregnable fortress of Salses. Then Tautavel, famous for its museum showing how 500.000 years ago humans lived in a nearby cave. And on the coast you can visit the village of Ste Marie la Mer, east of Perpignan and further south the well-known city of Collioure. With its beaches, it’s many shops and restaurants and its beautiful church.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://jaap-adventures.com/media-jaap-adventures/photos/393-exploring-around.html#sigProId4cf4cf37f4

North

The first place we meet is Limoux. Know for its carnival and the Blanquette de Limoux. A kind of champagne that tastes better than the real champagne and is much cheaper. In Limoux we will visit the church of St. Martin, with a stained glass window where Jesus and Mary Magdalene sit at equal height. To the east is the abbey of Polycarpe, just north of Limoux is the basilica ND de Marceille with its Black Madonna and healing waters and a little further north is the abbey of St Hilaire.

Further north is Carcassonne. With its famous old city, La Cite. A Unesco World Heritage site. In Carcassonne town you can visit the Canal du Midi and several interesting churches, basilicas and the cathedral. And do some shopping of course.

North of Carcassonne are some very interesting sites. Let me name a few. First of all the city of books Montolieu. Then the Cathar Castle of Lastour. And the beautiful caves of Limousis and Cabrespine. A little further west you will find the abbey of Caunes Minervois and close by the ND du Cross, with another Black Madonna and famous spring. North of Caunes Minervois are several Dolmens like the Dolmen of Rolande and the Dolmen des Fades. A little further west is Minerve. Surrounded by rivers. With its famous dove carved in the rock.

Still further north you can find interesting places like Albi, with its huge church looking like a castle, St Pons de Thomieres with its richly decorated church, the citadel of Cordes-sur-Ciel and still further away the beautiful site of Rocamadour. A church built into a cliff site, again with a magical Black Madonna.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://jaap-adventures.com/media-jaap-adventures/photos/393-exploring-around.html#sigProId537283b951

South

First we take the road to Quillan. There is not much to be seen in Quillan, but there are wonderful shops and good restaurants. Then we can go east through he Gorges de Pierre Lys to Axat. From there we have several choices. A little further east to the Chateau Puilaurens. One of the best preserved Cathar castles. Nearby is the beautiful ND de Laval. Then, at St Paul de Fenouillet, we turn south. A side step to the aqueduct d’Ansignan and then to Sournia with its strange rock formations. Over the mountain to Prades, a big city. With south of Prades the Abbey of St Michel de Cuxa and further south, at he foot of the magic mountain de Canigou the abbey of St. Martin du Canigou.

If we go south at Axat, following the river Aude upstream, we come to the most beautiful cave in Europe, the Grotte de l’Aguzou. A little further we find the castles of Usson and Querigut. If we continue south we come to the famous ski resorts of Mont Louis and Font Romeu in the Pyrenees. We can also turn west at Chateau Usson and take the road to the Col de Pailheres. A famous track in the Tour de France. Full of hairpin bends, very steep, up to 2005 meters high (hors categorie). Then down to Ax-les-Thermes. If you want you can turn south to Andorra, a twenty-minute drive. Just across the border you will find a huge supermarket.

We can go back from Ax-les-Thermes to Quillan across the mountains. The highest point here is the Col de Chioula (1431 m). Then down to the plateau de Sault. Where we can visit he Cathar castle of Montaillou and have an excellent lunch in the famous Relais du Pays de Sault. Instead of turning east to Quillan, we can go a few miles west to Nebias. That has a famous natural Labyrinth. And then take the inner road to Brenac, the city of flowers, with one of the most beautiful churches in the area.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://jaap-adventures.com/media-jaap-adventures/photos/393-exploring-around.html#sigProId7da7915adc

West

Just as in the east, the west has also much to offer. So we better take two days. First to Esperaza, then the inner road to Fa and Rouvenac and from there to the castle of Puivert. The castle of the troubadours and courtly love. From Puivert to Belesta with the ND du Val d’Amour and its Black Madonna. Then south. We pass the strange Fontaine the Fontestorbes where the water rises and falls every half hour. But our main objective is Montsegur. The famous Cathar castle. An awesome sight. The village is also pretty. It has a museum and a lovely church with  two Black Madonna’s.

From the Montsegur we go north and then west to Foix. We might make a sidestep to the castle of Roquefixade. Foix is a big city with an impressive castle with three different towers. And a very special church, the church of St Volusien. Then south to Tarascon-sur-Ariege. The area around that city has much to offer. First of all the sacred mountain with the initiation caves of the Cathars at Ussat-les-Bains. Then the two huge caves, the Lombrives, the largest cave in Europe and the cave of Niaux.

Just east of Tarascon is de ND de Sabarth with its Black Madonna and if we continue on this road we come to the castle of Montreal de Sos, also called the Grail castle, because of a special drawing in one of the caves. Nearby is also the huge stone of Sem.

We could also have taken a more northerly route. First going to Limoux and then west to Chalabre. With its castle. From there to Mirepoix with is house decorated with carved woodenheads. And its marvellous cathedral.

Then to Pamiers with a sidestep to the Rock church at Vals. In Pamiers the church and cathedral are worth a visit. Then on to the old capital of the Languedoc Toulouse. A beautiful city. There is so much to be seen. I will only name the basilica St Sernin and the ND de la Daurade with its magnificent Black Madonna.

On he way back you can visit the church of Fanjeaux and further to the east he church of Montreal which houses a similar Asmodeus figure as the church in Rennes-le-Chateau.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://jaap-adventures.com/media-jaap-adventures/photos/393-exploring-around.html#sigProId59c350d6f0