| The Aude - Map of Tourist Attractions in the Aude Departement of France | |
| Visit Cathar Castles, Rennes le Chateau, Medieval Cities, and Ancient Abbeyes |
The Aude departement of the Languedoc Roussillon region of France is the heart of Cathar country. It's also the home of the mysteries of Rennes le Chateau where a parish priest seemed to become rich overnight after finding some ancient parchments and left a plethora of enigmatic "clues" to his own mysterious wealth. The area is also part of the Corbieres wine region. The Aude is worth at least a week of your time.
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Map
of the Aude region of France © 2004
by James Martin, Licensed to About.
Carcassonne Travel Resources
Recommended Lodging in the Aude
La Maison de La Riviere (Moderate - Bed and Breakfast) Esperaza
Esperaza Gite (Moderate - 2 bedroom apartment in Esperaza to rent weekly)
L'Hostellerie de l'Eveche (moderate - hotel and gourmet restaurant in a park in Alet les Bains)
Ducs de Joyeuses (moderately expensive historic hotel in Couiza)
Hotel des Trois Couronnes (moderately expensive Three star Hotel in Carcassonne, overlooking the old city - reviews, Telephone 04 68 25 36 10. In summer of 2004, a single was priced at 80.50 Euros and a panoramic double at 96 Euros. WIFI internet available.)
Aude Web Resources
Aude Festivals (Fêtes) - a list of festivals in the Aude.
Music and Dance - Where to go in the Aude.
Cathar Country Resources
The best Cathar Castles to Visit in the Aude - A guide to the most accessable and the most complete castles.
Peyerpertuse Pictures - Pictures of one of the Aude's best Cathar Castles.
Chateau de Arques Pictures - Very easy to visit castle.
Rennes le Chateau
Rennes le Chateau visitor information
The mystery of Rennes le Chateau Resources
Rennes le Chateau - Pictures of the Village
The Aude and Beyond
If you are interested in well-preserved medieval cities, Both Alet le Bains and the village of Mirepoix (just outside the Aude region) have fine medieval centers, most notably in their central piazzas. Mirepoix hosts a huge market on Monday morning.
Limoux is known for it's Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine, and you can taste it at tasting rooms right in town. St. Hilaire and Lagrasse have fine abbeyes to visit, and you'll be traveling through the famous corbieres wine region. To get a good idea of how people lived in the time of the nearby domination of the Puivert castle, visit the Musee du Quercorb - Puivert in the village of Puivert . They have some interesting exhibits of the mode of living at the time. There is also an exhibit of the musical instruments that were built by master craftsmen from the sculptures found at Puivert castle. There is also a marionette shop in town by the river; you can buy hand crafted puppets there.
The first Sunday of December, Castelnaudary, the capital of the regional classic bean dish called Cassoulet celebrates with a "Goose Fat Fair." There is usually a Cassoulet festival at the end of August or the start of September.
If you're looking for a destination to travel after you've "done" the Aude, I recommend Provence to the east, or the coast of Spain, either Tarragona or Barcelona, to the southwest.
