Whitewater sports
The countless rivers, torrents and mountain lakes in this part of Languedoc-Roussillon, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, along with its tens of reservoirs, offer every kind of whitewater sport: canoeing, kayaking, rafting and canyoning, and all are within easy reach of Quillan. The turbulent waters of the river Aude offer perfect conditions for practising…
Cathar Castles
Depending on your definition of ‘Cathar castles’ you might claim anything from the five ‘sons of Carcassonne’ to the 17 or so ancient castles that lie in the ‘Pays Cathar’ (Cathar lands). The castle at Carcassonne itself is probably the best-known of the region, but there are many others worth seeing. Puivert Our closest castle…
Wine tasting
Explore the wonderful wines produced in the area here around Quillan, in the southern Languedoc. Languedoc is one of France’s longest-established wine-producing regions, probably because of its Mediterranean location. Wine has been produced here for thousands of years. Greeks started colonies here as early as 6 BC and began cultivating vines. Apparently, the Roman historian, Titus…
Conspiracies
Just 10km or a little under 20 minutes from here, perched on a hilltop near Couiza, is the village of Rennes-le-Chateau. This little village of less than a hundred people has become the centre of many conspiracy theories, speculation and fiction of the last century or so. Books include The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail…
