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Castelnau d'Aude
Like many of the towns in the Aude valley, Castelnau d' Aude is situated on the top of a hill overlooking many vineyards and nature reserves ( garrigues ). The town has approx. 400 inhabitants, most of them are winegrowers. The area his a typical Southern French landscape with fir-trees and cedars, thyme, lavender and Rosemary.
Spring arrives at full speed in this part of France with blossoms, and sunshine is making the colder weather a distant memory.

The town has an extensive community life and all holidays are jointly celebrated on the town square in front of the city hall ( mairie ).
Delicious food and drinks are served on large tables. Food is an essential part of life in the South.
Warm weather and summer evenings invite you to spend all of your time outside.

The town has a small groceryshop, post office and a large jeux de boules ground. A large supermarket is located within 4,5 km.
We can give you the inside tips and advise you on all good restaurants in the area and give you information about hidden chateaux to buy and to taste wine.

The Region
The many towns and cities in the region have many beautiful (Roman)churches, cathedrals, abbeys and other Roman remains to be explored. There are numerous museums mostly in the larger cities. The historical cities Narbonne and Carcassonne are close by and definitely worth a visit. The Cathars and their heroic fight can't be left unmentioned. Especially the remains of that era and the many castles, situated at the most beautiful spots in the area, are world famous. For further information and reading we refer you to the following web sites:
www.carcassonne.com
www.narbonne.com

The Pyrenees and the Montagne Noir are beautiful mountain areas close by, good for day trips with scenic views and lovely reasonably priced restaurants on route.

The area offers an extraordinary choice of sports activities, be it for tentive beginners or keen enthusiasts, there's something for every visitor: hiking trails, mountain biking, rock climbing, mountaineering, rafting, an 18 hole golf course in Carcassonne, swimming ( sea, beach, lakes, rivers and pool) and lots more.........
Everything is within easy reach and there is no congestion on the roads!

There are streetmarkets in abundance. Every day of the week there is a market somewhere in the area. Narbonne, Lezignan and Carcassonneare the most extensive markets in the area with many local produce stalls.
Other markets can be found in local towns with antiques and collectables at bargain prices.

Summer is time for music and dance. Street parties, festivities, open air exhibitions and music concerts around for all tastes.
For our quests we have an information booklet with all activities, restaurants, addresses, markets, festivals and "house rules".

harvest machine

the harvest