Towns and Villages

There is a huge choice of pretty medieval villages and towns to visit and explore for daytrips

Toulouse, the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées - the rose-red city built of red brick. France's second town after Paris. The capital of sport, rugby and the aerospace industry. A place of culture, music and monuments, and a relaxed way of life and city living.

[The capitole]

Carcassonne, a world heritage site, the most famous medieval cite in the world: fairytale fortress and stunning cathedral surrounded by cobbled lanes, alleys and squares with fountains, full of little shops and cafés. Kevin Costner filmed here Robin Hood.

carcassonne

Mirepoix, 13^th century medieval fortified bastide town, with stunning gothic cathedral with labyrinth, picturesque central market square surrounded by arcaded half-timbered medieval houses containing small art shops, galleries, cafés and restaurants, food market Thursday mornings, large market on Mondays, medieval festivals

Foix, Located between two rivers around a hill toped by castle in the old quarter with half-timbered houses in alleys that take you back in time, full of shops, cafés and restaurants. Big market day on Fridays. A medieval festival in July turns the town into an old world place with themed concerts, markets, costumes and celebrations.

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Roquefixade is a pretty village near Montségur with narrow streets and a Cathar castle perched on a rock overlooking it

Perpignan, a meditarranean seaside town, 18km from the Spanish border, great for shopping, sitting in cafés and strolling along the beach

Collioure, an old seaside town with a beautiful harbour. A great favourite with painters. It is a quaint and touristy place full of small cobbled streets with art and souvenir shops.

Collioure bay Panoramique sur Collioure

Rennes-le-Chateau, beautiful ancient hilltop village with stunning views and a place of mystery, secret inscriptions on tombstones, a church full of hidden clues and rumours of a treasure found by a poor country priest who suddenly became incredibly rich.

Lourdes
The place 7 million pilgrims and those hoping for a miraculous cure for their ailments visit every year since the 14 year old Bernadette Soubirous had 18 visions of the Virgin Mary in the Grotte de Massabielle

Lourdes - where to stay

Carla-Bayle and St Martin d’Oydes: two neighbouring hill top villages. Carla-Bayle is the birthplace of the philosopher and writer Pierre Bayle and full of art shops and galleries, St Martin d’Oydes has a unique round square around a church and the English Prime Minister Tony Blair has spent a holiday in its chateau

Villefranche de Conflent, a fortified town at the foot of the Canigou mountain, completely surrounded by ramparts

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Tarascon, a pretty little town on a river is surrounded by mountains and lots of prehistoric caves. Soudour, the mount rising at the side of the town played a dominant part during the Crusades, when the heretics where hiding in the caves and a fire on the mount would warn them of approaching inquisitors.

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Ax-les-Thermes is a thermal spa town surrounded by mountains, with 60 natural springs and a public hot water basin with healing sulphur water in the centre of the town.

Hot Baths at Ax-les-Thermes

Camon is an ancient fortified village with picturesque streets, a rosebush in front of every house and an abbey overlooking the surrounding area

Chalabre near Mirepoix and Camon is a beautiful circular town