We will be driving from the Cahors area and planned to be in Carcassonne by early evening when everyone says it is best. We have three nights. I am at a loss as to how to plan this.
Three nights, two full days in the Carcassonne area(arriving on a Monday evening and departing on Thursday morning), what would you do? We are looking at a circle from Carcassonne south and over to Pepignan, Narbonne, Caunes-Minnervois. Is it recommended to stay in a central location for these areas and take two day trips? Would we be better off staying in Carcassonne and driving out from there? We don't want to try and do too much but enjoy where we are. We just don't know where to be.
After the third night in the Carcassonne area we plan to drive to Arles/St. Remy and be in that area for five nights.
Thank you for your help?
Base for day trips around Carcassonne
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I did the same drive a few years ago but only spent 24 hours in Carcassonne. Here is a website I found answering your question. Sites in the local area on the bottom of the page:
http://www.francethisway.com/places/a/carcassonne-aude.php
Hi M,
>Three nights, two full days in the Carcassonne area...<
That's one day and a night too much to visit Carcassone.
Will you have visited http://www.pechmerle.com/english/visite.html, Figeac, Albi?
If so, add the day to Arles/St Remy.
Enjoy your visit.
"Would we be better off staying in Carcassonne and driving out from there?"
Yes, stay in or close to Carcassonne as none of the places you mention are very far : Carcassonne to Perpignan is 100 km - 1.50 hr drive at most. Carcassonne to Narbonne is even less.
Suggestions for day trips :
1. drive to Quillan via Limoux and visit the 3 Cathar castles of Lapradelle Puilaurens, Peyrepertuse and Queribus.
2. drive to Narbonne and visit Abbey of Fontfroide between Lezignan and Narbonne. To get back to Carcassonne, drive via Durban and the Corbieres, visit Abbey of Lagrasse.
3. Minerve and Minervois
4. Villerouge Termenès (castle)
5. Collioure via Perpignan
There is a nice Relais et Château in Couiza.
In 2008 we spent three wonderful nights at Hotellerie du Chateau de Floure 20 minutes to the east of Carcassonne. There is an autoroute entrance between it and Carcassonne, and it was a very good location for visiting in the area. If you stay there, I very much recommend you have as many dinners as possible at the Hotel.
I'm still looking at lodging in the Aude area. I found a B&B that looks wonderful but I cannot find any reviews of it "anywhere"! First question: Is anyone familiar with it? Second question: Would you book if you could not find reviews?
This seems like a good location to day trip out of i.e. Narbonne, Carcassone, Galamus Gorges, Peyrepertuse Queribus, Fontfroide Abbey, etc. I know the area is full and I will be studying to learn more about how to explore.
B&B
Le Domaine da la Pinsonniere Minervois
Thank you for your help!
They are listed in Le Petit Futé, a French travel guide.
There is a link to reviews on their page : http://www.lapinsonniere.fr/fr/index.php?rubrique=opinions
It is in Hérault, not Aude. Fine for visiting the Minervois, a bit far from Galamus, Queribus, etc......
We spent a week in Couiza last year and found it a good base to explore the area. Within easy reach of Carcassonne and Limoux. You could also visit St Hilaire where Blanquette de Limoux originated [ make sure you have some ]. Alet les Bains is an attractive old village on the Aude between Couiza and Limoux. The other day you could drive the Gorges of the Galamus to visit Queribus and Peyrepertuse. They are amazing. If you click on my name you will see my report on our trip. It was the second week.
I cannot assist with accommodation as we self cater. But a visit the the Limoux or other local tourism sites should give some .
Have a good trip.