Aude Region of France
 

We are going to visit friends in a small village in Aude in October. Looking for suggested places we must see - should see, etc. in the region. Would love to hear from anyone who has explored the area.
Any pointers for getting around? Great restaurants with local cuisine?

The fall is beautiful in the Aude. What small village are your friends in? It's a fairly large department so easier to make recommendations based on your location.
www.audetourisme.com/default.aspx?lg=5
is a good beginning. www.midi-france.info/02_intro.htm is a private site but also worth checking out for background.
Do you speak any French? What are your interests? Besides the vinyards (so many good appellations!) and the historical castles (mostly ruins) there are also some fantastic caves, great farmers markets and then there's the Med to the east...
Also, will you have your own car, or will you need to use buses (somewhat limited in the Aude).
I've been visiting the area since 2000 (my 10th+trip this April) and when I stay (rent a house) in Ariege I miss Aude and when I stay in Aude, I miss Ariege...but fortunately they are side by side...
You can send a private message if you want a private reply...
Lucky you! Friends in Aude!

Sorry, didn't realize Fodors doesn't have private messaging on their forums. But I see you've done hiking in Big Sur...the Pyrenees in the Ariege and Aude are very much like parts of Northern California: pines, firs, oaks, alders...even the same mushrooms! Add trout in the streams and rivers, lots of similar flora and you'll feel yourself almost at home...but still in another world.
www.audeflyer.com for a biweekly newsletter from a Brit in Aude....(lists all the good markets and such).

Aude is one of my favorite regions outside of Provence.
Peter. a poster here lives there. I don't know if he wants me to post his email here but I will contact him.
Meanwhile:
http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/

WHERE in the Aude?

A very small village - Felines-Termenes. We will either be renting a car or using our friends. And thanks for all the pointers SFgirl42 - we lived in Marin for 8 years so very familiar with No CA and the hiking there. Sounds like this will be a great trip for us. We like wine, good food, hiking also historic sites and beautiful scenery! We are fortunate that the friends we are staying with are retired restauranteurs from So. Cal. - so the food at home base will always be wonderful!

http://www.communes.com/languedoc-ro...1330/plan.html

By the way - my husband speaks high school French - I speak high school German and Spanish.

A great restaurant is l'Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse - it got its 3rd Michelin start a few weeks ago.
In Quillan : Hôtel-Restaurant de Pier-Lys (on the road to Limoux)
Montner near Estagel : Auberge du Cellier
Near Béziers : O' Bon Temps in Magalas

My favorite places (I live in the area) : Villerouge-Termenès, a very pretty village close to where you are staying.
Abbey of Fontfroide off the main road betwen Narbonne and Lézignan
Abbey of Lagrasse
Cathar Castles : you won't be far from Termes and can drive to Lapradelle-Puilaurens, Queribus and Peyrepertuse.
The small coastal road between Peyriac-de-Mer and Bages along Etang de Bages
The old village of Gruissan
Between Narbonne and Narbonne-Plage, the "Massif de la Clape"
etc.....

Thanks so much. Appreciate the insider pointers. The restaurant looks like an interesting option.

I rented a gite in Laroque de Fa a couple years ago so drove through Felines numerous times. I'm sure your friends will take you to the weekly market in Lezignan-Corbieres and since you're almost in the middle of the Corbieres region, you'll have a richesse of wineries to visit should you be interested.
I haven't taken it--yet--but there is a tourist train which uses an abandonned rail route from Axat to the coast
www.southfrancehols.com/Axat-tourist-train.html (probably some other good suggestions on the site).

There is a wonderful guide, the Guide Routard. It's published in French (and much used by the French) and in the past Rough Guide has put out an English version of it. The last edition was 2006; the latest French version just came out, and yes, I pre-ordered from Amazon.fr because it's that good. For all its value, it's not that well known in the US, so your friends may not know it.
It's divided into regions; all the reviews are anonymous and every recommendation I've used has been spot on or better. There was a restaurant/hotel which had changed ownership and management and I was very disappointed by the changes and found it had disappeared from the latest edition, so they don't play favorites.
You can probably find a used edition on ebay or half.com (another ebay site), try for the 2006, it will still be useful.
The 2006 & 2010 both recommend Le Leqard Bleu in Roquefort-des-Corbieres: "The lizard signs outside direct you to this restaurant with the blue door. Inside, the walls are white and hung with modern paintings. The food is lovingly prepared by the owner, a friendly woman who's full of life; menus from 21 to 25 euros; a la carte 35-45. No credit cards. It's best to book."
New in the 2010: L'Ecluse au Soleil. I won't write down the review in French, just check out the website and know I have read recommendations on other websites. It's not that far from Rennes-le-Chateau (should curiosity take you there) www.ecluseausoleil.com/restaurant-en.html

Lagrasse has earned its inclusion in the Most Beautiful Villages of FRance. GR recommends Hostellerie des Corbieres (newly added in 2010)
www.hostellerie-des-corbieres.com/index.php and Le Clos des Souquets (included in 2010 and all previous editions I have); this is in Fabrezan which is not far from Lagrasse. www.le-clos-des-souquets.com/ukrestaurant.htm

If your friends in Felines haven't heard about GR, you might try to pick up a copy of the current edition as a gift.
Rough Guide also puts out a very, very good guide, RG to Languedoc-Roussillon...(again, look for used copies).

If you have a problem with heights, do NOT go through the Gorge of Galamus (there's a hermitage half way through so it's a recommended visit--don't listen to them). OR take the Little Yellow Train which runs in the Pyrenees. My friend and I were scheduled to take the train but it was cancelled the day we were to go. We followed the route it would have taken and started getting sick from the heights even on the road. Great for those who can take the heights, we can't.

In coming back to the states if you've read the advice to travellers that Customs puts out you know you're allowed only a small amount of alcohol. I've brought back up to a dozen bottles (non-sparkling) and just declare the total value on the form. Do: pack carefully and if you can get a hard sided suitcase, take that.
Don't know how interested you are in special wines but the area has wines from 100 year old carignan vines which survived the virus that decimated other vines. They've come up with a new method (carbonic maceration) which allows the usually forgettable wine to develop into something memorable.
Here's an intro to the areas wines:
www.terroir-france.com/wine/lr_map.htm
and one last link:
http://www.languedoc-wines.com/engli...decouverte.asp

Enjoy!

Wow! Thanks for all the info. Appreciate you taking the time and sharing your resources.

Cigalechanta

Thanks for the confidence !

I was away travelling and this seems to have been answered now.

Peter