Holidays in La Montagne Noire
Visit the south of France this year
Planning to visit France for your holiday? Head for the south, and stay in one of our two stylish and sensibly-priced gîtes in La Montagne Noire, in the heart of wonderful and unspoilt countryside north of Carcassonne. Fly Ryanair to Carcassonne (25km), or drive if you have the time and inclination (more details below).
Our gîtes are in the villages of Mas Cabardès and Labastide Esparabaïrenque, which are about 4km apart, are not far from the highest point of La Montagne Noire and the Aude-Tarn départment borders. Both villages are set in wooded valleys, and there are footpaths leading to spectacular viewpoints in all directions.
Mas Cabardès has an épicerie, Chez Dénis, which is usually open every except Monday, and there's also the Café de la Terrace which is more sporadic. Mobile shops serve both villages. At Carcassonne, as well as its famous walled Cité (more info below) there are supermarkets and all the practical things you could need.
For lovers of the great outdoors, La Montagne Noire is the ideal place to enjoy a holiday in France. 25km from Carcassonne, our area has stunning scenery, is completely unspoilt, and offers a peaceful base for a holiday as relaxing or action-packed as you choose.`
If you plan to visit France for your next holiday, take a look at our self catering accommodation for two and three people. Your pet is welcome too.
Flying from the UK: there are Ryanair flights to Carcassonne (25km) from Stansted, Manchester, Bournemouth, Cork, Dublin, East Midlands airports.
If you're thinking of driving to our corner of the south of France, we recommend Newhaven Dieppe ferry to Rouen, then N142 Évreux - Dreux - Chartres, then join the autoroute noth of Orléans, pass Limoges, aim for Toulouse. Exit at jn 39 Caussade to come cross-country on N-roads via Albi, Castres, Mazamet or continue on autoroute via Toulouse and Carcassonne for 1 hour quicker but less lovely route. It's about 1000km, and could be done in 12 hours with a few stops. There are plenty of places worth stopping at overnight if you have more time.
La Cité de Carcassonne is an incredible monument which everyone should see, as a largely authentic medieval citadel strategically set on the old border between Rousillon and Spain. Unfortunately but somewhat inevtitably, it suffers from over-tourism and can become quite crowded at times. If you want to see it at its best, in high season go as early morning or late evening as you can. Out of season it's reasonably quiet all the time apart from bank holidays. It isn't necessary to use the expensive parking right by La Cité – park on the left side of Boulevard Barbès on the edge of the Bastide Saint Louis, the more recent 19th-Century Hausmannien town centre of Carcassonne, where you'll find Place Carnot, the market place, with many pavement cafés, from where you can cross Pont Vieux on foot and be at the Cité in 15 minutes on foot.
For a day at the beach, Gruissan and La Franqui / Leucate have fab sandy shores with gentle Méditteréan breakers, and are within about an hour and a half.
Like crossing frontiers? La Jonquera, Spain, is also about an hour and a half, and more appealing Figuerés with its Dali museum about another half an hour.
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- Ben Whitmore
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