Countryside
Aude, Cathar Country
[See also our pages on the High Corbières and the Termenès district]
Get away from it all in the département of the Aude.
Here, in Cathar Country, nature has built a jigsaw puzzle of hills and forests, plains and valleys, immense beaches and steep cliffs, swept by the sea breeze and the refreshing westerlies.
You will find the Cathar spirit still alive in this diverse countryside, giving it a heart: the genuine passion of people who love their native hills.
To share this passion, the inhabitants have created a quality label "Pays Cathare" (Cathar Country) which is attributed, amongst other things, to establishments which offer a high standard of facilities and a warm welcome.
The holiday cottages in the Mouthoumet hills are all certified "Pays Cathare", respecting traditional architecture and highlighting local characteristics.
The Mouthoumet hills are situated between the Canal du Midi to the north and the mountains of the Pyrenees to the south, a transitional zone between the vine-growing plains and the high pastures.
Symbolically, the regular rows of the vines run up to the vertical cliffs of the Orbieu and Terminet gorges, reminding us of the proximity of the Pyrenees. The Milobre de Bouisse rises to 2600ft above sea level.
