{"id":434,"date":"2023-06-25T13:41:39","date_gmt":"2023-06-25T13:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/?page_id=434"},"modified":"2024-02-27T15:50:20","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T15:50:20","slug":"things-to-do","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/?page_id=434","title":{"rendered":"Things to do!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From sightseeing, markets, and eating, here is a small selection of local activities….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mirepoix<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a 15 minute drive to this medieval town with its ancient arcaded central square and its cathedral (500 years to build). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The centre is stunning with its colourful, medieval buildings and is bursting with great restaurants, bars and shops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Monday market is a MUST. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bureau de Tourisme: 05 61 68 83 76<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.francethisway.com\/places\/mirepoix.php<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Lac de la Ganguise<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lac de la Ganguise <\/em>is a 25 minute drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fully stocked sailing club, for experts and beginners, and claims winds up to force 4 for 300 days a year. You can simply rent, or take lessons, and people who have been say it\u2019s great, run by helpful, friendly staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also a bar offering refreshments and snacks, together with viewing balcony if you just want to watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact: +33 4 68 60 35 68<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.ganguise.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s more if you want to drive the 1\u00bc hours or so to the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Carcassonne<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A World Heritage Site you must<\/span> <\/strong>see. A wonderful medieval walled city! A 45-minute drive, and 2 hours to walk the streets and ramparts; it\u2019s culture that even children enjoy. In high season, it can be very hot and crowded, so think about saving this trip for a cooler day, or go first thing in the morning, before the crowds arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a wonderful main square, full of restaurants. The ancient cobbled streets within the castle walls are amazing to see and also offer lots of shops, including plenty of souvenir shops, local artisan shops and others selling swords and shields for the children!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The view of the whole castle can be spotted from the main road on the way there \u2013 see who spots it first! It\u2019s an amazing sight!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the Basilica St Nazaire <\/em>for its stained glass, and where you may catch a free choral recital during the high season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check whether there\u2019s Ramparts et Lumi\u00e8re <\/em>during your stay: a great evening\u2019s insight into some spectacular and bloody history! www.remparts-lumieres.com\/en\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some pretty spectacular events in Carcassonne, details to be found on their website: www.tourisme-carcassonne.fr<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es<\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 40 minute drive will bring you well into the foothills with a huge range of walks, all very <\/em>beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mirepoix and Foix Bureaux de Tourisme have maps, guides and advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nearest resort for skiing and summer trekking is Mont d’Olmes<\/span>.<\/strong> This is a 1 hour drive away. There are a variety of bars and restaurants here, together with two ski equipment hire shops. You can buy day or half day lift passes at a very reasonable price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chair lift still runs during the summer for those wanting to climb to the top!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Monts\u00e9gur<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Mont d\u2019Olmes, you can easily get to Monts\u00e9gur, a short drive away (1 hour due South from Pech Luna, via Mirepoix and Lavelanet). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This castle was at the heart of the Cathar movement. Built in 1204, it finally fell in 1244, and 225 Cathars opted to be barbecued below its walls, rather than recant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not superfit, and it\u2019s hot, the climb up to the stronghold can take up to an hour, but the wonderful view from the top will be reward enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also a beautiful village below this castle with a friendly bar\/restaurant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Vineyards<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

20 kilometres away is the wine-growing region of the Malep\u00e8re (mainly reds, but some quite exciting and original whites. 10 kilometres beyond that, the Limoux , and they also do some of stunning whites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recommend a visit to Domaine le Fort <\/em>+33 4 68 76 20 11, between La Force <\/em>and Montr\u00e9al<\/em>. It offers a wide choice of wines. www.domainelefort.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or visit the cellars of Domaine J Laurens <\/em>at Limoux <\/em>+33 4 68 31 54 54 for great sparkling wines \u2013 very friendly family run business, tours and tastings before you buy (and don\u2019t forget that Limoux invented \u201cbubbly\u201d long before those upstarts in Champagne. Here it is called \u2018blanquette\u2019). www.jlaurens.fr<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domaine Gayda <\/em>+33 4 68 31 64 14 also has a top class restaurant +33 4 68 20 57 75 (good value lunch at 25\u20ac including wine (best to book), and full blown wine school. www.domainegayda.com\/en<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Canal du Midi<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

walking, cycling or just lazing…..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The canal runs peacefully and very beautifully all the way from the Mediterranean to the Gironde<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re under 25 minutes from the quiet lock at Le Seuil de Naurouze<\/em>, and the busyBassin <\/em>at Castelnaudary <\/em>(make sure you see the locks), <\/em>both good start-points for a stroll along the plane-tree-shaded towpath, or you can hire bikes by the hour. www.canalmidi.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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White Water Rafting<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can hire canoes in nearby Belpech at Atalaya Canoe, a 10 minute drive from our house. They offer 1h30 or 3h durations and we can highly recommend it! +33 6 40 57 59 31 or http:\/\/www.atalaya-canoe.fr<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also two companies which both offer a full- or \u00bd-day white-water descent of the Ari\u00e8ge<\/em>. –  Ari\u00e8ge \u00c9vasion<\/em> www.ariege-evasion.com<\/a> +33 5 61 05 11 11 (they offer canoe hire from beginners upwards).
or Roc Aqua<\/em> www.rocaqua.com<\/a> +33 4 68 20 53 97<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a lot of river-sport establishments in and around the Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es \u2013 details can be found on the website below:
https:\/\/www.audetourisme.com\/en\/see-and-do\/activities\/white-water-sports\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Mediterranean<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The med is about 1hr 15 \u2013 1hr 30 away, along the A61.  The beaches to the South or Narbonne are the nearest and there are lots to choose from, from bustling fishing ports to great swathes of sand, stretching for miles.  Many have restaurants and watersports centres have a look before you go or you can spend ages driving around trying to decide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can go via the D roads (it is a beautiful drive) but takes a bit longer, if you are going to make a day of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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From sightseeing, markets, and eating, here is a small selection of local activities…. Mirepoix It\u2019s a 15 minute drive to this medieval town with its ancient arcaded central square and its cathedral (500 years to build). The centre is stunning with its colourful, medieval buildings and is bursting with great restaurants, bars and shops. The … <\/p>\n

Read more “Things to do!”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":422,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-434","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=434"}],"version-history":[{"count":46,"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/434\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":563,"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/434\/revisions\/563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maisonapechluna.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}