Charming Village House in Quillan 2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom

The House

Located in the heart of Cathar Country, this quaint, recently renovated house is located on a quiet square in the center of Quillan. View of Chateau and just two houses from the Aude River. Walking to all amenities (bakeries, cafes, restaurants, train station, post office, banks, swimming pool, etc.).

Each bedroom is totally private on a separate floor with its own bath featuring towel warmers. All windows face the chateau and offer ample light. Heat is electric. Kitchen is located on the ground floor.

The Area

Markets in Quillan are on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Surrounding villages host markets, so you are likely to find a market nearby every day of the week. Why stay in a hotel, when you can rent an entire house and enjoy the many flavors from the markets.

Carcassonne is a must see and just one hour away. The medieval walled town lies on the right bank of the River Aude and is featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. It has 52 towers and 2 rings of town walls making a total of 3 km of battlements. There is no restriction on access to this area of Carcassonne. It is still home today to its population of approximately 120 and it boasts a large number of shops and craftsmen.

Saint-Hilaire (40 minutes) - Home of the blanquette. See the old benedictine abbey, the cloister in the church, and a sarcophagus decorated with scenes of the martyrdom of St sernin.

Limoux (30 minutes) - Famous for its 3-month long carnival. - Catha-Rama : a 30-min audio-visual show about the cathar religion and history. Musée-Petiet: a "belle époque" museum. Numerous Blanquette wine cellars, wine tasting and buying.

Alet les Bains (25 minutes) - Health spa- Village built around its abbey, old bishopric. Beautiful half-timbered houses in the village, after the old wash bridge supplied with a continuous flow of thermal water. Bring your empty water bottles and fill up with natural spring water and do laundry if you are into hand-washing!

Espéraza (15 minutes)- This village has been marked since the 19th century by the production of felt hats- In the old station, visit the museum of Millinery - Dinosaurs Museum: the paleontological excavation area that supplies the museum is open to the public in July and August, at a 5 km distance in Campagne/Aude.

Rennes le Chateau (15 minutes) - Loved The Da Vinci Code? Visit Rennes le Chateau, a small medieval castle village and a commune in the Aude département, in the Languedoc area in southern France. It is known internationally, and receives tens of thousands of visitors per year, for being at the center of various conspiracy theories. Starting in the 1950s, a local restaurant owner, in order to increase business, had spread rumors of a hidden treasure found by a 19th century priest. The story achieved national fame in France, and was then enhanced and expanded by various hoaxsters, who claimed that the priest, Father Bérenger Saunière, had found proof of a secret society known as the Priory of Sion. The story and society were later proven to be a hoax, but became the origin for hypotheses in documentaries and bestselling books such as Holy Blood Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code. The village is still considered by tourists to be packed with clues to an alternate view of religious history which has long existed in the area.

Visit the famous Cathar Castles - Chateau de Peyrepertuse a Duilhac--If you see only one Cathar castle, make it Peyrpertuse (via the Gorges de Galamus-see below). You can drive most of the way up to its limestone outcrop, but the trail, on worn limestone footing, takes you around the back of the castle and undergoes several elevation changes. They won't let you use the path in a storm. It's treacherous when wet. Must be able to walk on uneven ground, as it is a bit of a hike from the parking lot.

Gorges de Galamus - For a magnificent day out - take a drive to the Gorges of Galamus, near St Paul de Fenouillet (from Quillan, take D117 towards Perpignan) and follow signs in from St Paul de Fenouillet.

You can see Peyrepertuse easily in one day along with nearby Chateau de Queribus in Cucugnan and Chateau de Puilaurens in Lapradelle. The drive between them is quite nice.

Head to Perpignan and spend the day at the beach (just an hour away) at your choice of village on the Mediterranean. St Cyprien-Plage is an attractive seaside town on the Mediterranean coast which can boast 342 days sunshine per year. The town has many amenities and attractions to make your stay enjoyable. The old town of St Cyprien lies 6km inland.

Mirepoix (1 hour) - Situated in the Ariége country, Mirepoix offers a wide range of shops and restaurants most of them under, or not far from, 15th century oak arcades framing the market square. Be sure not to miss St Maurice’s cathedral or the medieval corbelled half-timbered houses. Mirepoix holds its weekly market on Monday mornings.

Activities

Quillan is a small town and commune in the Aude département, in southwestern France located at the foothills of the Pyrenees, on the road between Carcassonne and Perpignan. Located at the top of the Haute Valley of the Aude, close to the mountains, this is an excellent area for hiking and mountain biking as well. Horseback Riding is available nearby and the views are amazing. Take a short trail ride or sign up for multiple days.

Through the Pierre Lys and St Georges gorges, enjoy 12 km of sporting river! Rafters, white water swimmers, and kayakers from all levels of ability are offered the most exceptional water sports spot in the Pyrenees.