The region is famous for “les Chateaux du pays Cathar” with local castles, towns and villages dating back over 800 years. Historic towns such as Revel, Mirepoix, Foix, Fanjeaux, Limoux and Castres can all be reached within 30-60 minutes, and you will find the nearest Cathar Castle in our neighboring village of Saissac. You will also be able to visit the three noted wine regions of the area– Fitou, Corbieres, and Minervois. The nearest market town of Castelnaudary is famous for its cassoulet, which is served in almost every restaurant in town. Rick Stein of Padstow, Cornwall visited Castelnaudary when he traveled along the Canal du Midi exploring the local cuisine of the area and did his bit to raise the profile of cassoulet when he ate it at a restaurant in the town.  Be assured you will not have a shortage of tourist places to visit in France even if you just focus your holiday on this region.

Rennes Le Chateau of Da Vinci code fame is about an hour and twenty minutes drive via Limoux and is well worth a visit, anyone interested in the Knights Templar will be spoilt for choice of the places to visit in this region which is steeped in the history from that period.

The medieval city of Carcassonne, with its walled towers, is designated a World Heritage Site.

It is only a short drive to the south east and has daily displays of jousting in the summer months. Inside the walls of ‘La Cite’, visitors find a self contained town with museums, churches and good restaurants along the narrow, meandering streets.

There is a festival held in the city throughout the months of July and August, the highlight of which is its Bastille Day (14th July) firework display that is reported to be amongst the best in France. So many things go on during the festival, big name musicians play in the castle, there are art exhibitions, theatre, cultural exhibitions and much more. 

As is the case in many places of interest in France, there is normally no entrance fee so adults and children can enter and explore the castle without the need for a second mortgage, you do have to pay to go into the central keep however.

See Carcassonne for more detail.

Le Lac de la Ganguise is a five minute drive from La Cité, and has beaches and various activities for all ages, including walking, sailing, wind surfing and pedaloes. 

Castelnaudary is a vibrant little working town and local tourist attraction; it sits on the Canal Du Midi and boasts a nice little harbour for the boats that pass up and down the Canal. The recently restored 'Corn Exchange' in the centre of town adds to its charm and it remains busy all year around as it is not totally reliant on tourism for its life blood.

On the last weekend in August, Castelnaudary holds its annual Fête du Cassoulet, now a 4-day festival dedicated to the town's most famous creation.

You can find out all about the history of Castelnaudary in the The Lauragais Story a French History Book available on Amazon in Kindle format.

The Canal du Midi (also a World Heritage Site) runs through Castelnaudary, and passes only ten minutes drive away from Le Moulin.

The canal plays host to a number of restaurants and is ideal for cycling along the tow path, bicycles can be hired locally at a reasonable cost,

You can get boat trips from the quay in Castelnaudary that go along the Canal in the afternoons during the summer season; the trips typically last about 2 hours but there are other options which you can enquire about.

Lac de St Ferreol is about a 15 minute drive away via a lovely scenic route through the hills. The town of Revel is about 5 minutes further on, a 14th century bastide town, the central square s covered by a 14th century roof, supported by wooden pillars and topped by a distinctive bell tower.

Overlooking the lake there are a number of nice restaurants where you can go for lunch or dinner. Or visit the museum of the Canal du Midi.

The lake also has a number of amenities including sandy beaches, an equestrian center, sailing, pedaloes for the children (or adults if you feel playful).

See Revel Food Market & Lac de St Ferreol for more detail.

Hosts a number of ski resorts which can be reached in a little over an hour from Domaine de Cazes during the winter months and Axe les Therme offers facilities for all levels of skier and is an attractive place to visit at any time of the year or if you are interested in learning to ski, its never too late.

Mirepoix is a medieval city 45 minutes by car to the south, it has a lovely square that hosts a number of shops, restaurants and bars and is a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon or to have an evening meal. Mirepoix has been a firm favourite of many of our guests, especially when they visit on market day.

You have to remember to look up in Mirepoix so that you do not miss the carved wooden heads that adorn one of the old buildings that make up the square.

See Mirepoix for more detail.

Saint Felix is a lovely little town situated on a hill top in the Haute Garonne department of the Midi-Pyrenees. Its location affords it some wonderful views across the French countryside into the Occitanie (Languedoc Roussillon) region where the Pyrenees act as a fabulous backdrop to the already impressive views.

The town makes the most of this position and has built a 'table de orientation' at the edge of town where you have the best views and it is close to the 'Chateau de Saint Felix Lauragais' which was built in the 13th century and is now a privately owned property listed as a 'monument historique'.

Drop back down the hill from St Felix and you will see signs to the Lac de Lenclas where you will find a small restaurant, fishing lake and children's play park. A lovely place to visit for a stroll around the lake, to sit and have a picnic or just to relax while the children play in the park. 

Located on the banks of the River Agout, Castres was a stopping place for the Arles pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella or the Way of St James as it is known in England. At the foot of the Montagne Noire range it is not a typical tourist destination, but several of our previous guests have commented on how nice a place it was to visit.

Also if you are into nature you are only a stone’s throw from the High Languedoc National Park where you can find some extraordinary landscapes in the form of the Sidobre, a large expanse of granite rock.

The popular city of Toulouse can be reached in around 50 minutes by car (if using your own car, don't forget you will need a Crit Air Sticker) and is well-served by cheap flights from the UK. It is a beautiful and lively city well worth visiting at any time of the year; it has many interesting old buildings, a vibrant atmosphere and excellent shopping facilities.

There is a train service from Castelnaudary for day visits.

See Toulouse for more detail .