Limoux is an easy 13 minute drive from the house and offers all the shopping essential for you to enjoy your stay at Tournou. The medieval streets of Limoux have modern shops while maintaining the simple charm of a traditional southern French town, unspoiled by tourism. The central square, which hosts the weekly market, is ringed with banks, cafes, bars, restaurants and local food shops. There are also a selection of larger supermarkets around Limoux to chose from.
Mirepoix, a Medieval market town is a 30 minute drive away and Monday’s is market day. The square is surrounded by wooden buildings guarded with carved gargoyles – a photographer’s delight.
Carcassonne, the capital of the Aude Region, has the largest walled Medieval fortress and city in Europe and is a major tourist destination in the summer. Many movies about the Crusaders and Medieval knights were filmed there, including the movie Robin Hood staring Kevin Costner. Restaurants and shops selling local goods fill the ancient Cite and on Bastille Day, July 14, the fireworks are the most spectacular in all of France.
Airports
Carcassonne’s Salvaza Airport is the closest airport to Tournou le Haut and is within an easy 40 minute drive. The International airport at Toulouse (Blagnac) is only 1 hr and 20 minutes away. Other Airports that could be given consideration are Perpignan, Beziers and Gerona and Barcelona in Spain.
Beaches
The Languedoc Roussillon Mediterranean coastline running along the Aude and the Pyrenees Orientales is full of contrast and diversity. There are over 70 kilometres (40 miles) of golden sandy beaches stretching from the mouth of the River Aude, down the length of the Golfe du Lion to the rugged cliffs of the Côte Vermeille at the Spanish border. Intercepted by lagoons, rocky outcrops and pine forests, and edged with endless blue sea it is no wonder that going on vacation here is as popular with the French as it is with foreign visitors. With first class facilities and sights of historic and cultural interest, there is so much more on offer along this impressive coast line.
Hiking and Skiing
The Pyrenees Mountains are ideal for hiking. The region offers authenticity, variety and also the freedom to discover, learn, imagine, dream, think and travel - 190km of marked trails await you. The Pyrenees has some of the best, and least crowded ski slopes in Europe. The Pyrenees have long been considered one of the top areas for skiing, with numerous ski resorts which also cater for other winter sports, including snow boarding, often in brilliant sunshine and always with awe-inspiring views. Couiza nestles in the warm, temperate Aude valley, between Limoux and Quillan, which means that snow doesn't usually settle here, so if you're planning on a winter visit, you'll only need snow chains if you're going to go up into the mountains. The nearest ski resort is Camurac, with 16 downhill pistes and 14 km of cross-country ski tracks. Buses go every half hour from Quillan during the skiing season. Slightly further a field are Puyvalador and Les Angles.
Road and Mountain Biking
Road and mountain biking is exceptional in the Aude and the Pyrenees where the road and trails are usually empty except for you and your part.
Lakes, Rivers and the Canal Du Midi
There are plenty of rivers to choose from in the Aude for those who enjoy swimming and many feed into some splendid lakes. At Arques and the Lac de Montbel you can also hire boats or pedalos. At Montbel you can obtain life jackets for young children and in the summer there is a cafe serving snacks and drinks. There is also a life guard who watches a small man made beach near the cafe. Dhuilac's lake is in an out of the way spot close to the Cathar castle of Peyrepertuse. It is breath-taking, with natural cascades and water falls creating natural swimming pools tiered up the mountainside. There are several ways to discover the Canal du Midi either by strolling along it’s banks on the outskirts of Carcasssonne, hiring a bike, taking a guided boat trip or by taking the time to explore the region in a hired boat.
White Water Sports
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. On its way out of the gorges, the river Aude calms down and offers a 25 km stretch perfect for exploring at leisure by canoe or kayak. A 600-metre-long slalom basin has been enclosed in Quillan's town centre, where the most experienced can train free style on a very good wave.
Golf Courses
Carcassonne has its own 18-hole international golf course, ideally situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains. This challenging golf course with magnificent panoramic views is open all year round and is renowned for the excellent quality of its fairways and the speed of its greens.
