Shopping
Mirepoix
has a large supermarket (Super U) which is more than adequate for day to day needs
as well as a range of other
shops. weekly market and garages. Further afield, Pamiers
has bigger shops, including a large Carrefour and a McDonalds if your children would suffer from
withdrawal symptoms.
Eating out.
The Area and Location
This is a truly unique area with something for everyone to enjoy including
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The farm is
well placed; a five minute drive will bring you to the
13th century medieval town of Mirepoix renowned for its Cathedral and
many festivals that are held from March until October. Here you can enjoy the
ambience and cuisine of the traditional restaurant or refresh yourself with an
aperitif in one of the local bars. To chill
out we recommend that visitors simply sit back and enjoy a coffee or tea or
beer, perhaps with some patisserie at one of the cafes under the arches which surround
the square in Mirepoix.
Mirepoix
hosts an annual jazz fete (musicians from across the Atlantic come to perform),
marionettes, an apple festival (it is an apple growing area) and a myriad of
other events.
Just a short drive will take you to Lac Montbel, fed by the mountain rivers freshly stocked with a trout after the winter thaw and surrounded by forests. The 3km lake boasts a multitude of water sports and is the ideal location for families with young children where you can swim in the warm waters attended by it’s own lifeguard during the summer months. The area has many snack bars and a restaurant.
Alternatively, less than an hour's drive will transport you to Europe’s largest walled medieval city of Carcassonne, where you can wander the ramparts and narrow cobbled streets.
There are many chateaux in the region. You could visit the huge Cite of Carcassonne (which was the backdrop for Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves) and Montsegur (where Simon de Montfort slaughtered the Cathars in 1244). More extraordinary is the mystery of Rennes le Chateau (featured several times on TV) where legend suggests that the Holy Grail might have been. Recently these towns have been mentioned in connection with the book The da Vinci Code.
At Mas d'Azil you can enter a truly magnificent natural pre-historic cave. Nearby you could take a memorable underground guided boat trip which is the longest in Europe, great fun for the whole family.
For the
religious,
Foix has a lovely castle also worth a visit and the town hosts a spectacular festival with a great fireworks display every summer.
For those
with a more active inclination there is coarse and trout fishing (licences can
be bought but we do not have equipment), white water canoeing and rafting,
riding, hill
walking, visiting caves where Neolithic man lived and painted the walls, ……….We know of
two golf courses in the area which are said to welcome visitors though we have
not visited them.
We are very
close to the Malapere, Languedoc and Pays d'Oc wine regions,
Limoux (for
Blanquette and Cremant sparkling wines) and the Corbieres,
Fitou and Minevois regions are quite near. Many domaines welcome visitors to
tastings (appointments not necessary) and you can buy
at the domaines. We can sometimes accompany you
to a few of our favourites.
For natural
history buffs we have “our own” family of buzzards (a bit like an eagle but
bigger!) which often swoop low over the house and kites visit frequently. Of course there are plenty of smaller
birds such as bee-eaters, butterflies and we have wild boar and deer on the farm though
they are seldom seen. For those who come in April and May the upper fields are
carpeted in thyme, wild orchids, broom and wild cistus.
Le Berrugat
is within easy reach of the Mediterranean coast; on a good day you could wiggle your
toes in the
We have a
large folder full of brochures about attractions in the area from which you can
take your choice.
Home page Pictures Accommodation