Ideally located between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, the Cathar Country proposes
many tourist activities, in particular, a rich historical inheritance where the medieval city of Carcassonne occuppe a place of first plan.
Universally known due to its classification in the UNESCO World Heritage, the city of Carcassonne represents an outstanding group of military
medieval architecture. Every year in july and August, the city of Carcassonne is the theatre of prestigious medieval shows.
Many other cathar castles are offered to the visitors: Lastours, Saissac, Peyrepertuse, Queribus,
Arques, Puylaurens, Puivert, Aguilar, Termes, Fanjeaux, Villerouge Termenès... Fortresses for some formerly considered as impregnable and whose
ruins still tear skies and landscapes as tormented as the History which carved them.
Aude also offers the visitor the loveliest abbeys : Fontfroide, Villelongue, Lagrasse, Saint-Papoul,
Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Polycarpe, Caunes-Minervois: colourful names where Historic Buildings guides will make you live again the greatest times of
Christendom.
The « Canal du Midi » (also belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage) sprays its romantic charms
on the 155 miles between Toulouse and the Mediterranean sea. You can rent a boat for a day or have peaceful rides along its fresh and
shaded banks.
The high valley of Aude will surely stir up the curiosity of those who like historical enigmas
and treasure seekers. Eminent specialists say that these places still keep the treasure of the Temple of Jerusalem that Wisigoths brought here
after the sack of Rome in 70. Others say that the mystery is a heavy esoteric secret about Jesus of Nazareth, a secret the first Templars would
have found in Palestine. Others talk about some dark operations referring to the Cathars and the famous surrender of the castle of Montsegur in the
year 1244. Until now, none of these questions has found an answer and they're still feeding a rich literature and very exciting and... excited
debates! Anyway, all that justifies some pretty hikes in the heart of epic landscapes located between Rennes-le-Château and Bugarach.
But this region will also offer you its sunny beaches, the very impressive chasms of Cabrespine,
of Limousis and of Aguzou, the ponds of Bages and Leucate, the spas of Rennes-les-Bains and Alet-les-Bains, the remarkable
sites of Bugarach, the pass of Pierre-Lys, the gorge of Galamus. Aude has also a plethora of museums, and the magnificent soils
of la Clape, le Minervois, les Corbières, Limoux, le Cabardès and la Malepère: places where you will meet wine growers devoted to their lands
and who will set their heart on telling you about their work, about wine alchemy, and will make you (moderately) taste the best products of an ancestral
« savoir-faire ».
Rebirth of Cathar philosophy
Today, this thousand-year-old Languedocien country, theatre of so much of torments, is the crucible who
sees reappearing the Cathar philosophy. The dualistic Christianity which, of Paul de Tarse then Marcion de Sinope until “our” Languedociens cathares,
irrigated the spirit of the men and women of the Middle Ages, lives again today with force and is the subject of one “form of legitimation” on behalf of
certain eminent representatives of the catholic Church (the institution even which tried to eliminate “the Cathar heresy” some 7 centuries earlier).
With the image of the famous controversy of Lombers (year 1165) - which formerly lives to discuss
the bishop of Lodève with the “Parfait” cathare Ollivier - are today organized new “DISPUTATIO” in the small village of Roquefixade, close
to Montségur. The last editions saw the current bishop of Pamier, Mgr Marcel PERRIER, to discuss in all friendship with the cathar philosopher
Yves MARYS. In last August, also in this disputatio a representative of the worship protesting in the person of Pasteur of the Farmhouse of Azil
took part, Bernard BORDER. The topic of the debate was: « Dogmas and freedom of conscience in the Christian religions ». This third
disputatio of Roquefixade contributed to legitimate and popularize the revival thought cathare.
Ideally located between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, the Cathar Country proposes
many tourist activities, in particular, a rich historical inheritance where the medieval city of Carcassonne occuppe a place of first plan.
Universally known due to its classification in the UNESCO World Heritage, the city of Carcassonne represents an outstanding group of military
medieval architecture. Every year in july and August, the city of Carcassonne is the theatre of prestigious medieval shows.
