DAY & HALF-DAY TRIPS

Many of our clients come to walk and re-connect with nature. Almost everyone falls in love with the area, its charm and unique characteristics, and wants to dig deeper into the flavour of the local history and culture.

Over the years, we have thus created our offering of the most popular Day and Half-Day trips as described below.

Book your walking retreat and add your day trips as and when you feel like it during your stay. These don't have to be paid for at the time booking. Occitanie life and living couldn't be easier!

Different trips have varying costs dependant on what you want to do, where and for how many people. Tell us what you are looking for so we can make recommendations and quote.

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Cathares & Castles

Today much of the Languedoc is still called the Pays Cathare. Many of the castles remain, some withstanding the elements for over 800 years amazingly well, while others are in ruin.

While the most popular are undoubtedly Carcassonne, Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Rennes-le-Château and Quéribus, you could easily spend two weeks visiting a different one each day.

Walking the Cathare trails in and around these 12th Century castles is both awe-inspiring and culturally-enriching, richly steeped as they are in the plight of the Cathares. Typically, a Day or Half-Day Trip can take you on winding trails ranging from 2 - 5 km, culminating in the ascent into the castle itself.

The cost of your Day or Half-Day Trip includes transportation, guided walk and tour, and entry into your selected castle(s).

A Feast of Flora & Fauna

Bordered to the north by the Montagne Noire, to the south by the Pyrenees and to the east by the Malepère and Corbières ranges and the Mediterranean, we are spoilt with the rich abundance of flora and fauna attracted to these different terrains and which give sanctuary and home to an extraordinarily large number of diverse species making this area a veritable tribute to nature! The Razès area is particularly renowned for its orchids (best in May & June), sunflowers (July) and birds of prey (all-year round).

You could spend days following local trails rich in orchids and wild flowers, or visiting sites highly populated by birds of prey and/or wading birds on the coast or meadow birds on your doorstep. We offer Day and Half-Day Trips to key vantage points to explore the best of the region's flora and fauna. The cost of your Trip includes transportation and guided walk.

Wine-Tasting

The Malepère & Cabardès are home to a huge number of wine producers offering more than 350 amazing reds, whites, rosés, blanquettes and crémants (the oldest champagne in France), all uniquely differing in taste and texture depending on the climatic conditions under which the grapes were grown on the mountainous or Mediterranean terrain of our Malepère and Cabardès regions. Needless to say, the majority are tremendous value for money.

For those wishing to indulge, we can arrange one or more wine-tasting tours to different wine domaines, each offering an unparalleled wine-tasting experience.

Day or Half-Day Wine-Tasting visits are available. The cost of each includes transportation and the wine dégustation at the selected wine domaines.

The Magdalene Mystery

Historians have documented Mary Magdalene's arrival at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, her journey south into Occitanie and on to an Essene monastery at Bugarach and still further to Rennes-le-Château, the small village where she is still revered today and her divine energies are said to bless the landscape. Visiting these sacred places, her meditation caves and more will show you the secret connections between the Templars, the bloodline of Christ, the Essenes and Mary Magdalene.

The Magdalene Mystery Trip is a full-day excursion (8 hours +) offering opportunities to meditate in the caves and Visigoth château, and an option to incorporate swimming in the Aude and/or thermal waters at Rennes. The walking terrain is considered easy to moderate.

This Day Trip includes: transportation, guided tour, entry into the château and a guided meditation in the Visigoth Room. Excludes any other purchases including food.

Mountains for Goats

This Day Trip is for those who simply love that awe-inspiring feeling of being on top of the world after having hiked up a challenging mountain. The sense of achievement and the views are simply regal.

From atop the Pic de Soularac and/or St Barthélemy (both around 2,400 metres) you can quite literally see over the surrounding mountains in the French Pyrenees and into Spain. A bracing swim in a mountain lake may or may not be your cup of tea but is on offer all-year round.

For those who want to tackle the challenging Pic de Bugarach (known as the upside down mountain), views from the peak extend across the Pyrenees into Spain, to the Mediterranean and to the Montagne Noire.

Expect to hike all day on both options (8 hours +).

Transportation to and from the mountains and guided hikes are included.

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