See & do
At the domain
On our domain we have a football table, pool table, several board games, and some books available. Outside you can entertain yourself by the pool, use the wellness facilities, challenge your partner to a game of petanque or have a walk around the domain.
Hiking & biking
Montagne Noire
The domain is located at the heart of the Montagne Noire, a small, medium-high mountain range. This preserved mountain range knows a very diverse landscape. Witness to this are the dark spruce, oak and beech forests on the north side, and the vineyards, shrubs and olive trees on the south side. The highest point is the Pic de Nore with 1214 meters, an ideal goal for cyclists or hikers. There are plenty of things to do here, all close by Fount Estremiero.
There are a lot of beautiful hikes, starting from the domain or the town of Castans, with different difficulty degrees. Some examples are: Boucle des ruisseaux (8 km), Les panoramas (22,5 km to the Pic the Nore), La boucle du Quiersboutou (10 km),….
You can also find mountainbike trails, hiking routes or more things to do in the area on the webpage of the Aude department tourism here or the website of Mazamet tourism here.
National park Haut-Languedoc
If you want to go explore the area a little bit further, the website of the Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park offers you a lot of information about things to do in the park, such as canoeing, horseback riding, caving, mountain biking and climbing. The domain lies at the border of the park, just outside the park. Go to their website here.
Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée
Cultural sites
Discover the many castles, abbeys, medieval cities and museums of the Cathar Country in spectacular natural settings.
Castles
The medieval castle of Carcassonne is a must-see UNESCO world heritage cite, especially if you have children. They will imagine themselves in a fairy tale or knight’s story. Carcassonne is a 50 minutes drive.
And there are also many other castles to visit such as the ‘Château de Villerouge – Termenes’, ‘Châteaux de Lastours, Chateau de Saissac, and many more.
Abbeys
You can also visit one of the beautiful abbeys, and on the way there you can enjoy the beautiful nature of the Montagnes. The ‘Abbaye de Villelongue’, ‘Abbaye de Fontfroide’ or the ‘Abbaye de Caunes-Minervois’ are some examples.
You can find more information about the tourist cites in the Pays Cathares on their website, click here.
Caves
Also beautiful to visit and not far away are the ‘Gouffres Géants de Cabrespine‘, impressive caves at 10km from the Domain. Easy to reach by bike (the way there is down, but you have to go up again of course), foot or car. You can find more information here.
Beautiful villages & cities
Cité médiévale de Carcassonne
Located on the right bank of the Aude River, the Cité, a medieval city still inhabited, boasts 52 towers and 2 concentric walls, totaling 3 km of ramparts. Free access day and night, through the Narbonnaise Gate and the Aude Gate, much of the Medieval City can be explored freely. Take advantage of guided tours by accredited Tour Guides offered by the Tourist Office throughout the year, both during the day and in the evening.
Albi
An UNESCO World Heritage site and birthplace of Toulouse-Lautrec. Albi has a magnificent Cathedral and is rich in historic monuments and museums. A 1u30 drive from Fount Estremiero.
Castres
There is much of interest to discover in Castres (the hometown of Jean Jaures) including the Goya Museum, Manicured Bishop’s Garden, typical riverside houses and boat trips along the River Agout. A 1u drive from Fount Estremiero.
Village médiévale d’ Hautpoul
Hautpoul is a medieval village with a turbulent history. The village is located close to Mazamet, at the heart of the Montagne Noire. Today, in the village work wood craftsmen, you can also visit the Maison du Bois et du Jouet. There is also a footbridge with glazed floor, crossing the valley over a length of 140 metres. The footbridge connects the ruins of Saint-Sauveur to the village of Hautpoul.
Mediterranean Sea
Narbonne
If you want to go to the beach, Narbonne plage is the ideal place. A 1u30 min drive from the domain, through vineyards and beautiful landscapes. Spend your day at the beach or visit Narbonne’s monuments such as the cathedral or the Palace of the Archbishop.
http://www.narbonne-tourism.co.uk/
Gruissan
The charming port of Gruissan is famous for its ‘Fruits de mer‘, seafood.
Languedoc-Roussillon Wine region
The Languedoc-Rousillon is with nearly 400.000 ha vinyards the largest wine region in France. This region is somewhat unique, no wine resembles another. The only consistency being the Mediterranean influencing climate and growth: mild winters, hot and dry Indian summers, scents from the scrubland and the winds carrying the sea spray. Thirty years of toil has transformed the Languedoc vineyards, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah have become the popular vine types of new plantations. Each vine type boasts its own wine-growing, wine-making and wine-assembly methods, providing structured and well-balanced Langueudoc wines. Minervois, Saint-Chinian, Faugères and Haut-Languedoc embodies a unique wine tourism destination with naturally intense vineyards. Between plains and hills, mountains and valleys, the territory of the Pays Haut Languedoc and Vignobles reveals a mosaic of unexpected landscapes with spectacular shapes, a true mirror of the diversity of the terroirs
