The places of interest at Languedoc often take a back seat, but the region offers a lot more than just beautiful vineyards and beaches.
There are wonderful hiking and cycle tracks nearby the estate Bastide de Bringairet at the regional conservation area Narbonnaise en Méditerranée, which offer a breathtaking view onto the Mediterranean Sea and the the Pyrenees.
Bages
The small fishing village Bages is located at Étang des Bages, a lagoon at the Mediterranean coast. The Étang de Bages is home to huge pink-colored flamingo families.
The village is a mecca for kite and windsurfers in summer months. Apart from that the village is more than idyllic. There are just a view art galleries and the small bistro Les Beaux Arts on the village square is very recommendable.
Gruissan
The small fishing village Gruissan has a wonderful spacious beach. Behind the beach there is the picturesque village and some lagoons. Here you also find huge flamingo families.
3 times a week there is a small farmers’ market in the charming village. Here you can buy fresh fish from the fishing boats, as well as vegetables, fruits, olives, cheese and a lot more.
Réserve Africaine de Sigean
The Réserve Africaine de Sigean is a 300 hectar big areal, similar to a zoo, nearby the Étangs of Sigean (15 km south of Narbonne).
The huge open areas allow a natural wild living for the animals.
There are marked ways to explore the areal by car. Here you meet species like zebras, buffalos, rhinos and ostrichs and there is also a compound for bears and lions.
The Canal du Midi
The Canal du Midi (the „canal of the South“) is a 240 km long inland waterway, which was built in 17th century. It connects the Garonne, and with it the Atlantic, with the Mediterranean Sea.
The canal is in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1996.
A special sight is the flight of locks of Fonserannes nearby Béziers, in total there are 63 locks.
The small village Le Somail at the canals bank is also worth a visit. Here you wind down with a glass of wine in one of the small cafés or restaurants, while having a wonderful view onto the canal.
Abbaye de Frontfroide
The Abbaye de Frontfroide, about 15 km south-west of Narbonne, was built in 1093 by the Benedictine order.
In 1146 the monks joined the Order of Cistercians. Today Frontfroide is without doubt one of the best preserved monasteries of the Order of Cistercians from the 12th and 13th century.
Carcassonne
The medieval fortress, called Cité de Carcassonne, which is located on a hill of the oldtown, is the town’s landmark.
The city, which also is in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997, is surrounded by a 3 km long double outer wall with 52 towers in total. Within the walls there is a picturesque village with crooked alleys, fountains, hidden gardens and courtyards, small shops, restaurants, the castle and a church.
From the outside you have a wonderful view onto the fortress with its towers with the blue roofs.
