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Aude, France tourist information
Aude is one of the departments of France that forms part of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France - it is to the south of the Languedoc region.
The Aude is also known affectionately as Cathar country, because of the strong links with the cathars that occupied the region, predominantly in the 12th and 13th centuries.
It is predominantly the monuments associated with the cathars and with that epoch that attracts tourists to the region...although there is much else to enjoy as well...
The Aude department is centred around the extraordinary fortified town of Carcassonne and the cathar castles - the best known are perhaps those at Queribus and Peyrepertuse.
Tear yourself away from these great monuments for a while to visit the cluster of villages around Revel and Saissac.
A long stretch of the Canal du Midi flows through the region - the canal is a UNESCO listed world heritage site and popular with those taking a river cruise in the region - see also Castelnaudary, a town on the canal.
Photos of Aude kindly contributed by and © Sally @ www.chateaulasserre.com
The coastal section of Aude runs south from Narbonne, and includes several popular beaches such as Leucate Plage, and the 'Parc de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée' which includes Narbonne plage, Leucate, and the popular 'African Reserve of Sigean' - an extensive nature reserve near Sigean holding thousands of african animals.
The Fontfroide Abbey is also a little way south of Narbonne.
The classified most-beautiful-village of Lagrasse is found south-east of Carcassonne, as is the town of Limoux.
Another particular scenic highlight of the Aude is the valleys and ravines of the Gorges de l'Aude near Quillan (also south of Carcassonne).
Aude is generally warm with typical Mediterranean weather - hot, dry and stormy summers - although temperatures are lower inland in the more hilly regions. It is also one of the windiest departments of France.
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