Things to doAnimal Parks | Carcassonne | Canal du midi | Castles | Cycling | Fishing | Go karting | Golf | Horse riding | Mediterranean beaches | Motorcycling | Pre-historic park | Rennes le Chateau | Skiing | Space Museum | Swimming | Underground river | Vineyards | Walking | Watersports Animal ParksTake a trip to the African Reserve at Sigean near Narbonne or the Wolf Park at Ax-Les- Thermes. You can visit an Ostrich Farm, a Wolf Park, Bird City or the Australian Park at Carcassonne and there is also a Bison Farm just down the road from Montengrand www.reserveafricainesigean.fr CarcassonneA day out exploring the mediaeval city, the castle and the Basilica of St Nazare at Carcassonne is a must. Walk the mediaeval ramparts, or take a trip around la cite in a horse drawn caleche. Visit one of the museums or galleries and enjoy a leisurely lunch in one of the many restaurants. Children will find the afternoon jousting displays performed during the summer months particularly enjoyable
www.carcassonne-tourisme.com
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Canal
du midi 
The
area is awash with castles and the remains of Cathar strongholds.
Take a hike up Montségur, where the siege in 1244 came to
such a tragic end, or visit the nearby ruins of Lagarde or the Chateaux
at Foix and Puivert.
Cycling
The
fishable waters in the Ariège range from small mountain streams
to lakes and fast flowing rivers, plus some high altitude lakes
accessible only by foot. Some of the lakes and rivers are stocked,
but those higher up contain mainly wild, brown trout. Fishing permits,
including a 2 week “carte de peche vacances” are available
from the local fishing shops and the tabacs between June and September.
Go
karting 
There
are two excellent golf courses in the area at Carcassonne and at
La Bastide de Serou which is about an hour’s drive away.
This
is extraordinarily beautiful riding country with numerous tracks
and trails and breathtaking mountain backdrops. For young children,
small leading rein ponies can be hired for between 15 minutes and
1 hour, for a stroll around Lac Montbel. 
Short
hacks for older children and adults can be organized with the local
stables in Roumengoux whilst experienced riders can opt for a tailor
made day long trek around the local area or up into the Pyrenees.
This
is great biking country! Although admittedly a little on the warm
side for serious touring during high summer, the spring and autumn
provide a perfect climate for exploring the area on a motorbike.
Travel down via road or motorail or take the ferry to Santander
or Bilbao and travel across the Pyrenees. 
The
Ariège boasts some remarkable prehistoric remains. The caves
of the Grotte de Niaux are one of the few cave systems whose wall
paintings are still open to the public. In order to preserve these
ancient masterpieces, visitors are strictly controlled and it is
necessary to pre-book. However, the pre historic park at Tarascon
offers a more relaxed approach to learning about the lives and landscapes
of early mankind and the art of the Magdalenians. 
The
little village of Rennes le Chateau, perched on the hillside overlooking
the Aude and the mysterious wealth acquired by the local clergyman
Berenger Sauniere, fueled the research and subsequent theories which
led to books such as Holy Blood, Holy Grail and more recently Dan
Brown’s Da Vinci Code. 
Skiing
The Cité de l’espace theme park at Toulouse is a great
day out for families, or for anyone interested in learning more
about the great principles of the universe. Visitors can explore
a life-size spacecraft, take a three-dimensional journey to the
confines of space, marvel at the planetarium, climb aboard a first
generation Soyuz spacecraft and admire the 53 meter high Ariane
5 rocket on its launch pad.
There
is an indoor swimming pool in Mirepoix for out of season visitors.
During the summer months, should you fancy a change from the pool
at Montengrand you can swim from one of the small beaches at Lac
Montbel or enjoy one of the local swimming holes on the river l’Hers.
Vineyards
