Top Things to do in Aude
Top Hotels in Aude
- 1. Hotel de la Cite Carcassonne-MGallery
- 2. Hotel Montmorency Cite Medievale
- 3. Hotel du Pont Vieux
- 4. Hotel La Bastide Saint Martin
- 5. Hotel du Chateau "Cite Medievale de Carcassonne
- 6. Hotel du Pont Vieux
- 7. SOWELL Hotels Les Chevaliers
- 8. Hotel Campanile Carcassonne Est - La Cite
- 9. Hotel La Residence
- 10. Ibis Styles Carcassonne La Cite
Countries
Things to do in Aude, Occitanie: The Best Historic Sites
Discover the best top things to do in Aude, France including Abbaye de Fontfroide, Cathar Castles, Dolmen des Fades, Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne, Memorial House (Maison des Memoires), Chateau de Queribus, Chateaux de Lastours, Tour Magdala, Pont Romain, Porte Narbonnaise.
Restaurants in Aude
1. Abbaye de Fontfroide
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,112 reviews
Open all year long. Visits, Restaurant, Wines, Concerts...
Reviewed By chaletaria
Beautiful abbey just outside Narbonne (you need transport). In an excellent state of repair and an informative leaflet (although the downloadable PDF is better- available French, English, Spanish). The cloisters are interesting, as are the gardens, but the piece de resistance is the church with its incredible stained glass windows. We came back in the evening to watch the light show (10-midnight). We were concerned that we would just see everything again, but in the evening, but the show was completely different and an excellent evening experience. The beautifully done show in the tour d’honneur/ courtyard (french only) was the highlight, as was a nice light show in the Louis XIV courtyard. Not too expensive (unless you opt for their meal+show, which we didn’t).
2. Cathar Castles
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 831 reviews
Reviewed By alexanderp982 - Helmsange, Luxembourg
Once you have parked in the village, walked to the entrance and paid the fee (face mask compulsory inside) you then take off your mask for the steepish walk up the hillside paths to reach each of the 4 castle ruins in turn. Allow 2 hours to do the tour. Ticket includes access to viewpoint across the valley which you can then drive to afterwards.
3. Dolmen des Fades
4. Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,819 reviews
Reviewed By shonas804 - Auckland, New Zealand
We absolutely loved visiting here. Imagine a real life medieval town, Harry Potter fans would love this place. I loved everything thing about it .... from the cobbled streets, the amazing turrets, to the fantastic shops, the incredible history and being able who walk around in a living city with so much history. The church had gorgeous stained glass windows. Go here, it is amazing!
5. Memorial House (Maison des Memoires)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Home of poet Joë Bousquet.
6. Chateau de Queribus
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 846 reviews
In the South of France, in the county of Aude, stands Quéribus, the last bastion of Cathar resistance, and Cucugnan, the village made famous by the tale of “The Sermon of the Curé of Cucugnan”, which was immortalized by Alphonse Daudet "Les lettres de mon moulin". The sight of Queribus Castle perched upon its crag, dominating the valleys below vividly evokes the world of the Middle Age, and the eleventh to fourteenth centuries when it held sway. Its high tower, like an eagle’s nest, offers a panoramic view over the plains of the Roussillon.
Reviewed By FlatToppedHill - Ramsbottom, United Kingdom
To start with I wasn’t convinced that we were going to survive the drive up to the carpark. Not because of the super narrow, super steep winding road with a sheer drop on one side, but because of the noise my boyfriend made as I gave our hired Skoda full throttle to get it up the hill. Part squeak, part squeal. He did relax a bit when we got to the entrance to the Château but it was touch and go for a while. I paid for our entrance in the small gift shop. The nice lady told me that it was very windy at the top and that I should hold on to my ... ‘hat?’ I said (in French). No no, she said, ‘hold on to your children’. My children are 11, 9 and 5 and not really built to be blown away so I had a bit of a laugh at this, which came back to haunt me shortly afterwards. We started the steep walk up the gravel path to the lowest part of the castle. The views were amazing, all the way to the Pic du Canigou one way, and the Med the other, with helpful boards pointing out what we were looking at. It was blowy though, and a passing couple advised my eldest to take off and hold on to his hat. As we got higher there was what can only be described as a full on wind tunnel effect. Wearing a skirt was a bad idea and the only thing that saved my blushes was the fact we were heading to the seaside afterwards meaning I was wearing (big!) bikini pants underneath. The children had trouble staying upright. Heck I had trouble staying upright and I’m a 10 stone lump. It was knock you off your feet windy, the strongest I’ve ever felt. Still we powered up and were rewarded with the most amazing views. Shielded from the wind the sun and blue sky combined to give us the most beautiful experience. We didn’t really know what should have been in any of the ‘rooms’ but it didn’t matter, it was all about the exploring and the views. I’m not sure that Queribus would be quite as ‘raw’ a visitor experience in our home UK. There were sections where handrails or guide ropes or staff would have been an advantage but where we were, obviously, just left to get on with it. This is fine if you know what you’re getting, but may be a shock to the system for some. It’s not quite the National Trust. As castles go though, this was utterly spectacular. Worth the journey, worth the climb, worth flashing my pants to all other visitors there at the same time. Go, you won’t regret it.
7. Chateaux de Lastours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 554 reviews
Reviewed By Archaeobuff - Sydney, Australia
I drove up to the belvedere for a birds eye view from the amphitheatre like seating opposite the four Cathar castles on a ridge. These castles held out for many years, resisting sieges in 1209 and 1227, until eventually falling during the Cathar crusades. What a great sight. I did not need the 2 hr climb to see them - I had a bigger fish to fry in Carcasonne. But what a sight this was sitting on a ridge opposite. To access keep on driving past the castles entry through the village. All the facilities.
8. Tour Magdala
9. Pont Romain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By 446stewartl
Only 20 minutes walk from the Vultures Observation centre takes you to a tranquil place by the river with crystal clear water and a picturesque Roman bridge. Fantastic photo opportunity!
10. Porte Narbonnaise
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 54 reviews
Reviewed By Albywon - Sydney, Australia
This is the main entrance to the Citi and is normally crowded, at least that was the old "normal". Today, 19th May, open but pretty much deserted, due to the coronavirus. Hopefully it will be busy again one day...
