Page 323 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

These days Carcas- out for a white sign with a blue hours Sep–mid-Nov & mid-
sonne is one of the castle pointing to ‘Aguilar’. Drive Feb–May), which squats on
Languedoc’s biggest along this minor track to the a low hill near the village
tourist draws, which car park. of Tuchan. It’s the small-
means its cobbled streets est of the castles, and it
can feel uncomfortably is crumbling fast –
crowded in summer. 2 Château but you can still make
Try to time your visit d’Aguilar out the six corner turrets
for early or late in the When the Albigensian as well as the hexagonal
day when it’s at its most Crusade forced the Ca- outer wall.
peaceful. thars into the mountains The Drive » Take the D611
between France and the through Tuchan, emerging
54 p325
province of Aragon, they from the narrow streets onto
The Drive » From sought refuge in a line of dry, vine-covered slopes. You’ll
Carcassonne, take the A61 east frontier strongholds. The reach a roundabout; turn
for 36km towards Narbonne. first of these sites is the left onto the D14, signed to
Turn off at exit 25, signed to Château d’Aguilar (%04 Padern and Cucugnan. (After
Lezignan-Corbières, and follow 15km, take note of the turn-off
the D611 across the sunbaked 68 45 51 00; www.tuchan. to the Château de Quéribus
countryside for 46km. Just fr; Tuchan; adult/child €4/2; on the D123 as you bypass PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE 29 THE CATHAR TRAIL
before you reach Tuchan, look h9am-7pm Jun-Aug, shorter Cucugnan; you’ll be returning
here following your next stop.)
Continue 9km northwest
towards Duilhac-sous-
Peyrepertuse.
Homps # \

Lézignan-
# Corbières
\
/ · 0 ¸ Narbonne # \ LINK
D611
A61
YOUR
Orbieu TRIP
AUDE Cheat’s
# \ Lagrasse u Compostela
0 ¸ / ·
A9
# \ Mayronnes D611 Make a longish detour off
our version of the Chemin
Sigean \ # de St-Jacques by driving
# \ Villerouge-
Termenès southeast of Moissac for
# \
Durban- La Palme 165km to Carcassonne, with
Mouthoumet Corbières # \ an optional stop in Toulouse
# \
en route.
Duilhac-sous-
Peyrepertuse The Pyrenees
Châtteau de Tuchan # Château v
# \#
2
Peyrepertuse d'Aguilar Foix sits on the
D14
# # \ / · eastern edge of the
3
#
# \
Cucugnan # Château # Tautavel Pyrenees, so our Pyrenean
\
4
#
de Quéribus
# 0¸ # Maury tour makes a natural next
D117
stage – although you’ll have
\
A9
St-Paul de \ Verdouble Cases- / · to do it in reverse.
Fernouillet de-Pène
# \ # \ # \ Rivesaltes
# \ Ansignan Estage # \
PYRÉNÉES- Peyrestortes Canet-en-
ORIENTALES Roussillon
# \ Trévillach 321
Perpignan # ] # \