Camon is a beautiful small fortified village which has grown up around a Benedictine abbey.
The abbey is now a B&B and walking round behind it, the crenellated defensive wall is visible.
There is a small shop and two restaurants, one overlooking the sunflower fields and the other by the river.
From Chalabre it is an easy bicycle ride to Camon on the Voie Verte (Greenway), an old railway track that is now a cycle path.

Mirepoix a picturesque bastide town, the highlight being the central square - the Place des Couverts - which is surrounded by medieval houses painted in a variety of pastel shades and covered walkways in front of the shops.
The cathedral of Saint Maurice, is a gothic style cathedral and is the second largest single-naved church in Europe.
Market day is on Mondays and in October there is an apple festival.

In the beautiful city of Carcassonne we find La Cité Médiévale.
This massive citadel is a well-known UNESCO heritage site, boasting an incredible fifty-two towers and two enormous ramparts.
It is the second most visited tourist destination in France, after the Eiffel tower.

To the south-west of Quillan the River Aude and its tributaries have carved magnificent ravines and gorges in the landscape.
Over the course of thousands of years they have created the impressive limestone cliff scenery that we enjoy today.

The village itself is small, and usually visited for the castle: high on a rocky hilltop behind the village, the castle at Montségur is an impressive sight.

The castle is in ruins but substantial parts of the walls around the main castle courtyard are visible as well as some remains of the original Cathar dwellings just outside the castle walls.
There are also splendid views across the village of Montségur and the surrounding region from the top of the walls.

In the historic centre of Limoux, around the Place de la Republique, there are some attractive 15th-16th century houses and other monuments. It’s a very pleasant spot to stop for lunch.

There is a covered market as well as an imposing fountain - and a selection of cafes and small shops.
Elsewhere in the town centre there are traces of the original fortified gateways into the town as well as a few medieval houses and renaissance period houses.

The city of Foix is dominated by one of the most important Cathar castles.

Ax-les-Thermes is located south of Foix and Montségur, near the Spanish border (and close to Andorra).

It is an attractive mountain town, well known as a spa destination and also popular in the summer as a base for walking and other outdoor activities, and during the winter as a ski resort.