The Languedoc Roussillon region just south of Toulouse in Southern France is an area of outstanding beauty and interest with a wealth of places to visit and enjoy including Carcassonne, Perpignan and Montpellier the capital. Ideal for a holiday in the South of France. The map below gives you an indication of where we are located.
Le Moulin sits just outside the little village of Issel which is about halfway between Castelnaudary and Revel and has easy access to the Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenean mountain range. Revel and Castelnaudary are about 15 minutes and 10 minutes’ drive away respectively and provide access to local amenities including restaurants, bars, shops and banks. Le Moulin is also conveniently situated ten minutes from the A61 auto route, and approximately 9 hours driving time from the Channel Ports.
Issel is listed below amongst some of the other places of interest in the area. Le Moulin is tucked into the woodlands that surround Issel where there are pleasant walks that can be accessed literally yards from the entrance to the property. If you prefer a guide for your walks this can be accommodated for the local area at a reasonable cost.
The region is famous for “les Chateaux du pays Cathare” with local castles, towns and villages dating back over 800 years. Historic towns such as Revel, Mirepoix, Foix, Fanjeaux, Limoux and Castres can all be reached within 30-60 minutes as can the three noted wine regions of the area– Fitou, Corbieres, and Minervois. The nearest market town of Castelnaudary is famous for its cassoulet, which is served in almost every restaurant in town. Rick Stein of Padstow, Cornwall visited Castelnaudary when he traveled along the Canal du Midi exploring the local cuisine of the area.
Rennes Le Chateau of Da Vinci code fame is about an hour and twenty minutes drive via Limoux and is well worth a visit, anyone interested in the Knights Templar will be spoilt for choice of the places to visit in this region which is steeped in the history from that period.
There are two lakes – le Lac de la Ganguise and the Lac de St Ferreol within 20 minutes of Le Moulin which both have beaches and various activities for all ages, including walking, sailing and (at St Ferreol) pedaloes and mini-golf. Full size golf courses are available at Carcassonne, Mazamet and near Toulouse. Mazamet is also close to the Black Mountains (La Montagne Noire) to the north east of us, while the Pyrenees are about an hour to the south. Both regions provide the opportunity to take walks of varying degrees of difficulty and also offer much to the cyclist.
The Pyrenees hosts a number of ski resorts which can be reached in a little over an hour from Le Moulin during the winter months and Axe le Therme offers facilities for all levels of skier and is an attractive place to visit at any time of the year.
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Issel is our nearest village, it is approximately 15 minutes walk from Le Moulin and has a history from the Cathar period when it used to be home to one of the Templar Knights. These days it is a very nice place to take an afternoon stroll and can be reached via the wooded pathways leading out of Le Moulin. Once there you can enjoy magnificent views of the Pyrenees from the edge of the village and wander through the streets around the church to get a look at the local architecture. back - top
The popular city of Toulouse can be reached in around 50 minutes by car and is well-served by cheap flights from the UK. It is a beautiful and lively city well worth visiting at any time of the year; it has many interesting old buildings, a vibrant atmosphere and excellent shopping facilities, see Toulouse for more detail . back -top
The medieval city of Carcassonne, with its walled towers, is designated a World Heritage Site. It is only a short drive to the south and has daily displays of jousting in the summer months. Inside the walls of ‘La Cite’, visitors find a self contained town with museums, churches and good restaurants along the narrow, meandering streets. There is a music festival held in the city for most of the month of July, and its Bastille Day firework display is reported to be amongst the best in France. As is the case in many places of interest in France, there is normally no entrance fee so adults and children can enter and explore the castle without the need for a second mortgage, see Carcassonne for more detail. back - top
The Canal du Midi (also a World Heritage Site) runs through Castelnaudary, and passes only ten minutes drive away from Le Moulin. The canal plays host to a number of restaurants and is ideal for cycling along the tow path, bicycles can be hired locally at a reasonable cost, see Canal for more detail. back - top
On the last weekend in August, Castelnaudary holds its annual Fête du Cassoulet, now a 4-day festival dedicated to the town's most famous creation, see Castelnaudary for more detail. back -top
The lake is 20 minutes drive away via a lovely scenic route through the hills. Overlooking the lake are a number of nice restaurants where you can go for lunch or dinner. The lake also has a number of amenities including sandy beaches, an equestrian center, sailing and pedaloes for the children (or adults if you feel playful). See St Ferreol for more detail on the local area. back - top
Mirepoix is a medieval town 45 minutes by car to the south, it has a lovely square that hosts a number of shops, restaurants and bars and is a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon or to have an evening meal. You have to remember to look up in Mirepoix so that you do not miss the carved wooden heads that adorn one of the old buildings that make up the square, see Mirepoix for more detail. back - top
There are lots of local markets to visit during your stay. Mirepoix holds its market on a Monday with lots of craft items as well as the usual fruit and vegetables. Castelnaudary’s own very good market is also on Monday. Of our other local towns, Villefranche (towards Toulouse) has its market on Fridays, Revel's is on Saturdays and has been described as having the best food market in the area, also Carcassonne has markets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.back - top
To fully enjoy the area it is recommended that, if flying or traveling by train, a hire car is rented for easy access to the many local amenities described.