Kookaburra Gite Activities For All
For those who love sightseeing and want to explore, the surrounding area abounds with Cathar castles, chateaux, abbeys and villages including the Medieval City of Carcassonne 30 km away (where Kevin Costner’s ‘Prince of Thieves’ was filmed ) the Roman town of Narbonne and the cliff top village of Minerve 20 minutes away. The village of Lagrasse in the Corbieres ( dubbed one of the ‘prettiest villages in France’ ) with it’s narrow cobbled streets, art and craft shops and original old market place is a 20 minute drive away and is definitely worth a visit.
If water sports is your passion there is windsurfing, water-skiing
and sailing ( Port Leucate 45 mins ), canoeing and kayaking ( Puicheric
5 minutes away ) and the wonderful sports complex ‘Espace Liberte’
with its ouside Olympic swimming pool, inside pools and waters slides,
bowling, ice-skating and restaurant. Or if you just like sport and
the outdoor life in general there is cycling, hiking, fishing and
boating plus golf just 30 minutes away in Carcassonne. For the more
adventurous there is also rock climbing and canyoning nearby in the
Corbieres
( Gorges de Congust ) near Montlaur. There are international
outdoor go-karting tracks at Carcassonne ( behind the airport ) and
at Lavelanet in the Ariege ( 1hr drive ).
For sun lovers there are some very good beaches within a 45 minute
drive out towards Narbonne plage and Gruissan with numerous beachside
cafes and seafood restaurants. The Spanish border is only 1.5 hours
away. The famous Canal du Midi, a world Heritage site, is within easy
reach, just 5 minutes away.
If you prefer quiet swimming holes there is an outdoor rock pool in
the picturesque village of Bize-Minervois just 15 minutes drive away
and further afield in the Corbieres at Ribaute ( just past Fabrezan
) and also at Lagrasse.
For local craft markets and a trip down the Canal du Midi the bustling Port town of Homps is a 5 minute drive away. It has an excellent variety of restaurants and some truly fine cuisine. There is nothing as relaxing as sitting back with a glass of wine or a cold beer for a well earned rest after an afternoon walk or cycle along the canal.
If you are visiting in July and August it is well worth looking at the programme for the Festival of Carcassonne which is known world wide for its entertainment, music and theatre. On the 14th of July you might be lucky enough to be in town for the spectacular display of fireworks at La Cite – but make sure you book a restaurant in advance as it can get busy!
For those who like shopping for local crafts and fresh produce there
are an abundance of local markets in the area such as Olonzac ( Tuesday
mornings ), Lezignan ( Wednesday mornings ) and Narbonne on Thursday
mornings. The covered food Hall in Narbonne is especially interesting
and well worth seeing for its typically French atmosphere. Narbonne
also has a theatre and numerous exhibitions plus a complex with 4
cinemas where you can really put your French language skills to the
test. It is lively with a very Mediterranean feel and is great just
to walk around or relax at one of the typical French cafes.
If you are a lover of wine then you are in the right place as chateaux
and domains abound and most have free wine tastings for visitors and
will probably be more than pleased to show you around the winery.
Whether you want to simply chill out and relax or get about and see as much as you can, in La Redorte and the surrounding area there is so much to see, do and experience that the choice is yours…… come and visit!