Villa Mimarmel

Carcassonne – A visit to the ancient walled Le Cité is a must whilst in the region. Set off early in summer as it gets very busy, park at the top of the hill and once you have visited Le Cité walk down across the river to get a good view of the ramparts and have a stroll through the “lower” town. (NB If you are driving along the A61 at any stage stop off at the “Aire” to get a fabulous view of Le Cité)

Canal Trip - You can take a trip on the Canal du Midi from either Le Somail or Homps. Both trips are good but on balance we favour the trip from Homps as there are refreshments and toilets available on the boat! You can also hire a small boat by the hour in Le Somail.

Take a drive along the edge of the Etang between Bages and Peyriac - Lovely scenery and if you are lucky you will see flamingos. Stop off in Bages and be sure to find the view point where you can see Narbonne cathedral dominating the skyline. Also have a walk around the pretty village of Peyriac.

Collioure - Quite a long drive and you will need to set off early in summer to be sure of a parking space but the pretty seaside town of Collioure is well worth a visit. In the early 20th century Collioure became an artists' haven with Picasso and Matisse, amongst others, making it their meeting place.

Le Somail – Visit Le Somail early in your stay to go to the local tourist office where you can also see a film about the canal. Be sure to visit the bookshop which is in the most amazing building and was featured during Channel 4's "Great Canal Journeys" with Timothy West and Prunella Scales. Sit and have a coffee watching the boats go under one of the most photographed bridges in France. There are some excellent restaurants here, too.

Markets – Many towns in the area have markets but our local favourite is Olonzac on a Tuesday.

Minerve – This ancient Cathar village, about 20 minutes drive away, is steeped in history and offers spectacular views over the rivers.

Beach - The nearest beaches are at Narbonne Plage and Gruissan Plage. We prefer Gruissan which is fascinating with the houses built on stilts that featured in the film Betty Blue. The restaurants are, we feel, over priced and poor on quality so take a picnic and don't forget toilet paper for the public loos.

Pezenas - A really pretty town with some quaint cobbled streets and really attractive shops. Saturday is market day so you need to go really early on Saturdays in order to park.

Wine Caves - No trip to France would be complete without a visit to a wine cave. If you just want to pick up a large container of cheap local wine then visit the Ginestas wine cave on the road towards Mirepeisset. For more grandiose surroundings try the wine cave at Ventenac. If you want the “true” experience though go to somewhere like Domaine de L’Herbe Sainte at Mirepeisset or Domaine Sainte Marie Des Crozes in Douzens where you will hear all about the wines they produce and have ample opportunity to taste a few.

Narbonne - The ancient Roman city of Narbonne is approximately 30 minutes drive away. On your visit take in the cathedral, the Canal de la Robine, Les Halles and the Archbishop’s Palace.
Canal Walk – Take a walk along the canal. Our favourite route takes us up past the post office in Ginestas and then along Les Gardes. Fork right and you will come to the canal. Turn left along the canal and look out for the boat that a farmer has “parked” in his field to avoid paying mooring charges! Keep going and you will come to Le Somail (in time for coffee, lunch or dinner?) and then back to Ginestas the way you came or past "Plan B". If you want to extend your walk you can carry on along the canal over the viaduct up to Port Robine where you can cross over to the other side of the canal on the road bridge before heading back.

Pool and BBQ – Have a lazy day by the pool. Enjoy the garden at Mimarmel and fire up the BBQ!

Olive Factory – Visit the olive factory (L’Oulibo) just a few minutes drive away on the road into Bize. Taste the different types of olives and olive oil. There is also a great shop there if you need any “local” presents to take home.

Millau Viaduct – Unless you are really keen on architecture we wouldn’t suggest this as a day out (it’s about one hour 40 minutes drive) so this is number 15 on the list but if you are travelling by car then do factor in a stop at the Millau viaduct on your journey home. The service station just north of the viaduct affords incredible views. It also houses an exhibition and there is a film showing that explains just how the viaduct, the tallest in the world, was built. Fascinating!

Bonne Vacances!