Relax and enjoy

There is a wide variety of things to see and do for the whole family, including wine tasting at the numerous chateaux in the area. Why not visit one or more of the many fascinating markets? There's one every day of the week in high season - including the Halles du Marche in Narbonne (popularized when Rick Stein drooled over it in his recent TV series on the Canal du Midi). The canal itself is only 3 kms away and provides many beautiful walks and cycle rides as well as the opportunity for lazy days spent cruising in the dappled shade on one of the many boats for hire! There are also many historical places of interest to visit as we are in the heart of Cathar country and both Carcassonne and Narbonne are only half an hour away. We provide a weekly 'what's on' list for guests to ensure they don't miss out on anything happening locally which they might enjoy.

The area offers extensive sporting opportunities and we are 5 minutes from Lac de Jouarres where guests can windsurf, sail and fish as well as swim from the lake beach which has a lifeguard in high season. The wonderful flat, sandy Mediterranean beaches are only 40 minutes away and make an ideal day out. Golf can be arranged at the pretty course in Carcassonne where visiting players are always welcome. We also have to mention the five Championnat rugby teams within easy travelling distance (Narbonne, Beziers, Montpellier, Perpignan and of course the mighty Toulouse!) which make a visit for rugby fans a must when there's a good game on - the season here lasts from the end of August until early June so there's plenty of opportunity! We are happy to help guests to organise match tickets given sufficient notice.

Practically on the doorstep:
- Exploring the wilds of the Black Mountains and the Haut Languedoc National Park
- The medieval Cité at Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi. both UNESCO World Heritage sites
- The fortified village of Minerve
- Walking, fishing, wine tasting, tennis, horse riding, lake swimming, boating

Within an hour:
- The Cathar stronghold at Lastours
- Village markets at Mirepoix and Castelnaudary
- The elegant city of Narbonne
- The Mediterranean coast with its fabulous beaches
- Wind and kite-surfing and the lagoons of Bages and Leucate
- White water rafting on the river Orb
- The Neuf Ecluses (nine locks on the canal) at Béziers
- Cathar castles in the Corbières
- Discovering caves at Cabrespine and Limousis

Within 2 hours:
stylish cities of Toulouse and Montpellier
The Catalan city of Perpignan
Collioure and the Cote Vermeille
Skiing in the Pyrenees

Please refer to the activity packages listed here for events throughout the year:

Wine Tasting in the fabulous vineyards of the Languedoc:

The Wine Wise Company and Le Vieux Relais have joined forces to bring you a superb long weekend tour of the Languedoc vineyards.

The weekend tour includes:

• 3 nights B&B at Le Vieux Relais
• An exciting 3 day programme of tours including the Minervois, Corbieres and Limoux
• A delicious French lunch every day
• Dinner each night including a food & Wine pairing dinner, a BBQ at Le Vieux Relais and dinner at a local restaurant
• Olive oil & honey tasting
• A free half day to explore medieval Carcassonne
• Transport throughout the tour

  Contact us for 2013 dates.
  

Photographic holidays with Tim Mannakee of Fleuret Photo Holidays:

We are very pleased to announce that we are working with Tim Mannakee of Fleuret Photo Holidays to offer a very special experience for guests who are interested in capturing the beauty of the Region photographically.

Fleuret Photo Holidays, led by professional travel photographer Tim Mannakee have been running photo workshops and tours in France since 1999. Our fantastic new tour 'Pyrenees & White Horses' started in 2011, features 7 days of photography and following its success we are delighted to offer further tours, with the next tour in October 2012.

We spend 4 days near Carcassonne and the 'Canal du Midi', based at Le Vieux Relais, and 3 days in the Camargue. This tour offers a wonderful blend of landscape and wildlife photography. For full details please visit the Fleuret Holidays website: www.fleuretphotoholidays.com or ask us.

Guided Cycling Rides with Gerry Patterson

The area around Le Vieux Relais is ideal for cycling, and with terrain ranging from pancake flat to thigh-burning steep, all levels of cyclist are well catered to. The region has plenty to keep the cyclists engaged as well, from dramatic Cathar villages to the UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi - both a few pedal strokes away!

You are welcome to come down and explore our beautiful area on your own, but we also offer guided rides (weekends only) by Cycling Languedoc's Gerry Patterson. Gerry is passionate about biking and Languedoc and loves to show people what we have to offer along our quiet country roads. For a short bio on Gerry, click here.

Weekend - Full: 235 Euros (two full days)
Weekend - Half: 165 Euros (two half days)
One Day - Full: 145 Euros (one full day)

No bike? No problem! One of the best bicycle rental shops in Languedoc is just a stone's throw away.