Discover Mas-Cabardès

The beautiful village of Mas-Cabardès (Occitanie region, Aude department) is known not only for its medieval castle and its remarkable industrial and religious heritage, but also for its authentic charm, its narrow lanes, stone stairways and old half-timbered houses.

The castle, which dominates the village and watches over the Orbiel valley, dates from the 13th century. It originally comprised two floors, a chapel, living quarters and a prison, all protected by walls and towers. At the end of the 18th century, it was dismantled, its materials sold and its grounds divided into gardens.

The village also boasts a remarkable religious heritage, including the Church of Saint-Étienne dating from the 12th century, listed as a historic monument in 1926, and a spectacular 16th-century cross, classified in 1933.

Nestled at the heart of the Montagne Noire, surrounded by hills, garrigue and vineyards, Mas-Cabardès sits at an altitude of 340 metres, bringing natural coolness in summer and a gentle pace of life in winter.

Its location places it at the centre of a magnificent region just waiting to be explored — on foot, by bike or by car — with its Cathar castles such as Lastours (4 km), the spectacular City of Carcassonne (25 km), beautiful southern villages, Laprade Lake (10 km), Montagnès Lake (11 km), all easily accessible from the house. And why not venture further afield to Lagrasse (54 km, one of France's Most Beautiful Villages) with its magnificent abbey, or explore the Upper Aude Valley to discover its waterfalls, castles, wine route and the unforgettable villages of Alet-les-Bains (60 km), Rennes-les-Bains (74 km) and Rennes-le-Château (70 km)? For canyoning enthusiasts, a day at Puicheric (36 km) is a must. Book lovers will delight in Montolieu (31 km), the Village of Books and Arts, home to the Cérès Franco collection, the Museum of the Art and Craft of Bookmaking, and around twenty secondhand and antiquarian bookshops. Other activities in the area: caving, rafting, hydrospeed and much more.

A stay in Mas-Cabardès is an invitation to enjoy original, entertaining and truly timeless holidays, with a wealth of activities on the doorstep: cultural visits, hiking and cycling, fishing, white-water adventures, wine tasting, truffle hunting (Villeneuve-Minervois, 17 km), and the finest local gastronomy — cassoulet, duck breast, foie gras, truffles… and, of course, the sheer pleasure of doing nothing at all to the song of the cicadas.