The Locality and things to do.
The area is rich in the history of the Cathars and there are numerous hilltop fortresses to climb to. For the less energetic, there are medieval towns to explore, including Carcassonne, Aigues-Mortes, Pézenas, Minerve, and La Couvertoirade, an old Templar walled city. The ancient Abbey of Fontfroide is well worth a visit. Not only are the buildings beautifully restored, the surrounding gardens are being recreated, bringing to life the world of the 12th century monk.
If you don't want to stray far from the chateau, other nearby activities for both children and adults include cycling, riding; fishing in either river or lake; tennis; golf (there are number of courses); canoeing, kayaking and swimming in the rivers. And of course, lazing in the sun with a book by the swimming pool!
From June to September, Pézenas hosts the Mirondela des Arts, a festival of arts and crafts, which includes street theatre, exhibitions and music. Most villages have their own festivities, fêtes locales, during the summer and almost all have weekly markets.
The Region around Colombières sur Orb
Colombières sur Orb is on the
western side of the Hérault, which is one of the five départements of
Languedoc-Roussillon and stretches from the Mediterranean to the Cévennes
and the Montagne Noire. The principal city is Montpellier, home of the
oldest university in Europe. Other towns of architectural and cultural
interest include Béziers, Pézenas, Agde, the spa town of Lamalou-les-Bains
and the busy port of Sète.
Miles of silver sand
stretch beyond view along the coast. Cap d¹Agde is one of the bigger holiday
and yachting centres, with its own marina and sailing school. You can
hire motor boats from here, and boat trips are available. It also has
naturist beaches. Smaller seaside resorts with water sports include Vias,
Marseillan, Valras and Serignan.
The countryside of
the Languedoc is extraordinarily beautiful and richly varied. Away
from the beach resorts, the Canal du Midi drifts quietly beneath its canopy
of plane trees. Inland, the coastal plain gives way to gently undulating
hills where the landscape is a patchwork of vineyards and narrow tree-lined
roads. Many villages are medieval circulades, their narrow streets built
in concentric circles around a hill top. For centuries, the character
of the land and the lives of its inhabitants have been shaped by the quietly
serious business of making wine.
Colombieres sur Orb lies in the foothills of the Cévennes mountain range, the setting of Robert Louis Stevenson's, Travels with a Donkey. Now a vast National Park, the wooded hills and mountain streams provide a valuable habitat for a wide variety of fauna and flora. This is a paradise for anyone who enjoys walking in a beautiful, unspoilt landscape. In spring, wild flowers are everywhere and in summer, the scent of rosemary and thyme is on the wind.
