Tourist Attractions & Monuments Aude

Whether you lived on the Aude or just passing through the Aude, you could not miss the numerous stone huts that dotted the landscape of Cathar Country. Typical of the region, these constructions bearing the name "capitelles" used to be used as a shelter for shepherds. The promenade we offer will allow you to discover a few. On the Rue du Château-Fort, it is an illustrated stone indicating its departure; You will then need to follow the direction of Villelongue before taking on the left and following the yellow marking of the trees (sometimes random: distrust!). The capitelles are indicated by yellow panels.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 1 p. m.

Difficulty: .

Common departure: Saint-Martin-le-Vieux.

This welcome and information point is located on the main avenue of the village, next to the Benedictine Abbey Notre-Dame. The place benefits from a shop space where you find a wide selection of books, especially for children, as well as monographs on the indispensable monuments of the Aude, numerous books on catharism and beautiful postcards.

Carcassonne is not full of mysterious little gardens, so stumbling upon this one is a happy accident. At first glance, the garden looks rather ghostly because of its religious history, but today it offers an interesting relief for those who want to get lost in the narrow streets. Its founder, Canon Jean Cazaintre, took care to plant sacred botanical species in the 19th century. Today, they keep company with the statues of the ancient and catholic cult, some of which have been partially renovated.

In flamboyant Gothic style, the San Sebastian church was built from 1436 to 1451, at the instigation of the Archbishop Jean d'Harcourt. Its location is not insignificant, since it is the presumed place of the birthplace of San Sebastian, who is said to be born in Narbonne. It's a Narbonnese tradition that the church be built with stones from the Roman Capitoline Hill. The façade, with a wall belfry, is decorated with a monumental portal also in flamboyant Gothic style. A wooden bas-relief shows the martyrdom of San Sebastian. San Sebastian did not die by arrows as we could believe when we know his different representations. Having survived his wounds, he was beaten once again, to death this time, by strokes of a cane and then thrown to the sewers. It is estimated that he lived in the third century of our era. Side chapels open onto the unique nave. It is an elegant building, despite its small dimensions. This church, which was a collegiate church, was also used as a chapel for carmelites, whose ancient claustral buildings adjoin the church. These have been converted into senior residence.

South of Leucate, the cave has been classified Historic Monument since 1924. Ten years earlier, Theodore Héléna discovered six terracotta statuettes dating from the first or second century after J.-C, now visible at the Sigean Museum, which probably represented Greco-Roman deities (Aphrodite, Mercury and Minerve).

The cave itself has 5 siphons, 120 metres long and reaching a depth of 34 metres.