From the house, drive north through stunning scenery and have breakfast in Quillan. Stop off in Limoux to stock up on sparkling wine. Spend the rest of the day in fabulous Carcassonne and drive back to Prades on the autoroute in time for dinner.
Canet Plage is 30 minutes drive from the house. It has long, sandy Mediterranean beaches, restaurants and lively nightlife. You can get to Canet by public transport.
There is a variety of beaches and coastal resorts close by including Sainte-Marie-Plage, Saint-Cyprien-Plage, Port Barcares and Argeles-sur-Mer.
As well as excellent swimming and sunbathing all the usual coastal activities are available including sea fishing, sailing, jet-skiing and water skiing.
There is a wealth of places to visit. A number of vineyards and their caves are open to the public, including Caves Byrrh in Thuir and Cellier des Templiers at Banyuls-sur-Mer.
The Petit Train Jaune, the most scenic SNCF service, climbs 1200m up the Tet valley via some spectacular viaducts. One of its stops is Mont Louis, a fortified town with a huge solar oven.
Collioure is a beautiful and historic fishing village favoured by Matisse and Picasso. It is well worth a visit.
You can spend the day in the buzzing city of Perpignan where there is lots to do. As well as historic sites it has plenty of shopping, boutiques, antique markets and good restaurants.
