Le Moulin Pastelier is in the heart of the Lauragais. This area stretches from the South East of Toulouse to the North West of Carcassonne. This area was very important, during the 15th and 16th century. The area was used to grow Pastel (known as Woad in English) at the time this was the most commonly used blue dye throughout Europe. The local merchants became very wealthy and this wealth was used to build stunning chateau or masters houses. There are still excellent examples in Toulouse and the surrounding area.
We are situated near two mountain ranges, The Montagne Noire and The Pyrenees. There are many beautiful villages in the Montagne Noire, We recommend a route, which leads from Revel and Lac St Ferreol through
to the Lake at Les Cammazes, Saissac, Montolieu (the village of books) and down to Carcassonne
and then back through to the Abbey at St Papoul. This is a lovely day
trip, it is a good idea to remember that in most places it is only
possible to eat lunch in restaurants and cafes between 12 and 2pm and
many places will be closed Sunday and Monday.Carcassonne has a stunning medieval castle and fortress and is the 3rd most visited attraction in France. (40 minutes from here) During the summer months and other school holidays it can be very busy. Within Carcassonne there are 3 towns, the fortress, the lower town and the new town. There isn't anything really worth seeing in the new town.
Another great day is a trip to the villages of Durfort, Soreze and Dourgne and then on to Mazamet, these villages are home to many local artisans and you will find some very beautiful and individual objects. The views from the mountains are alone worth the trip.
Toulouse is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, with 3 universities it has a youthful atmosphere. It manages to effortlessly combine french style with a laid back spanish attitude. As the sun sets the city is awash with a pink tint, hence it's french nickname - La Ville Rose. (30 minutes from here) It is a very easy city to explore, you can now hire bikes from many different points around the city and return them to another point. There is also a metro system, however it is also easily explored by foot. For shopping there are some great shopping centres on the outskirts of town. We recommend St Orens, Labege and Portet sur Garonne which hosts the largest Carrefour supermarket in France. Within the centre of town there are a number of well known brands such as Hermes, Jean Paul Gautier and Diptyque.
The Mediterranean Sea can be reached in less than an hour at Narbonne, we recommend Guissan Plage.
Andorra is just an hour and a half away, which is great for a good days ski-ing or a little shopping for electrical goods and perfumes, where VAT is just 4%. The border with Spain also offers some interesting bargains and for those with a taste of adventure head down to Barcelona, just 3 hours drive and a truly stunning city.
