Tourism & the Region

Places to visit, things to do:

This is a land steeped in history and its people are rich from the inheritance of the past as the area has been occupied since prehistoric times. The nearby village of Tautavel possesses the remains of the oldest man in Europe (over 400 000 years old), found in one of the many caves that can be spotted in the gorges of the Verdouble river.

The land of Fitou is a natural passageway between France and Spain and for a long time it constituted part of the country’s most southerly border. In fact the name Fitou comes from the Latin fita, which means border. In turn, the Greeks, the Romans, the Visigoths, the Moors and the Spanish all came through here. The most potent marker of the passage of the former two is, of course, the passion for vine growing.

In the middle Ages, the Languedoc was a powerful semi-independent kingdom and the many ruined castles found there today not only mark an ancient border. These so-called Cathar castles are the last remains of a time when tolerant and free-thinking people were crushed at the hand of the crusaders of the Pope and the King of France (they were punished for providing refuge to a small group of people who called themselves ‘perfects’ and were in search of a better, purer way of life).

No visitor to the Fitou region should miss the castles of Peyrepertuse, Quéribus and Aguilar, which look down from the hills around the villages of Tuchan and Paziols. Although the climb up takes a certain amount of resolve, it’s worth the effort for the view alone. Other architectural features are the imposing Saint Felix church in Paziols that was built on the ruins of the ancient fort, and the castle dominating the old county of Durban.

There are also several medieval monasteries, such as the Fontfroide Abbey, which possessed all the lands around Mont Tauch until the Revolution, and whose monks drained the swampy flat lands between Paziols and Tuchan.

Why not visit the sublime city of Carcassonne, a UNESCO world heritage site? This is a medieval stronghold, which was re-designed and rebuilt by Victorian architect Viollet le Duc. The cobbled streets within the fortified walls are now a popular tourist attraction all year round. Also in Carcassonne, the beauty of another World Heritage site, the Canal du Midi, can be enjoyed.

The Pyrenees is within two hours drive and the Mediterranean coast is less than an hour away.

Popular pastimes:

When it comes to popular pastimes, Fitou is not a land of peaceful introspection. Indeed, when they are not working their vines, the vignerons regularly go hunting (up to three times a week) the many wild boar that populate the area around Mont Tauch.

The other local passion is, of course, rugby. The local team, the Club Olympique de Tuchan incorporates players from several surrounding villages. At their level they have even been national champions five times in the club’s 80-year history. When they’re not playing rugby, locals are out there supporting the big teams. Hardly surprising to discover, then, that teams from the nearest towns- Narbonne and Perpignan- have an international reputation.

While visitors to the region might not be able to take part in either of these activities, there are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the countryside. Hiking and mountain biking are popular with locals and visitors alike. For a bit more of a thrill, however, quad bikes provide an unusual way of getting high up into the hills without relying on shank’s pony. And, talking of which, horseback provides another unusual perspective of the area when meandering off the beaten track. There is also the opportunity to climb in the steep gorges of the Verbouble river (in which it is also very pleasurable to swim in the summer time). And to gain an eagle’s eye view over the area you can go paragliding of the Mont Tauch Mountain itself. Of course, relaxing under the plane trees with a game of pétanque is a less strenuous option.

Gastronomy:

Having mentioned the breathtakingly beautiful, if rugged harshness of the Fitou landscape, it’s hardly surprising to discover that the men who work this tough land need hearty food with full-on flavours to keep them going.

The traditional local dishes take their inspiration from the culinary traditions of the Languedoc, southwestern France and the Catalonian-tinged dishes of Roussillon- and their ingredients from the hillsides and streams around them.

Top of the menu for any Fitou vigneron (and part time hunter, as most of them are) is a civet de sanglier, a rich stew based on a marriage of the region’s favourite ingredients: wild boar and red wine. Long, slow simmering and plenty of herbs plucked from the aromatic hillsides ensure a hearty, flavour-packed plateful all washed down by glasses of the local red.

The locals also hunt a variety of game birds that feed on the fruit of the vine. Snails gathered after the rain, and grilled in a garlic sauce, are another delicacy.

As well as Mediterranean herbs (thyme, rosemary, juniper, bay leaf), a number of wild vegetables and fruit can be found in the garrigue of Mont Tauch, like wild salads and asparagus, or wild cherries and arbutus (strawberry tree) berries.