Four-legged tale near our campsite, the ideal holiday destination for holidays with your dog in the Aude region
After a peaceful night and a shared wake-up call, there are some wonderful dog-friendly getaways for you to discover the region together, in perfect harmony with your pet. Follow Api on his canine adventures!
Day 1
Lakes of the Montagne Noire: a refreshing day for happy dogs
What better way to start a holiday with your dog in the Aude than with pure water, forests and freedom?
The first day begins at Lake Saint-Ferréol, a place so vast and bright that it feels like opening a big adventure book to the first page. The shaded paths invite you to stroll peacefully, the air is fresh, lively, almost playful. The atmosphere is joyful, vibrant, full of movement and new smells.
Here, every step feels like an introduction, every sniff a promise. Happiness often begins this way: simply, at the water’s edge.
A few minutes away, the Lampy basin offers a completely different atmosphere. The setting is wilder, more intimate, almost secret. The forest paths are gentle and easy, enveloped in a delightful coolness.
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The dark water is soothing, the light filtered through the trees slows down the world’s responses, and even humans seem to walk more slowly, as if they were careful not to disturb the tranquillity of the place. For me, Api is one of the most beautiful summer retreats, a place where the mind works hard and the heart rests.
The day ends at Laprade Lake, nestled in the heart of a silent forest. Here, everything seems designed to soothe: the soft light, the smell of resin, the moss covering the ground, the tranquil shores that are easy to walk along. It’s the kind of place where dogs immediately feel at home, free, calm and serene. And as we savour this great tranquillity, we humans finally breathe, as if the forest has given us permission to slow down.
Day 2
Montolieu: village of books, artists and the scent of history
The next morning, we slowly make our way to the village. The climb to Montolieu is a walk in itself: the sun filters through the leaves, the scents of gardens waft towards us as we pass, and sometimes a local cat watches us go by as if we were the heroes of a story it had already read. It’s a peaceful journey, ideal for warming up your legs and opening your mind.
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Then come the narrow streets. Ah, the narrow streets of Montolieu… Their scent is like a mixture of old paper, fresh paint and ancient stones that have many stories to tell. Humans walk there with their eyes raised, admiring the artists’ studios and bookshops, while we travelling dogs explore an even richer olfactory novel. Several booksellers, workshops and restaurants welcome us four-legged friends with open arms! Every door, every step, every workshop whispers a different story. And your human, filled with wonder, sometimes ends up speaking more softly, as if entering an open-air library.
Below the village, the path to the old mill offers a completely different pace. Here you will find shade, water trickling between the stones, and the coolness of tall trees. Here, your steps slow down and your breaths become longer. It is the perfect walk to end the day gently, your mind filled with stories and your heart still attached to the narrow streets of the village of Le Livre.
Day 3
Carcassonne: the medieval city where dogs become knights
The next day takes us to Carcassonne, that great fortress that humans love to photograph. As we approach, something changes in the air: we can feel the warm stone, the ancient history, the pride of those who built these ramparts. Walking around the outside of the city is like walking along the edge of a huge medieval manuscript. The wind carries forgotten stories, the tall grass brushes against our legs, and we walk with a little extra panache, as if we ourselves were hairy knights.
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Upon entering the city, the magic intensifies. Humans discover that we dogs are welcome in far more places than they imagine. We can board the little red train, sliding our paws along the floor as the tour winds its way around the ramparts.
Some of us, the most curious, even venture as far as the Museum of the Inquisition, where the corridors steeped in history smell of cold stone and ancient parchment. And in summer, when the trumpets sound and people gather, we can join them in watching the jousting tournaments, amid the neighing of horses, the clanging of armour and the clatter of hooves. Suffice to say that for a dog, it’s quite a spectacle of sounds, smells and movement.
Then we descend towards the Pont-Vieux, where Carcassonne is timidly reflected in the waters of the Aude. The walk becomes gentler, almost contemplative. The air cools, the sounds fade away, and your human gaze changes: the Cité reveals itself from another angle, more peaceful, more intimate. Walking here, by the water’s edge, is like turning a more tender page of the same book.
In the city centre, your human can take you almost anywhere. The canal boat tours on the Canal du Midi welcome you aboard, and the Museum of Fine Arts welcomes you with curiosity. When you feel like getting out into nature, the Île de la Cité and the banks of the Aude offer lovely walking trails.
A little further on, gardens and parks offer a welcome break. Humans sit down for a few minutes, enjoying the shade, while we continue our serious work: analysing the messages left by dogs from all over the world on trees, bushes and benches. An international collaboration, in a way. And so the day ends, between medieval grandeur and a moment of shared calm.
For the last day, I’m taking you to a place I particularly love, a harmonious blend of nature, altitude and history.
The Château de Saissac first appears as a large, immobile guardian above the hills. Walking along its outer walls is like travelling through centuries in just a few steps. The wind plays in the grass, your feet follow the contours of the monument, and you raise your head with an almost instinctive sense of respect. There is something noble about this walk, a feeling of being tiny but privileged.
Beneath the walls, everything changes.
Coolness returns, ferns carpet the ground, and the light becomes softer. It is a small world apart, protected, almost secret.
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A walk there feels like a break, a moment when there is no rush, when you simply enjoy the steady rhythm of your footsteps on the ground.
A little further on, the Moulin de Brousses-et-Villaret appears as a surprise, set in a backdrop of moss, clear water and ancient stones. The place exudes artisanal history, but for a dog, it exudes above all the damp forest, natural magic and the scent of miniature gorges. It is a place that invites you to walk slowly, listen to the water and lose yourself a little in your happy doggy thoughts.
Finally, the loop leading to La Rigole offers one last immersion in the forest. Light plays between the branches, the earth breathes beneath our feet, and we already sense that this path will be a fond memory at the end of our stay. It is the kind of walk that leaves a mark — not that of our feet in the dust, but one that remains in our hearts.
Day 4
Saissac & Brousses-et-Villaret: deep forests, ancient stones and mill secrets
Api’s favourites
AquaCani – AquaViva Park (Carcassonne)
If you love water, you’ll love this. Every Friday during the summer, AquaViva Park organises AquaCani, an activity reserved for medium-sized dogs, from Australian Shepherds to Border Collies. A life jacket is recommended, especially if your human isn’t as good a swimmer as you are. It’s cool, fun and perfect for showing off your splashing skills.
Visit Gouffres et Grottes (Caves and Abysses)
A spectacular place where dogs are welcome, as long as they remain on a leash. The Adventure Park is not accessible to us, but visiting the chasm is more than enough to impress humans. At the Limousis Cave, small dogs can even enter in their humans’ arms or comfortably settled in a bag. A wonderful adventure to enjoy together, cool and surprising.
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Abbeys and castles
If you love places steeped in history, you’re in for a treat. Dogs on leads are welcome at Caunes-Minervois Abbey and Lastours Castle. It’s a great opportunity to give your human a wonderful lesson in architecture while you investigate the sights and smells.
Seaside
In Narbonne-Plage, dogs have their own space: a 150-metre strip of sand between Languedoc beach and Créneau Naturel beach, after lifeguard station no. 4. Dogs must be kept on a leash, but you can still enjoy the sea breeze and the whispering waves. The wilder stretches of La Vieille Nouvelle are accessible from 1 August to 31 March, perfect for getting some fresh air when the sea is calmer.
In Leucate, the unsupervised beaches are the most welcoming for us. La Franqui, with its large Coussoules beach, offers a vast horizon where you can run after the salty smells. Near Leucate-Plage, Mouret beach stretches for a good two kilometres between the oyster farming centre and the lifeguard zone. And in Port-Leucate, Aqualand beach is perfect for long walks, almost all the way to Barcarès.