FRANCE incentive
CARCASSONNE – CANYONING, HISTORY and WINE
A three day / 2 night programme which associates outdoor activities – canyoning and walking – with historical discovery and wine-tasting.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in the citadel of Carcassonne/3* hotel in country town in Pyrenean foothills
Activities: * canyoning (transfer, qualified guide and equipment provided)
* walk and visit to the Chateaux Cathars at Lastours: history of the Cathar movement and insight into French military architecture.
* wine-tasting at a château in the Cabardès AOC
* free afternoon for seminar/meeting or sightseeing
Access: Carcassonne airport can be reached by direct flight from London-Stansted, East Midlands, Liverpool and Dublin (Ryanair). Toulouse airport (1 hour from Carcassonne) has daily flights from the UK and Ireland with major carriers BA, Aer Lingus and easyJet.
CARCASSONNE lies at the crossroads of ancient trade routes leading from the Mediterranean Basin to the Atlantic coast. Between the Massif central and the Pyrenees, where the dry Mediterranean vegetation gives way to cooler, wetter Atlantic influence, the 13th century citadel has defied all attempts at seige or destruction and remains, today, as witness to 700 years of economic, cultural and religious history.
Our three day programme attempts to find a balance between a physical exploration of this rugged and varied countryside and an understanding of the socio-economic forces which have moulded the region of today. There are two variants possible, depending on the hotel accommodation chosen: one is to choose a hotel in the citadel itself which gives the programme an historical orientation from the outset. The alternative is to choose an hotel in the country down of Quillan, in the foothills of the Pyrenees which gives the programme a more outdoor thread.
The usual schedule runs like this: arrival in late afternoon at Carcassonne airport for short transfer to hotel (15 mins Citadel, 35 to Quillan): settle into hotel and exploration of immediate environment. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
The next day participants discover the art of canyoning: transfer by minibus to the head of the Galamus Canyon, a spectacular gorge cutting through the southern Corbières massif. Your instructor and guide will lead you through the chaos of rocks and water, deep pools and waterfalls at the foot of towering 300 metre cliffs: but team-work is essential to get over the main obstacles. Participants can elect to slide down waterfalls or dive into deep pools but there is always a safer, albeit less spectacular, alternative. The rest of the day can be alloted to sight-seeing or seminar activities.
The final day is devoted to history: the story of the Cathar movement in the Southern France of the 12th and 13th centuries, their struggle with the French crown and the established church, their strange beliefs and ascetic way of life: the back-drop being the 4 castles of Lastours just north of Carcassonne which were constructed in the period 11th - 16th century giving us a unique insight into military architecture and thinking of the time. Wine-tasting in a wine chateau round off the activities before flying out again in the late afternoon.
The programme can be modified and adapted to the group's needs: certain aspects can be enlarged or transformed into more competitive activities (wine-tasting competition, a session of white water rafting or 'hot doggin' can be added, a day on the 'Da Vinci Code' trail at Rennes-le-Chateau could be added). An extra day/night with more activities (visit to all 5 AOC wine regions, 4 or 5 other Cathar castles, the Abbey at Fontfroide) is not only possible but recommended.
Price range:
from €450 to €550 per person (3 nights)
Included:
- 3 nights (base double or twin sharing) in 3* hotel B&B
- Breakfasts included
- 2 Dinners
- 1 lunch (rustic 'picnic' of local products with your canyon guide)
- Return transfers from airport to hotel, from hotel to white water base and to the castles
- Tour of Cathar castles
- ½ day of canyoning
- Tasting at wine chateau
Not Included:
- Personal expenses and tips
- Insurance
All enquiries and reservations to:
+33 561 120 794
