Around Durban
The countryside around Durban has a great diversity. You can follow the traces of the Cathares, a religious group who had a strong base in the Languedoc in the 11th and 12th centuries. Today you can discover their heritage. It will take you only half an hour by car from Durban to visit the Cathare castles "Quéribus" and "Peyrepertuse". They offer great views. There are also many villages hidden in the landscape which guard their historical treasures. Discover for example the Abbaye of Fontfroide and the Abbaye "Bénédictine Sainte-Marie-d´Orbieux" in Lagrasse.
The region is also interesting from a geological point of view: look for fossils, discover grottos and admire the dramatic colors of the rocks and strata which cross the Corbières hills. You might also visit the gorge of Galamus and the highest mountain in the region, Bugarach rising majestically above the landscape and which you can climb.
This is an area where there is an abundance of wild flowers: mimosa, orchids and many other varieties. There are lots of wild herbs like rosemary, thyme and mint and in springtime wild leeks and asparagus which you can enjoy with your meals. You can also taste the delicious oysters which are cultivated in the villages at the side of the Etangs near the sea.
