Cycling in the Aude region is the best anywhere. There are literally thousands of kilometres of very quiet paved roads, some no wider than a North American bike path. On some of our outings we may see only one or two automobiles over a 4-hour period. The variety of terrain is astonishing. There are flat sections, uphills and, of course, downhills. The hills can range from very gentle grades to the extremely steep and high if you wish. The Tour de France often comes through our end of the Pyrenees Mountains. The countryside is breathtakingly beautiful, with dramatic views around every corner. Everywhere are vestiges of the thousands of years of history in the region — castles, abbeys, stone wall terracing on hillsides, Roman and medieval bridges, ancient villages with roofs of either reddish brown tile or, in the mountains, black slate. Within a few miles of Limoux, the microclimates vary dramatically from pinelands to vineyards to semi-desert shrubs to lush green deciduous forests. The weather is the best anywhere in Europe for cycling. It is virtually unknown to have to skip a day of cycling due to rain in the March to November period.
One of the advantages at Le Monastère is being in a fixed location at the hub of several microclimates. This means that if there is a strong wind, we merely go with it and then take the van back at the end of the day. One of our favorite rides of this type is from Limoux to a Mediterranean beach. Because we are in a fixed location, we aren’t tied to a pre-determined itinerary, and we can always ride where it is most sunny and dry.
As a result of all this choice, our own flexibility and the degree of support we provide, Le Monastère has become a favourite to the full range of cyclists — from beginners and easy riders who like to stop and smell the flowers to hard riding athletes who crave a challenge full of thrilling winding uphills and downhills.