Activities
There is an infinite number activities. I have listed my own top 10 here:
1. Chateau de Quéribus & Picine de Maury
75km/about a one hour drive direction south of Escales. Perfekt in hot weather because of the mountains! Take the road via Montbrun, Fabrezan, Talairan, Félines-Termenès, Maisons (!), Cucugnan. The windmill of Cucugnan and the whole village, including restaurants is worth seeing. Now go In the direction of Chateau de Quéribus and visit the castle. To cool down you can now drive over the pass to maury where you can find a natural swimming pool right next to the poorly traveled road. Beside there is a restaurant which is a wonderful place with sometimes concerts (Reggae, Rock...) in the evening. Always open from early June to End of August. Maury also is worth seeing.
2. Canal du Midi
Only 5 minutes from Escales you will find the Canal du Midi, a World Heritage of the UNESCO. Closest city on the Canal is Argens Minervois. Very beautiful are also Roubia, Paraza, Ventenac, Homps, La Redorte. In La Redorte there is also the nearest supermarket for Escales. In all the villages on the Canal du Midi, you can visit nice restaurants and its a perfect place for boating and biking.
3. Montpellier
120km/about one hour from Escales you find the best by far and youngest major city in France: Montpellier. Shopping, a great old town and the most glaring parking garage that I have ever seen. Montpellier is totally cool!
4. Gruissan
25km/only a half hour drive and you are at sea. Wide beaches as far as the eye can see. Great for building sandcastles.
5. Carcassonne
32km/30min driving and you will be at the largest medieval fortress of Europe, also a World Heritage Site. Especially wonderful at Christmas!
6. Chateau de Peyrepertuse
70km/one hour south of Escales. Super in hot weather because its in the mountains! Take the same way as in TOP 1. Drive from Cugugnan in the direction of Chateau de Peyrepertuse and climb the highest peak! Make sure that you wear good shoes! Around the Chateau is a nice restaurant in the forest.
7. Collioure near Perpignan
120km/one hour from Escales, on the sea with beach, an old church almost in the sea, a fine tourist-shopping center and great seafood!
8. Minerve
19km/a half hour away from Escales. The heart of the Minervois. Buy a special bottle of wine. Eat right in the pizzeria at the entrance on the hillside. fantastically to stroll. Visit the Qatar-Museum for Children.
9. Escales: Corner Shop, Bakery and Cemetary
Have you found the bakery in Escales? It is just 1 minute from the holiday home and anyway not easy find if you are not versed. The corner shop offers everything important to life and has an attached butchery. Interesting are the old, the young and new cemetary in Escales directly side by side. In earlier times they have done this much more beautiful ...
10. Barcelona
270km/only a 2 hour drive! The loveliest and liveliest city in Europe. Only Moscow and Berlin come close to. Visit the market, the many old town squares and streets in the evening with many restaurants, bars and clubs. and a visit to FC Barcelona and the accompanying museum in the largest stadium Europe would be a good decision.
