Rental HOUSE Azille : 

Perched on a hill between the Montagne Noire and the Canal du Midi, Azille, a small corner of paradise, and a real cocoon nestled in the calm vegetation of the Minervois. Azille is the perfect holiday destination for those who love a green holiday. It is both a resourcing and dynamic destination that will suit both contemplatives and seasoned sportsmen. On the agenda ? Hiking or cycling, diving into the Jouarres lake, excursions into the vineyards, petanque competitions, markets or exhibitions... Here is a guided tour of the places not to be missed.

Coquette fortified village, Azille is one of those places where it is good to live and where you feel good in an instant. With its walls with square gates and towers, its bucolic paths lined with plane trees (instead of ancient ditches) and its beautiful landscapes, it is a place conducive to strolling. Start your visit with a walk through its downtown, discovering its beautiful buildings characteristic of local architecture. Many beautiful bourgeois residences line the streets of Azille : dating from the 19th century, they were built when the railway arrived. The Château Gallimard, but also the Château Raymond as well as the Maisons Auzoulat and Mignards are beautiful examples of wealthy houses of the time. Stop off at Saint-Julien church, a magnificent monument in the southern Gothic style : famous for its 36-metre high bell tower housing a sculpture of the Virgin and Child, it was built during the 14th century. We advise you to climb to the top of its bell tower to discover an absolutely magnificent panorama of the Pyrenees mountains, Mount Alaric and the Montagne Noire, as well as the olive groves, vineyards and plains surrounding the city.

Crossing the town for 4 kilometres, the Canal du Midi is one of the highlights of your visit to Azille. Built in 1667 by Pierre-Paul Riquet, this masterpiece classified as a World Heritage Site has a double lock and a bridge in the Azilloise section : the Riquet de Jouarres Bridge. The Canal du Midi is a place for hiking, horse riding and cycling, offering its visitors beautiful refreshing breaks. If you have sea legs, then meet at Port Minervois de Homps, a popular spot for yachting enthusiasts. From this port, starting point of multiple walks on the Canal du Midi, you will be able to embark on board traditional centenary boats bound for Castelnaudary (where one eats a delicious cassoulet) of Carcassonne, Toulouse and the pond of Thau.

Take a walk around the Jouarres pleasure lake. To the south of the village, bordering the commune of Homps, the Lake Jouarre extends over more than 110 hectares, offering holidaymakers a real bubble of freshness in this region so often prone to extreme heat. You can swim there, but also practice a wide range of sporting activities, starting with water sports such as windsurfing, paddle, dinghy, catamaran, canoeing, kayaking and kitesurfing. You can also take a pedal boat or boat tour of the lake, fish for carp, cycle around the lake or enjoy the inflatable playgrounds. With its beach and shady pine forest, you can enjoy its setting for real relaxation breaks, whether you spend your holidays with family or friends. Surrounded by vineyards and pine forests, Azille and its lake offer hiking lovers wonderful itineraries to discover the local flora and fauna. We recommend the route of the "Chemin Vert Caunes Minervois" linking Puichéric to Caunes-Minervois. Traced on the old railway line, this hiking and cycling trail links 6 villages together over nearly 26 kilometres through vineyards, fields, plains and plateaus, to allow you to contemplate panoramas of ever more beautiful regional landscapes. For adventurers fond of strong sensations, head for the giant abyss of Cabréspine 25 kilometers from Azille for an initiation to speleology or even Puichéric, 9 kilometers away, to discover its nautical base which will allow you to do rafting, paddle canyoning, canoraft and hydrospeed in white waters.

Finally, in Azille, life is punctuated by numerous festivities throughout the year : local farmers' markets, night markets, flower festival (in April), winegrowers' festival (in July), autumn festival, chestnut festival or new wine festival (in October), but what is certainly the most awaited is the Minervois Féria, around May 1st : manades, horse shows from the Camargue, flamenco and concerts are on the programme.