At La Maison des îles, you will find all the information you need to organize your day trips and excursions.

• In the immediate vicinity (village),
  • Roquefort des Corbières, in the canton of Sigean, is a quiet Mediterranean village. Once sleepily hidden away, it is now more accessible due to the nearby A9 motorway (Sigean exit n° 39, 4 km away). It’s now part of Parc Naturel Régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée.
  • Wine-growing continues to be the focus of economic activity in the Corbières region, and the « Les vignerons du Cap Leucate » cooperative winery does a fine job of promoting regional wines.
  • In summer, the various village associations and an active local council organize two or three events every week : al fresco dinners, dances, petanque bowls competitions, a song festival, and a sister-city festival with the other village of Roquefort (where the famous cheese is made), etc.
  • For ramblers there are easy walks such as Saint-Martin’s Hill, a short hike through shadowy pine woods, as well as more challenging hikes such as a 17 km, signposted loop through vineyards and the mountainous Serre de Roquefort. Two well-known ancient paths cross through the village : the cathar way and a trail that follows the Gallo-Roman road known as Via Domitia of which some traces and a few magnificent milestones still remain. «Via Domitia» also gives its name to the local, popular horse riding club, open all year round.
  • Roquefort is also the home of an active ballroom dancing club, the Club de Danse Sportive et de Salon des Corbières, open all year long.
  • Tennis lovers are welcome to use the public tennis court close to the children’s play area and the rugby ground, where the local teams meet during the season.
• Less than 10 km away
  • The famous Sigean African Game Park is open every day, all year round.
  • The Hameau du Lac (lake hamlet) is proud of its Lieu d’Art Contemporain, a gallery set up in a huge former wine cellar. At the end of July, villagers hold an open air jazz festival under fragrant pines.
  • The étang de Bages-Sigean, a large lagoon , is a world all its own, waiting to be explored either from signposted paths along the shore (on foot or by mountain bike) or by sailing north from Port Mahon. Another approach is to sail south from Port La Nautique. This delicate ecosystem is now under the protection of the Conservatoire du Littoral.
  • Portel des Corbières and its spectacular underground cellar : Terra Vinea.
  • The long, sandy beach of Port-la-Nouvelle where a whale beached in 1989. Its skeleton has been lovingly reconstructed by a local wine-grower, who has it on display at his wine storehouse, and features it on his wine label.
• Less than 20 km away
  • Leucate-la Franqui has world-famous spots for windsurfing, boogie-boarding, kite-surfing, sand-yachting and kite flying. In April each year, there is an international wind sports competition : Le Mondial du Vent.
• Less than 30 km away
  • The beautiful town of Narbonne, hometown of singer Charles Trenet lies along the banks of the Canal du Midi – la Robine.
  • The Fontfroide Abbey, a jewel of Cistercian architecture and bastion of the Roman Catholics at the time of the Cathars.
• A little further, but still possible for a daytrip :
  • The Cathars Castle of Quéribus and Peyrepertuse (50 km away via a picturesque route through the Corbieres heights).
  • The medieval, walled city of Carcassonne (60 km on the motorway).
  • Perpignan and all the riches of the Eastern Pyrenees region, known as the Pyrénées Orientales and Catalogne française : Collioure, Port-Vendres, Tautavel and its European Prehistory Center, etc.
  • Céret (50 km) and its well-known Museum of Modern art.
  • Spain’s Cape Creus Nature Reserve is only 70 km away. The Dali Museum in Figueres and the tapas bars of the fishing harbour of Cadaquès are just a little further down the coast.