Political Geography of the Languedoc: The département of the Aude
( Aude)
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 The
département is named after the River
Aude, which flows through it north from the Pyrenees
to Carcassonne
and then east to the Mediterranean
Sea. It is divided into 3 arrondissements: Carcassonne
, Limoux
and Narbonne.
There are 34 cantons, of which 29 are separate towns.
The departmental number of the Aude (which you will
find encoded in French numbers — eg telephone
numbers, post codes and numbers on motor car vehicle
registration plates) is 11.
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   In
1790, the département of Aude was formed from the eastern
part of the old Province
of Languedoc. Carcassonne, the Aude département's
capital, contains a picturesque citadel (Cité
of Carcassonne) with its restored medieval fortifications
and buildings, including the Castle of the Viscounts of Carcassonne
(the
Château Comtal). Today, the Aude département
markets itself to tourists at Le Pays Cathare - Cathar Country
and with some reason. This area contains half a dozen so called
"Cathar Castles" with many others dotted around
its landward borders.
 On
the east, the Aude département boarders the Gulf
of Lyon. To the south lies the département
of Pyrénées-Orientales. To the west are
the départements of Haute-Garonne and Ariège.
To the north is the département of Tarn; the département
of Hérault is to the northeast. Most of the Aude
département is drained by the Aude
River basin.
Cities: Carcassonne
(capital of the Aude), Narbonne
Towns: Castelnaudary, Espéraza , Lagrasse,
Lavalette, Leucat, Lezignan-Corbieres, Limoux,
Montredon-des des-Corbières, La Redorte, Quillan, Trebes.
Villages:
Alet-les-Bains , Rennes-le-Château, Rennes-les-Bains
Ports: Gruissan,
Sigean
Attractions: Cathar
Castles (Arques,
Aguila,
Bram,
Lastours,
Puilaurens,
Termes),
Limoux
Carnival, Via
Domitia, Fontfroide Abbey, Lagrasse
Abbey, Saint-Papoul
Abbey, Saint-Hilaire
Abbey, Alet-les-Bains
Abbey
Festivals: Limoux Fecos or Carnival (Fr Carnaval) in March or April followed by the Toques et Clochers wine festival near Limoux (Also in March or April)
Tourist offices: Click here.
Click on the following link for
Property
for sale in the Aude 
Click on the following link for Hotels
in the Aude Départment 
Click on the following link for Naturist
Beaches, Resorts and Clubs in the Aude Départment
Click on the following link for Museums
in the Aude Départment
Click on the following link for
Caves and Grottos in the Aude Départment
Click on the following link for Menhirs,
Dolmens and Megaliths in the Aude Départment
Click on the following link for
Golf Courses in the Aude
Départment
Click on the following link to find out What's
on in the Aude.
Click on the following link for a
full list of communes of the Aude département 
 For
a recommended site on art in the Aude département,
with extensive links to many contemorary artists, click on
the following external link to: Aude
Culture 
For the latest events in the Aude click on the following external link to Steve
Hedges's: Aude
Flyer
For all sorts of information about the Aude, click on the
following external link to the Ariege
Aude Forum
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