The Corbières are a rugged knot of hills between Carcassonne and the Pyrenees, covered in garrigue, vineyards and dark oak woods, and dotted with castles that seem to grow out of the rock. After the crusade against the Cathars in the thirteenth century, the French crown took over the region and rebuilt a string of fortresses to guard the border with Aragon: Peyrepertuse, Quéribus, Puilaurens, Termes, Aguilar and the walled city of Carcassonne itself, often called the five sons of Carcassonne.
Peyrepertuse, stretched along a knife-edge ridge, and Quéribus, perched on a pinnacle with views to the Mediterranean, are the most dramatic, and visiting them involves steep climbs on rocky paths, rewarded by extraordinary views. The landscape is rich in legend: the Pech de Bugarach, the highest summit of the Corbières, attracts mystics, and the village of Rennes-le-Château has a long-running treasure story centred on its nineteenth-century priest. The air smells of thyme and wild lavender, and eagles and vultures circle overhead.
This is wonderful riding country. Roads wind through gorges and over passes, with tight bends, narrow sections and very little traffic. The Gorges de Galamus, where the road is carved into the cliff high above the river, is spectacular but narrow, with limited passing places, so take it slowly and be ready to stop. Other routes cross the Corbières between vineyards and villages, climb to the castles and drop into the Aude valley towards Quillan and Limoux. Summer is hot and dry, with occasional violent storms, while the tramontane wind can blow hard and cold.
Fuel is available in Couiza, Espéraza, Quillan and Limoux, but villages in the Corbières are small and pumps scarce, so plan ahead. Limoux is famous for its sparkling wine, the Blanquette, which locals claim predates champagne, and for its long carnival. Try cassoulet, the rich bean and meat stew of the region, and a glass of Corbières red, ideally at the end of the day's riding.