Published in French Property News in April 2005

The Natural Choice

The Pays d’Olmes, Chalabrais and Razès are three scenically breathtaking areas, relatively unknown to British and Irish house buyers. One runs into another, crossing the border from Ariège into Aude, south and east of the picture-postcard, medieval town of Mirepoix. The Pays d’Olmes is a country of tree-covered slopes and Pyrenean peaks. The Chalabrais has gentler forested hills. The Razès slowly pulls away from the mountains to an inviting landscape of vineyards and undulating fields. The Mediterranean is at most an hour and a half away, often less, and the ski resorts usually nearer.

The Pays d’Olmes has an industrial and agricultural history. From the end of the eighteenth century until modern times communities along the river Touyre survived thanks to the textile industry, partly because the water was particularly suited to the washing and dying of wool. The Hers valley was important for the fabrication of combs from cow horn and the Douctouyre valley was used for farming. Today dairy and meat farming are still important to the area.

At Laroque d’Olmes many of the houses built for the textile workers included a garden in which they grew their own produce, and properties benefit from these gardens today. The Laroquais live in a small, peaceful town surrounded by slopes covered in ash trees, oaks, and pines. The exploitation of the timber has remained reasonable and the woods are full of deer, boars, rabbits, hares and other animals. In the higher mountains you can find mouflons, curly-horned wild sheep.

Lavelanet, population just under 7000, is the biggest town in Pays d’Olmes. It has a locally renowned rugby club, a textile and comb museum, and is the main commercial centre. Driving into the town you can see the Cathar stronghold of Montségur reaching into the sky on its impenetrable rock 1207 metres high.

During the 1230s Montségur became the headquarters of the Cathar faith and developed into a village. It came under siege in 1243 during the Albigensian crusade and when the seige was finally over 225 parfaits (committed religious adherents) were burnt. Climbing up the steep path to the castle today it is incredible to think that a village of over 500 people survived on the rock, and the ruins impart an eerie sense of those there before.

The same road leading upto Montségur passes through the mountain village of Montferrier encased between mountains. There is an attractive mix of houses, from character stone properties to chalets and more modern places. There are some palm trees in the gardens.

You can rent skis here for the ski station of Monts d’Olmes at 1500 – 2000m. It is a family-style resort with down hill skiing and other activities. The bigger resort of Ax-Bonascre, near Ax-les-Thermes, is about an hour from Lavelanet.

The highest peak in Pays d’Olmes is Pic de St Barthélemy at 2348m. Just east of there, at 1800m, is the talc quarry of Trimouns. It is the largest talc quarry in the world.

Property prices in Pays d’Olmes and throughout the region have risen by about 9% a year for the past 4 years, but remain very reasonable and have now stabilised. You can still find a bargain, especially given the area’s seductive landscape, and its privileged position with regard to the Mediterranean and the ski resorts. There is a partly-renovated maison de maître with 7 bedrooms, 2 WC and 2 bathrooms for 162 000 euros. There is a villa 83m2, with 2 bedrooms and a garden of 900m2, in good condition, for 116 300 euros. You can find a good range of 3 – 4 bedroom properties with a large garden, and superb mountain views, in green and lush surroundings, for under 250 000 euros.

Since the building of the A66 to Pamiers access to Toulouse and its international airport has become easier and the airport at Carcassonne, with Ryan Air flights to Stanstead and Dublin, is only about an hour from Lavelanet.

Belesta, to the east of Pays d’Olmes, is surrounded by dense forests and heading out along the D117 you drive through mountains thick with pines. There are intermittent views of slopes carpeted in trees. You are now in the Aude and the rectangular keep of the Cathar castle of Puivert appears on a hill ahead. By Col du Portel grey, fractured rocky hillsides are taking on a Mediterranean aspect. From the stopping place at the Col there is an astonishing view of Quillan lazing in its valley, surrounded by peaks stretching into the distance. From here Aude’s only ski resort at Camurac (1400m – 1800m) is 30km away.

Quillan itself is a pleasant town of soaring plane trees and there are the ruins of a square, twelfth century castle. It’s main industries were shoes and Formica, surpassed today by tourism. To the south is a narrow gorge, the défilé de Pierre-Lys, bordered by the fast running river Aude and jagged, grey peaks and cliffs.

Heading north into the Razès the mountains become rounder. Espéraza is known today for its dinosaur museum but was once known for manufacturing hats. Cuiza is a work-a-day sort of town. The weirdest place is Rennes-le-Chateau. It is a lonely village high among the mountains, and there is a strange story attached. During the 1890s the local priest Berenger Saunière found a parchment under a statue of the Virgin and began digging around in the graveyard. Soon thereafter he started spending large sums of money, he re-built the church and built himself a villa and garden. The question of where the money came from has haunted the place every since and given rise to all sorts of fantastic theories. There is a bookshop specialising in mysteries and the unusual. The small church is ornate and colourful. The views of the Aude valley and mountains from the priest’s garden are extraordinary.

House prices in the area can be very attractive. There is a lovely country house 110m2 with 5 bedrooms, 100m2 garden, and in good condition for 130 800 euros.

Cuiza is the start of the vineyards for Blanquette de Limoux, the world’s first sparkling wine, discovered by Benedictine monks at the abbey of Sainte Hilaire. It is our local champagne. The hills around Limoux are filled with lines of vines, often growing the mauzac grape used in the Blanquette. The cave co-operative Sieur d’Arques, on the road out to Mirepoix, has a good selection of all local wines including Blanquette. The Grande Cuvée Diaphane 2001 is dry and exciting and only 9 euros a bottle.

Limoux itself is a lively and attractive town. The arcaded Place de la République has plenty of cafés with outside terraces and there are old, narrow streets around about. Every weekend from January to Easter the square welcomes different groups of carnival folk dancing with stylised movements to traditional songs that go back centuries. It is the first and longest carnival in France. Limoux is about half an hour from Carcassonne and an hour from the coast.

Driving out into the northern Razès along country roads and through endless vines, AOC Blanquette turns into Côte de la Malpère. Quiet villages live surrounded by the vineyards. Alaigne is a village circulade , its ancient, very narrow streets turn around the central place. They are lined with small village houses. Outside the medieval gates there are more spacious properties with land. There are other circulades in the area. The D52 to Bellegarde du Razès, one of these, cuts through steep fields. Driving along the narrow, undulating D63 to Peyrefitte-du-Razès you are miles from anyone. Sheep graze the grassy slopes. Locals don’t expect to see outsiders.

There are some low price properties in the area requiring work. A village house 80m2 with 2 bedrooms is on sale for 42 000 euros. There is a country house 50m2, which needs complete renovation, for 20 200 euros. Alternatively there is an attractive country house 500m2 with 7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and 3 WC with a pool and 770m2 of land for 378 000 euros.

South of here is the Chalabrais, heart of the medieval region of Quercorb. The small town of Chalabre is a neat, charming place with some attractive buildings down the tree-lined boulevard and some well-restored, half-timber houses. It is ideally located, about 20 minutes from Lavelanet, Limoux, Mirepoix and Quillan. Chalabre is a well-kept secret.

Just up the road is the large lake of Montbel. Near Léran there is a beach, camping site and organised water sports. The lake is popular for fishing and is temporary home to migratory birds.

One of the highlights of the area is the picturesque village of Camon, built around its abbey-chateau. The medieval walls are still intact, there are some atmospheric streets, half-timbered buildings and stone houses with roses outside the door. There are equally pleasant village houses the other side of the walls.

There is a country house with character 100m2 requiring renovation with 3 bedrooms, 100m2 garden, and a garage for 77 000 euros. An attractive, large house of 578m2 with 5 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 3 WCs, a garden of 2200m2, a veranda and a garage, in good condition, is 481 500 euros.

In the Pays d’Olmes, Chalabrais and Razès you can find some great buys away from the madding crowd. The region is a perfect choice for nature lovers who want easy access to the sea, ski slopes, mountains and charming local towns.

Linda Rano, Couleurs de France

Property agents Couleurs de France offer property search in the SW, support for buyers and courses on how to buy property in France.

Tel. 0871 210 6550 / +33 5 61 09 54 39

info@couleurs-de-france.com

www.couleurs-de-france.com