What to do in winter around Fitou: quad biking, beaches, antique markets and great food
People picture the South of France asleep in winter. Around Fitou it is quite the opposite. The light is low and soft, the sights can be visited without the crowds, and from a villa in Fitou with a year-round heated pool, you can swim in the morning before heading out to explore the Corbieres hills and the coast. Here is our guide to what to do when the sunny days grow rarer.
Quad biking from Fitou
This is the activity that truly comes into its own off-season, away from the summer heat. The quad rides from Fitou, run by Quadiloc Fitou, head into the garrigue and along the ridges of the Corbieres, with the Leucate lagoon and the Mediterranean as a backdrop. Fresh air, wide-open spaces and a wild hinterland you almost have to yourself.
Walks in nature
Winter is the finest season to walk here. Around the villa, the garrigue and Corbieres trails open onto sweeping views of vineyards and hills. Along the Leucate lagoon, flat paths follow the water and offer one of the region's loveliest sights: the flamingos, which stay in numbers all year round. By the sea, the Cap Leucate coastal path, between cliffs and coves, is a bracing walk, often under a beautiful sun.
Off-season beaches
The long sandy beaches of Leucate and La Franqui, fifteen minutes away, take on a whole new character in winter: empty, immense, perfect for a long walk by the water, collecting shells or simply breathing. The low, raking winter light makes them a dream playground for photographers.
Antique markets and flea markets
For treasure hunters, Narbonne is the winter destination. On the last Saturday of every month, the antique and second-hand dealers of the Aude gather in the very heart of the town, on the Cours de la Republique, along the UNESCO-listed Canal de la Robine: old furniture, characterful objects and fine finds. A morning of browsing before enjoying the covered market and the lanes of the old town.
The Banyuls-sur-Mer aquarium
About an hour's drive away, the Biodiversarium, the aquarium of Banyuls-sur-Mer, is a perfect outing for a winter's day, with family or as a couple. Facing the harbour, the scientific aquarium reveals the wildlife and plant life of the Mediterranean, Tuesday to Sunday off-season. A good excuse to carry on to the Vermilion Coast and its colourful fishing villages.
Great tables, and Le Grand Buffet in Narbonne
In winter, you take time over long meals. The region is full of characterful spots, from the oyster huts on the Leucate lagoon to the winemakers' tables. And in Narbonne, an institution: Le Grand Buffet, an all-you-can-eat gourmet buffet that has become famous well beyond the region, where you feast without counting. An experience to have at least once.
A warm base camp
The real luxury of winter here is coming back to the villa after the crisp air of the Corbieres and diving into a heated pool under the southern sky. Fitou keeps its promise all year round: the sea in the morning, the mountains in the afternoon, and Mediterranean mildness even in December.