Carcassonne is a beautiful medieval citadel surrounded by vines but it's also an airport in the foothills of the Pyrenees well served by Ryanair from a number of UK and Irish cities.

So it's cheap to get to and onward travel to the ski resorts of the east Pyrenees - Font Romeu, Ax, Les Angles and Andorra - is relatively simple - a 90 minute drive. Rather than fight with the crowds in the big ski airports of Geneva, Lyon or Grenoble here is a charming and cheap alternative.

We've been doing this for three years now and wouldn't go back to the Alps.

Carcassonne is in the Languedoc region of S France. Daily flights from Stansted, Dublin, Liverpool and E Midlands from www.ryanair.com and ski packages srating from Carcassonne airport from www.francealacarte.com

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This is an amazing collection of seven genuine original airstream caravans for hire. We have just returned from a week there and it was fantastic. The site is excellent and the area great for touring.

Bellrepayre is in Ariege,Midi-Pyrenees. Tel. 05 61 68 11 99

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A very quirky B&B. Rooms are colourfully decorated in individual North African styles, some with views over a delightful patio garden, complete with mature trees and hammocks!

Excellent breakfast with home-made preserves. Charming hostess.

Close to old city walls, convenient for sightseeing.

Would visit again any time.

33 Rue Tesseyre, Carcassonne.
www.maisonsansfrontiere.com/
tinyurl.com/3baqeq

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Cycle the Canal du Midi towpath and surrounding area between Carcassonne and Narbonne.

It's the best way to see the canal and you can detour onto routes through the vines and the foothills of the Black Mountains.

There are plenty of canalside restaurants and chambres d'hote.

Or stay in Paraza and hire bikes from Mellow Velos; Phil will provide routes.

Train to Narbonne via Paris.
www.mellowvelos.com/ for enquiries about bike hire and links to local accommodation.

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