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For 2009 Agly Walking Tours propose 2 circuits; both are based on 6 day 80km circuits and can be done as part of a self-guided or accompanied holiday. The walks on both circuits are between 10 and 16kms (6 ½ - 10 miles) each day and of medium difficulty.

The “Agly and the Cathars” walk discovers the vine-covered slopes of the Agly Valley, the Corbières hills, the impressive Gorge de Galamus and the Cathar castles of Peyrepertuse and Queribus. You can visit a working windmill, wine growers and sheep cheese producers and taste their produce. The accommodation is in a different Guest-house each night and the evening meals are either in the guest house or a restaurant within the village.

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Two Valleys

This is a relaxing 7 day holiday with an accompanied walk on each full day. You will be staying in purpose built holiday homes (Gîtes) each with a terrace with wonderful views, in the small, picturesque village of Planèzes. The village is set in vine covered hills and is an ideal base for a walking holiday. 3 of the walks will start from the Gîtes, and explore the local country side. The other 3 walks will involve a minibus transfer, and include visits to 3 Cathar Castles, the walled town of Villefranche de Conflent, and natural hot springs in the Pyrenees. If you want to do your own thing for a day or two, Planèzes is a great place to relax, excellent for bird watching and with an abundance of wild flowers and butterflies. The walks are easy to medium difficulty and can be adapted to suit the group. All meals are provided. Each morning we will deliver fresh baguettes for breakfast to be accompanied with local honey, jam, tea and coffee. Lunch will be a substantial picnic using local produce that will be waiting for you along the walk. (Those who choose not to walk will still be entitled to lunch.) Evening meals, with wine, will be in good local restaurants including one evening in Perpignan.

Special accompanied holidays

Each year Agly Walking Tours organise an accompanied holiday with a theme. For 2008 it is Walking and Art and for 2009 it will be Walking and Wine.

 

Walking and Art

This year Perpignan is the Capital of Catalan culture, therefore we have decided to organise a special Walking and Art holiday to start the autumn season. This will be a week long holiday set in the village of Planèzes and will include visits to 5 art exhibitions in the area and 5 optional half days of walking. We will visit the Macintosh collection at Port Vendres, Modern art galleries at Collioure and Céret where they will have an exhibition of Hungarian Fauvism and their permanent collection of Picasso, Matisse, Miro, Braques, Gris and others. We will also visit the palace of the Majorcan Kings in Perpignan where there will be an exhibition of Romanesque art and finally the Salvadore Dali Museum in Figuerés. The walks will discover the Agly valley, the Corbières and the Mediterranean coast and include visits of 2 Cathar castles and a roman Aqueduct. All meals are provided including evening meals, with wine in good local restaurants.

Walking and Wine

This area of France has lots of very good, interesting wines for you to discover. This is a week long holiday set in the village of Planèzes during the grape harvest and will start with a wine tasting lesson by a local expert. There will be a visit on each full day to local wine producers in the Roussillon and Corbières area, from small specialist producers with only a few hectares of vines, to large cooperatives with many grape farmers. You will have a chance to try your hand at grape picking and experience the whole wine making process from vine to bottle. There will be 5 optional half days of walking, which will discover the Agly valley, the Corbières and the Mediterranean coast and include visits of 2 Cathar castles. All meals are provided including evening meals, with wine in good local restaurants.