Halloween playing overtime, crazy soap box races, autumn visits to the castle and ramparts of Carcassonne and immersion in Gallo-Roman times… Here are some ideas for activities to do in Aude before the end of the All Saints’ Day holidays .
The magic of Halloween still takes place at Chalabre Castle
The Château de Chalabre invites you to jump through a 14 meter high “trap of courage” in its dungeon CC Jcb-caz-11 – Wikimedia Commons
Nothing like a castle to celebrate Halloween… And that of Chalabre, in Aude, has decided to play extensions until November 5, the end date of the All Saints’ holidays. As a family, let yourself be guided by the locals. You will be welcomed by Albert, the butler, and his sidekick the witch. They will give you a booklet in which you will find the program of all the activities and entertainment. Starting with a photo session in the entrance, to immortalize your adventures. With you will be Oscar, the skeleton guardian of the place. You will then wander through every corner of the castle to participate in the calligraphy or coat of arms study workshops. You will be able introduce you to pony chivalry and archery. Or even benefit fromtraining in the weapons room or discover the secrets of building arches Romanesque and Gothic. You will also have access to a augmented reality visit and a treasure hunt specially designed for Halloween.
The most daring can climb to the top of the dungeon to launch themselves into the void. An attraction aptly named “the Trap of Courage“, where you will jump for a fall of 14 meters, or three floors. As you fall, you will cross the three floors of the dungeon, dating from the 13th century. Sensations guaranteed! And if the weather is nice, the children will also be able to enjoy the zip line, the medieval garden, discover how the forge works, and go hunting for a second treasure in the nature trail. An afternoon rich in perspective, under the protection of Thomas Pons de Bruyères to whom the building returned in 1210, following the crusade against the Albigensians.
Practical information: Château de Chalabre in Chalabre, activities until November 5, from 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. All prices can be found online, they vary depending on the age of the participants and the activities desired. Information at 04.68.69.37.85.
The descent of the Col de Festes
You surely know soap box races… The principle of the now famous “Descent of the Col de Festes” is the same. For several months, associations, groups of friends, families… have been busy building crazy boats, made of odds and ends to participate in this event, which is more than 35 years old. Indeed, every first weekend of November, on November 4 this year, dozens of small tanks (without engines) set off from the top of the pass, to hurtle down the six kilometers of slope of the Corneilla road. Departure given at 2:30 p.m. Only one obligation: have good brakes. An event in the small town of Festes-et-Saint-André that you will have to see if you are in the area (Aude) for the All Saints holidays, because even without being registered, the show and the frank good humor which there reign are worth the detour! We come across carts of all kinds, sometimes unidentified, such as an articulated spider 2.5 meters high, a bathtub pulled by a bicycle, a concert stage, a sailboat, Halloween floats, a submarine not frankly waterproof…
A good bit of fun in perspective, completely crazy. Especially since activities are planned around the Descent, at the initiative of the Les Maillols association, organizer of the event. At the finish line, participants will be greeted by the band Botafogo Samba, whose rhythms will also benefit spectators. A festive atmosphere which will continue in the evening, from 6 p.m., with the programming ofa concert during which the groups Nomad Frequencies (electro world dub), Chambre 220 (rap rock funk) and Turbo Niglo (electro gypsy jazz) will follow one another. Refreshment bar and catering on the spot.
Practical information: The Descent of the Col de Festes, Saturday November 4 from 2 p.m., in Festes-et-Saint-André. Free access.
Autumn visit to the castle and ramparts of Carcassonne
The castle and ramparts of Carcassonne have a very special appearance in autumn ©Lemtal Sergei-Shutterstock
Accessible all year round, the castle and ramparts of Carcassonne still have a unique charm in autumn. The fleeting light of November, the freshness heralding a harsh winter and the humidity which grips, puts the visitor back in the particular atmosphere which reigned at this time of the year in the Middle Ages. The apprehension of places is therefore different. You will feel it all the more if you follow one of the guided tours offered by the site. You will then walk through the main courtyard where you will decipher the architecture of the castle. Then, you will climb onto the Gallo-Roman rampart. Finally, the discovery of the Narbonnaise gate, a defensive structure erected at the end of the 13th century which served to protect the main gate of the city. Having toured the exterior of the castle, you can continue on the route of the “autumn visit” which opens access to the count’s castle and its ramparts, its archaeological museum and the shop. It ends with a panoramic walk (from 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.) from the ramparts from where you will have a magnificent view of the landscapes, now adorned with the orange-red colors of autumn. And so that it all seems less long to the children, a game booklet for ages 8 to 10 is available at the ticket office.
A little bonus for the end of the All Saints’ Day holidays, on Friday November 3, on the 2nd floor of the castle, in the Viollet-le-Duc room, the Première Minute company will offer you the contemporary dance show “Battle”. Here, no catapults or legendary swords, but a realistic choreographed brawl performance, based on acrobatics and body percussion.
Practical information: Discovery of the castle and ramparts of Carcassonne, 1 rue Viollet-le-Duc in Carcassonne. Prices and information for fall visits on the website.
Narbonne celebrates archeology
©Court-jus Production
Until the end of the All Saints holidays, the Narbonnaise archeology meetings (Aude). An unmissable event for those fascinated by the evolution of our civilizations. Screenings, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, meetings, archeology book and comic fair, activities… in short, a rich and complete program for young and old. A few more days to go in search of clues, vestiges allowing us to know a little more about the daily life of our ancestors. For example, you can go to the Archbishops’ palace-museum to an “archaeomaquette” workshop. This fun tool makes it possible to concretely illustrate the different stages of an excavation, from the initial project to the interpretation of scientific data. You can then, thanks to a virtual reality headset, immerse yourself in the heart of a Gallic townthat of Corent, capital of the Arverni people at the beginning of the 1st century BC.
Near the Clos de la Lombarde, the famous ancient site of Narbonne, you can discover, in preview, the new immersive projection room. Thanks to synthetic images, you will visit the places as if you were walking, 2000 years ago, in the reconstructed district of Narbo Martius : the two domus, the thermal baths, the streets, the craft workshops, the first church of Narbonne… Guided by a mediator, you will instantly plunge into the past.
Practical information: Narbonne archeology meetings, until November 5, in several places in Narbonne. Free admission. The entire program of visits and activities on the website.
2023-11-02 17:00:00
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