View from Ajac
History
In June 2008 we arrived from New Zealand planning to establish ourselves in the South of France and start a Bed and Breakfast facility and a Studio for printing artists as well as offering courses in Woodblock printing.
After travelling for weeks on end from Ariège to the Corbières, from the Montagne Noire to the Pyrénées, we decided to settle in a beautiful area called the Razès. The Razès is a wine growing area situated in a wide sweep between Fanjeaux to the west and beyond Limoux to the east. We found a house in the village of Cambieure.
The Bed and Breakfast has been operating since June 2009. The bedrooms are light and airy with comfortable beds and we have added a wheelchair-friendly bathroom and toilet. There is ample parking and easy ramp access into the house.
In June 2010 we completed a barbecue in the entertainment area where guests may borrow utensils to cook on the hob. A relaxing spot to enjoy an evening meal and glass of local wine. There are also boules to borrow so you can play a game of petanque.
The Printing Studio is operational since summer 2010.
Promoting our area
People often only associate France with Paris or Provence. This southern corner of France is, as yet, little discovered by tourists and is wonderful in the summer but we have found that it is just as beautiful at other times of the year and with so much to offer.
The tourist will find authenticity in this region - for the most part towns and villages remain untouched by outside influences. Village life continues as it has done for years with courteous greetings to the passer-by, serious competitors playing petanque and locals catching up with friends at the local weekly markets.
During spring it is a joy to be amongst a riot of wild flowers and fresh green. Summer is dry and warm during which you can explore the countryside or towns and villages, and a benevolent autumn splashes out with stunning colours throughout the forests and vineyards. Even the winter and its light is fabulous, you just have to turn on your heel.
At different times of the year Mother Nature puts on a spectacle, whether it be a burst of blooms in spring, or shapes of trees and eerie mists in winter. Photographers and artists will appreciate the special light in this area.
We have the luxury of being located on the western periphery of the Aude department, which borders with the Ariège, so feel we have the best of both worlds. You can explore the vineyards, circulades and bastides, cities, museums, forests, mountains and more - all within a short distance.
The area is very suitable for cycling - there are places offering rentals or bring your own. Gentle slopes, more challenging slopes in the mountains, interesting villages, great weather all combine to make it a wonderful cycling experience. No wonder several overseas cycling and triathlon teams are based in the region! 2011 saw Limoux included as one of the new stages of the Tour de France.
There are also domaines/wineries galore in the area offering tastings, tours and meals and your visit here would not be complete without sampling some of the local wines and the world famous Blanquette of Limoux.
From our village our guests will have many choices, depending on personal preference, as to what they choose to do on their holiday. We have a list of 101 things to do - more than a hundred (and counting) ideas for activities and trips you can do in a day or less from Cambieure if you don't already have your own itinerary or want to fill time until your chosen event.
The climate in general:
Spring can be variable, as with most places in the world. Warm days, cool nights, a bit of rain.
Summer is usually hot, dry, Mediterranean, with the occasional thunderstorm, thanks to the Pyrénées.
Autumn stable, dry, warm days, with rains starting sometime November.
Winter could be anything - sunny, rainy, snow (2 or 3 times a year on average).
Whichever season you travel, we advise you bring a raincoat, jersey, sunhat, sunglasses and sensible shoes for walking.
Future Plans
Being a fairly new establishment, there is ongoing work to improve what we can offer our guests.
The printing studio is up and running and offers our guests the opportunity to take part in printing workshops, woodblock carving, and engraving. Woodblock printing uses traditional Japanese methods (Moku Hanga) of carving the block and using a baren for the print. Check the main Woodcuts site for further details.