Quillan (; Languedocien: ''Quilhan'') is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Aude department in southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. On 1 January 2016, the former commune of Brenac was merged into Quillan.Arrêté préfectoral
21 December 2015

Geography

Quillan is located at the foothills of the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

, on the road between

Carcassonne Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Au ...

and Perpignan. The River Aude runs through the town. At the base of the mountains, fields of sunflowers and vineyards straddle the roads with snow-capped peaks in the distance. The location is thought of as one of the most spectacular in France, which is one of the reasons for the increase in tourism and migration to the area. Peyrepertuse, Montsegur, Puilauren, Queribus, Roquefixade and other spectacular ancient

Cathar Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Follo ...

sites are within easy reach. The beaches of the Mediterranean are little more than an hour away. In the other direction, the awe of Carcassonne is 45 minutes drive, while the majestic and sophisticated city of

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...

is one and a half hours away. Quillan is a medium-sized town 6 km from

Espéraza Espéraza (; oc, Esperasan) is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. It lies on the Aude just north of the foothills of the Pyrenees. Population History * The church was built during the 13th century. * One of the old pilgr ...

, neighbouring the commune of Ginoles. It is popular for whitewater rafting, canoeing, fishing and kayaking on the river Aude and other outdoor activities including cycling, hiking and running.

History

Historically, Quillan was a stopping point on the ancient and winding road between Carcassonne and Perpignan. The River Aude traditionally carried timber and other local products to Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi. The town was particularly noted for hat making, and then later, the production of formica. Times have changed however, and with the construction of the toll-road joining Carcassonne to Perpignan via Narbonne, the town has moved away from production towards eco-tourism, tourism and outdoor pursuits such as rambling, biking, kayaking, rafting and walking. The surrounding area is rich in geographical and historical interest including many Cathar castles.

Population

Economy

The town and surrounding villages are largely agricultural, producing milk, grapes, wine (including the Blanquette de Limoux), wheat, sunflowers, eggs and meat from poultry and cows. In the last few years, tourism has increased and during the warmer months many tourists flock to Quillan and its surroundings for outdoor activities, cultural events, and restaurants. There are many bed-and-breakfasts and rentals.

Culture

During each August there is a week of the Folklore Festival where dancers, musicians and singers from 10 or 12 different countries perform during the day and evening on the town square of Quillan.

Transportation

There is a 1 euro bus/train that goes from Quillan to Carcassonne and from Quillan to Perpignan, each day. The railway line from Carcassonne stops in

Limoux Limoux (; oc, Limós ) is a commune and subprefecture in the Aude department, a part of the ancient Languedoc province and the present-day Occitanie region in southern France. Its vineyards are famous for being first to produce sparkling w ...

and Espéraza but some train services have been replaced by buses. Using this service, it's about 50 minutes to Carcassonne and about 1.25 hours to Perpignan. From Perpignan it's an easy short train to

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

or up to

Narbonne Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in Southern France in the Occitanie region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is located about from the shores of the ...

and the TGV lines that depart from the South of France. By car, Quillan is 45 minutes from Carcassonne and one and a half hours from Toulouse.

References

File:Quillan.jpg, General view of Quillan File:Quillanbridge.jpg, Pont Vieux, Quillan File:Quillanchateau.jpg, Chateau overlooking Quillan File:Quillan banner.jpg, Banner of Quillan

External links

Quillan Town Home Page {{Authority control Communes of Aude Communes nouvelles of Aude Aude communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia