The Region:
If it's the hedonistic night-life you're after, we can happily say that Dournes isn't for you! It's tranquil and private - think of long, lazy, summer days by the pool or in the hammock and either a family BBQ under a setting sun, gazing over the gardens with a chilled glass of rose in hand, or a meal at one of the many, nearby restaurants (see Food). Our's is a relax, 'get away from it all' location.
Plenty of Things to Do:
Mind you, should you (or, more likely, your kids) bore of the hammock and the pool, we have canoeing, windsurfing, horse-riding, mountain biking, go-karts, pedaloes, fishing and walking, all within a 30 minutes drive. There’s even an adventure theme park - Le Cri du Tarzan - 20 minutes away if you fancy climbing trees and sliding down aerial runways! The nearby Montagnes Noires offer caves and ruined, Cathar castles as well as wooded walks and mountain biking trails. The medieval cities of Albi (cathedral, Toulouse Lautrec museum, winding streets) and Carcassonne (the famous walled city is a World Heritage Site) are each an hour’s drive away, as is the major city of Toulouse (with its extensive shopping). The beaches of the Mediterranean and the peaks of the Pyrenees are each and hour and a half away.
The Food:
We're in the Lauragais, a farming region, which has a strong culinary tradition. The local speciality is cassoulet - a rich stew of duck, sausage, pork and beans. Castelnaudary - just 20km south and on the Canal du Midi - claims the title of the World Capital of Cassoulet! If you can overcome the way it is made, the foie gras is wonderful, and our kids love Aligot - a cheese and garlic flavoured mashed potato that is made nearby.
They are big meat eaters around here. The veal and lamb from the local, collective farm outlet in Revel (8km away) melt in the mouth and there is a free-range pork farm within 2km (at a farm that was the birthplace of Napoleon's biographer should you be interested in these things!) Revel hosts the region's largest open-air fresh food market every Saturday which is so good that it's appeared in the photos of at least one French cookbook we know of.
Finally, there's at least a dozen restaurants within 20 minutes drive, including a Michellin-starred one!
Other Activities:
Theme park (Le Cri du Tarzan)