Camon

Visit Camon, Midi-Pyrenees

Camon is in the Ariege department of the Midi-Pyrenees, south-west of Carcassonne.

Whilst this area of France has some beautiful scenery and is packed with incredible Cathar castles there are not a great number of beautiful towns and villages which makes Camon all the more welcome.

Explore Camon

Camon is a fortified village which has grown up around a benedictine Abbey. The origins of the abbey date back to 923 and possibly earlier. However the abbey and the village were destroyed along with Mirepoix and many other villages in the area in 1289 when a natural dam gave way.

The village was rebuilt in the style of a royal fortress including a crenellated wall. By the 15th century though the abbey was derelict but the bishop of Mirepoix began its rebuilding and this work was continued.

The abbey has been a private building since the French revolution and nowadays the monks cells are bedrooms and the abbey is a chambre d’hote. It is possible to take a guided tour of parts of the abbey including the cloister and the bishop’s private study which contains 16th century frescoes. Tours are organised by Camon’s tourist office.

Amble around the village and soak up the atmosphere of this peaceful and attractive village. Notice too the many roses planted in the village of camon. There are one hundred rosebushes. These have been given by local vinegrowers who used to use roses as a kind of early warning system against potential diseases of the vines. Roses would be attacked first giving the winegrowers a chance to take action to protect the vines. (The vines disappeared from this area in the early 20th century).

Attractions nearby

An interesting feature of the area around Camon is its 'cabanes'. There are more than 100 of these stone shelters scattered around the countryside around Camon. These used to be used as shelter and storage by the winegrowers and before that they were used by the monks. There is a walk that you can do to see many of these which takes about 2.5 hous to finish and you can get a map from the tourist office.

Photos of Camon (click any picture to start the gallery)

Suggested places to visit near Camon, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Quillan 24km; Rennes-le-Chateau 26km; Foix 30km; Pamiers 31km; Rennes-les-Bains 31km; Castelnaudary 33km; Ax-les-Thermes 35km; Montolieu 38km; Carcassonne 38km; Saissac 41km; Revel 49km; Mosset 50km; Molitg les Bains 54km; Lagrasse 54km; Villefranche-de-Conflent 58km; Eus 58km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Camon

Camon tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Fontaine Intermittente de Fontestorbes - site of natural beauty (13km) : Parc aux Bambous - remarkable garden (22km) : Pyrenees Ariegeoises - regional natural parc (44km) : Gorges de Galamus - site of natural beauty (47km) : Lac du Bouillouses - site of natural beauty (50km) : Vallée de Vicdessos - site of natural beauty (54km) : Gouffre de Cabrespine - site of natural beauty (55km) : Pyrenees Catalanes - regional natural parc (56km) :

French version: see Camon (Francais)