The village of Poilhes is one of several villages in the area, where the historic Canal du Midi passes through the centre, only a short walk away from La Fontaine, La Croix Rousse and L'Esperance. Picturesque, with a foot and road bridge, the canal was once an important traffic route from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Today it is used largely by pleasure craft and its towpaths are ideal for walking and cycling in the shade of the plane trees, which line the canal banks. In the village are two restaurants, a grocery store, post office and a number of mobile stores selling fresh produce visit on a daily basis. Poilhes is only 4 km from Capestang, where there is a large supermarket with petrol station, a bank with 24 hr cash machine, a twice weekly market, and a selection of other shops, cafes and restaurants. The "Croix Rousse" in Poilhes The beaches of the Mediterranean are only a short drive away, while to the north the mountains offer a number of cooler lakes, ideal for a refrehing dip in the summer. The immediate surrounding area is very rich in history with the pre-historic Oppidum at Enserune giving spectacular views onto the Etang de Montady, a marshy lake drained by an ingenious system of canals. The nearby Via Domitia brought trade and commerce to the area in Roman times and excavations from the period can be viewed in Narbonne and Salleles d'Aude. Cathar history is present almost everywhere and the ancient fortress of Carcassonne is only an hours drive away. The Canal du Midi at Poilhes in spring Poilhes is within easy driving distance of International airports - Montpellier (60 mins), Carcassonne (60 mins), Toulouse (2 hours) and Barcelona (3.5 hours). There are railway stations at Beziers (30 mins) and Narbonne (40 mins) with TGV connections to Paris.

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