You leave Quillan at the Bar La Promenade where you can have breakfast or a cup of coffee. There is ample parking on the square in front of the bar. Shortly after departure, after about 250 m, you can refuel at the Total gas station.
As soon as you leave the city the road goes up. You climb in wide hairpin bends to the Col des Sept Frères. According to legend, the pass was named after a tragedy that occurred during a very harsh winter. A son, who, despite the snowstorm, goes to get the doctor in Belcaire before his sick mother disappears, a second son tries to cross, then a third and so on until the seventh. More pragmatically, the name would come from the distortion of the name 'col des sept frênes', a tree that still lines the roads of the Sault plateau.
The pass marks the watershed that separates the Mediterranean basin from the Atlantic basin.

Once you have reached the highest point, the road remains quite high: you hardly descend.
You drive to Ascou via the Col de Marmare. Now you follow the river La Lauze. The Lauze is 14.1 km long and rises near the top of Tarbésou, under the name Ruisseau de Coume Grande, and flows into the Ariège at Ax-les-Thermes.

Ascou-Pailhères is a typical winter sports resort. From here there are some beautiful hairpin bends with of course beautiful views to the Col de Pailhères.
The Col de Pailhères is a road pass located at an altitude of 2,001 meters. It is a pass that has already been climbed several times in the Tour de France and which continues via the Plateau de Bonascre or the Plateau de Beille. The Pailhères col is part of the remote and sparsely populated Donezan region. It is closed for much of the year due to the harsh climatic conditions in the upper part.

Eighteen hairpin bends further - don't forget to enjoy the majestic surroundings - there is an opportunity to strengthen the inner person. Restaurant Le Sapin Rouge in Artigues is an ideal lunch stop. Le Sapin Rouge invites you to taste delicious dishes in all simplicity and enjoy a pleasant moment on the large shaded terrace.

In Usson-les-Bains you follow the D118 along the Aude. The road continues to wind with some hairpin bends here and there.
The Lac de Matemale is an artificial lake (dam) of 223 hectares. It is located at an altitude of 1541 meters. It supplies the Escouloubre hydroelectric power station and also regulates the course of the Aude. The lake is surrounded by the Matte forest, which offers a rich nature with its centuries-old Scots pines and its banks, which offer breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain peaks.
Lake Matemale is a beautiful place to relax, exercise or explore in summer.

The town of Mont-Louis, located at an altitude of 1,600 meters in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, is the highest fortified town in France! At the crossroads between Conflent, Capcir and Cerdagne, it was founded in the 17th century at the request of King Louis the 14th, to secure this area after the Treaty of the Pyrenees of 1659. This walled town, built from 1679 to 1681 by Vauban , also has the honor of being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the Vauban fortresses.
Partly because this fortress was never actually besieged, this place is known to this day as one of the most special places in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. The many impressive fortifications have withstood the test of time. A visit to this elevated town offers a good insight into the history of military architecture. Although the fortress has never really played a crucial role in history, you really must see this special building by Vauban!

There are a few stops here and there along the N116 where you can enjoy the beautiful views. You not only follow the river Têt but also the 'Ligne de Cerdagne'.
The Yellow Train railway, built at the turn of the century, was intended to connect the Catalan highlands with the rest of the department. The first works carried out in 1903 made it possible to connect Villefranche-de-Conflent with Mont-Louis from 1910 onwards. The construction of this route required 650 structures, including 19 tunnels and two remarkable bridges: the Viaduc Séjourné (65 m above ground) and the Pont Gisclard (80 m above ground).
During the summer season you can also take this wonderful journey in an open carriage with the yellow train... and embark on a fascinating journey through the Pyrenees! From station to station, a whole heritage to discover.

Villefranche-de-Conflent is best known for its Fort Libéria, an impressive fortress. Over the centuries, the fortress was one of the most important defenses along the border with Spain.
In the year 1649, the border between modern-day France and Spain was redefined. Thanks to the new borders, the town of Villefranche-de-Conflent was located in a very strategic location. In order to protect both the place and the valley in which it is located against a possible attack from Spain, it was decided that a fort should be built here. A hill above the town of Villefranche-de-Conflent was chosen as the location. This way one could see the enemy coming from afar. In 1681, none other than the famous French fort builder Vauban was commissioned to build the fort. Six years later it was officially put into use. It was strengthened and expanded several times until the end of the nineteenth century. To this day, this fortress is known as one of the most impressive fortresses along the border between France and Spain.
From the town you can climb to the fort via the unpaved road. The view over the valley is spectacular from the ramparts. Back down you go through a tunnel with more than 750 steps!

Prades, capital of the Conflent, located at the confluence of several rivers, has a beautiful artistic heritage. What you absolutely cannot ignore is the Saint-Pierre church, from the 12th and 17th centuries. The choir houses a beautiful Baroque altarpiece, dedicated to Saint Peter. This remarkable work of art is the largest Baroque altarpiece in France!

The Castellane valley offers many beautiful views. Mediterranean landscapes dominate here. The closer you get to the Col de Jau, the more the landscape evolves into mountain landscapes.
The relatively narrow road winds via some nice hairpin bends to the top of the Col de Jau (1506 m.)
During an observation mission for the National Commando Training Center on June 29, 1968, an Army Light Aviation Cessna L-19-E made a low-altitude pass at Jau Pass to leave a message, then ascends again and suddenly turns toward left and crashes into a pine forest. The two occupants, the pilot and the chief sergeant, were killed. A memorial stone was erected at the pass in their memory.

You enter the 'Defilé de Pierre-Lys' via a tunnel cut into the mountainside. It is a beautiful stretch of road that follows the course of the Aude River through a narrow gorge. In some places large sections had to be cut out of the rock wall to accommodate the road, but that makes the route extra spectacular.

A few more kilometers along the D117 and you return to Quillan. But perhaps a last stop at the Auberge Demi-Sel for those who love delicious pancakes and desserts. The welcome is warm. It is very pleasant to spend time on the terrace.