Cournanel lies amid vineyards.
Those considering Cournanel as a holiday destination may wish to rent a holiday apartment.
History
Cournanel has been mentioned in written records since 889. The Église Saint-Étienne has been documented since 1162. Its parish was initially under the authority of the Abbot of Alet and later the Bishop of Alet, the feudal lord of the village.
The Église Saint-Étienne has a single-nave layout without side chapels. Its semicircular apse is made of rounded river pebbles rather than hewn stone.
Cournanel is closely linked to the history of the Benedictine abbey of Alet-les-Bains. The Château des évêques d’Alet was built in the 14th century on the foundations of a 12th-century fortress. Only ruins of the château remain.
Nature
A marked hiking trail leads from Cournanel over 8 km and 410 metres of elevation gain to the Pic de Brau. There, the trail offers a panoramic view whose orientation is made easier by an orientation board.
The Chemin des cabanes is a 5.5 km circular route between Magrie and Cournanel. It showcases the vineyard huts and the craft of dry-stone construction.
Culinary Delights
The Auberge de la Corneilla restaurant in Cournanel serves Fricassée de Limoux. The Auberge de la Corneilla has a large, shaded terrace on the banks of the river.
