is a
Département in south-central
France named after the
Aude River .
The
Roman Road Via Domitia crossed Aude in classical times.
Aude was the center of the
Cathar s, a 10th-century
Gnostic Christian sect.
The present department was one of the original 83 departments created during the
French Revolution on
March 4 ,
1790 . It was created from part of the former province of
Languedoc .
Aude is located between the
Mediterranean Sea and the
Pyrenees mountains.
It is part of the current region of
Languedoc-Roussillon . It is surrounded by the departments of
Pyrénées-Orientales ,
Ariège ,
Haute-Garonne ,
Tarn , and
Hérault , with the
Golfe Du Lion on the east.
Carcassonne has been restored to much of its
Medieval glory.
Narbonne attracts many tourists to its
Roman ruins.
