Spreading from the Minervois to the Corbières and from the Mediterranean to the plains west of Carcassonne, Languedoc claims a rich heritage, excellent wine and some of the most beautiful villages in France.
It’s a top holiday area, busy at the height of season, but once you’ve seen the main sites, there’s much to discover in quiet inland villages or on the banks of the Canal du Midi.
Languedoc Holidays, Cathar Castles and Carcassonne France
The hilltop citadel of Carcassonne is a must-see, France’s third most visited site, with impressive dungeons and ramparts, an inner castle and fabulous views from the Black Mountain to the Pyrenees.
Religious feuds still haunt the awesome ruins of the Cathar castles, clinging like eagles’ nests to rocky outcrops. See Lastours, close to Carcassonne, Peyrepertuse or Quéribus in the Corbières.
Take time to enjoy a morning cruise on the Canal du Midi or stroll or cycle along the shaded banks, past multi-tiered locks, old bridges and quiet harbours and ducks nesting in the reeds.
Top Things to Do around Minerve, South of France
- Spend a day in Minerve, one of the most beautiful French villages, perched on the edge of a dramatic gorge, with steep alleyways, flower-draped cottages and ancient gates looking down on the confluence of two rivers and gaping caves.
- Browse a few of 50 000 second-hand books, some rare, in the old canal warehouse in Le Somail, another listed village, with a humpback bridge, a 17th century chapel and an ice house.
- Head for Caunes en Minervois , look out for the mansions displaying medieval and Renaissance features and visit the abbey boasting a Benedictine cloister, ornate side chapels and altars and relics of martyrs.
- Follow the hilltop trail above Caunes and marvel at the fantastic marble quarries, with their colourful stones once used for the Palace of Versailles, still carved by local artists. See their work in the shops in the high street, in the bistrot ‘La Marbrerie’ and in the town car park.
Languedoc Wine and Art in Minervois
Languedoc boasts some of the most picturesque French villages, among them Bize en Minervois on the banks of the river Cesse, the medieval village of Aignes where circular lanes lead up to a quiet square, Lagrasse nestling in the Corbières vineyards, around an elegant abbey and medieval bridge.
Follow the art trail in Minervois where, charmed by the light and scenery away from the crowds, myriad sculptors and painters have settled. Late October, the festival of Grands Chemins en Minervois brings together local artist and wine growers, setting up exhibitions, wine tasting and more.
Visit a Languedoc wine cellar at the heart of the vineyards and choose your own favourite, from the long acclaimed Corbières, south of the river Aude, to the Minervois, mostly to the north, which has moved in leaps and bounds in recent years.
Solange Hando - I am a travel writer, editor and photographer, contributing to a range of publications in the UK and worldwide.
Join the Conversation