Minerve
A medieval village on a cliff where two gorges meet. It is one of 'The Most Beautiful Villages of France' and the site of a tragic chapter in Cathar history.
Minerve sits between the deep gorges of the Cesse and Briant rivers and is connected to the outside world only by a single high bridge. Its stone houses and narrow lanes preserve the medieval layout, and it is a member of 'Les Plus Beaux Villages de France'. In 1210, after a crusader siege, 140 Cathar believers were burned at the stake here, and the village has a memorial to them. In the riverbed, you can walk through a natural stone bridge, and the surrounding area is the Minervois wine region. It is about 45 km from Carcassonne, and cars must be parked in the paid car park outside the village.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- Abbaye de Fontfroide
- Gouffre de Cabrespine
- Lagrasse
- Château de Villerouge-Termenès
- Lac de la Cavayère
- Châteaux de Lastours
- Château de Termes
- Porte Narbonnaise