Olonzac

Olonzac is the capital of the Minervois region, with a population of around 1600. Situated in the department of Hérault, it is a thriving town with many restaurants, cafes and bars, patisseries, boulangeries, delicatessens and regional specialty stores. Every Tuesday morning there is a wonderful well supported market in which you will find local produce including vegetables, poultry, meats, cheeses and of course wine. The market fills the main boulevard and stretches to the square at the heart of the village. Professional services include a range of doctors, dentists and bank.

Olonzac has a large municipal park with many varieties of mature trees, ponds with ducks and swans, tennis courts, boules courts and extensive lawns and gardens. The main boulevard is lined with beautiful plane trees, a feature of the Minervois.

Olonzac also has an archeological museum, tourist office and wine cooperative. As with much of the Minervois the main economy here is wine, the town is surrounded by vineyards.

Annual events include
La fête du Poisson - second half of June
La fête Votive - second half of August
Fete des Vendanges + Primeur d'Automne : 30 October

Minerve takes its name from the Roman Goddess of Wisdom “Minerva” this pretty village is classed as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France"). Unofficially, the village is the capital of the Minervois wine region. An wonderful ancient village built high on a rocky promontory hanging over the meeting of the rivers Cesse & Brian. The village is a hodge-podge of narrow alleys, topped by a simple 12th century church. Nearby is a charming museum of full of figurines showing the history of the Cathars and Minerve. The village is situated on top of the gorge of the River Cesse, so called because at times throughout the year it ceases. Near the village in the heat of summer the river disappears underground into a large, naturally-carved tunnel.

In 1210 a group of Cathars sought refuge in the village after the massacre of Béziers during the Albigensian Crusade. For six weeks the village was besieged by Simon de Montfort. The village was well protected with double surrounding walls, and overhanging ledges; but this did not stop the fear that de Montfort gave. Viscount Guilhem of Minerve knew that if the gates should fall, the 200 men of his garrison would be unable to resist the onslaught, so he negotiated the town's surrender. By so doing He saved the villagers along with himself, but 140 Cathars who had taken refuge refused to give up their faith and were subsequently burned at the stake. Of all of the original fortifications, only a slender octagonal tower, known locally as the Candela, survives.