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The Surroundings
The Minervois www.leminervois.com in the Languedoc-Rouissillon is a beautiful spot to visit at any time of the year. The flora in Spring is superb, July and August the hottest months, Autumn is pleasant. Winter days are cooler, but usually bright with warm sun; so it is often possible to sit outside for lunch.
Olonzac, www.ot-herault.com the centre of the wine district, lies between Narbonne www.corbieresweb.com and Carcassonne, www.carcassonneinfo.com it is well provided with shops i.e. Butchers, bakers, supermarket, pharmarcies, and all the services you require. There are some very excellent restaurants, all within 2 - 10 minutes walk. On Tuesday mornings Olonzac boasts a thriving French street market with long tables selling everything from hot roast chicken, paella, fresh vegetables or dozens of different varieties of olives, to clothes, fabric and shoes. Olonzac boasts a large municipal park, with 3 tennis courts, bowls and a play area for children. There is a stage which often hosts live musical concerts. The locals are all very friendly and make you feel very welcome.
Adjoining Olonzac is the village of Homps, www.le-minervois.com through which passes the Canal du Midi, it runs for 145 miles and over 100 locks, shady and idyllic, the entire length has been planted with plane trees, boat rental and trips along the canal are available from here. Homps has several good restaurants on the banks of the canal and there is good secluded walking on the old towpaths.
Ten minutes drive from Olonzac you discover the Lac de Jourres, www.le-minervois.com where families enjoy bathing in safety by the lake beach, or for water sports and windsurfing. Even during off season you can walk by the lakeside and through the pines.
Twenty minutes from Olonzac you can drive into the scenic beauty of the hills to visit the historic village of Minerve, which enthusiasts of medieval history will appreciate. On the way you pass through Aigne which is unusual in that it is constructed in the form of a helix and is known as l’escargot- the snail.
The region around Olonzac is steeped in history, Cathar strongholds, Chateaux, caves, Roman remains, circular villages and the town of Carcassonne with the best preserved medieval fortress city in Europe.
For children there is plenty to do and see, with the safe beaches of the Mediterranean, to the African Safari Park at Sigean, www.corbieresweb.com home to more than 3000 animals, water parks, dinosaur parks, and of course lots of water sports.
To the north lies the Black Mountain, www.france-voyage.com the regional park of the High Languedoc. It is the area of rivers like the Orb running through narrow gorges and offering waters of interest for kayak enthusiasts.
Let’s not forget the wine of the region. The vineyards www.terroir-france.com of the Languedoc-Roussillon stretch from the city of Nimes to the banks of the Aude and are some of the oldest and largest in the world, and produce several of the most renowned French wines. There are endless wine cellar visits all within easy reach of Olonzac, so you could easily spend your whole vacation sampling and drinking wine.
The surrounding countryside is magnificent, there are mountains, lakes, gorges, drive through a sea of vineyards and olive groves. The minervois do love their region and truly welcome visitors from faraway places.
In 45 minutes you will find the sandy beaches www.sunfrance.com of the Mediterranean. The spectacular coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon stretches for 150 miles along the Mediterranean Sea. It has some of the finest French beaches and clear waters. There is a mix of ancient fishing villages which cluster along the shore backed by a hinterland of untouched natural beauty.
There are 14 major Golf Clubs www.sunfrance.com in the Languedoc-Roussillon, the nearest being Carcassonne.
Ski in the Pyrenees in winter.
To the south - Barcelona is only 2 ½ hours away on the motorway.
Narbonne - 30 minutes away, is the oldest town in the south-west of France. Founded by the Romans in the second century BC, it became the capital of the whole of Southern Gaul, there are still remains of an old roman road. Fontfroide Abbey is well worth a visit, founded in 1145.
To the west -Toulouse www.mairie-toulouse.fr 2 hours, home to the Airbus Consortium, and an exhibition centre for space exploration.
Montpellier www.sunfrance.com 1 ¾ hours, a delightful town that has an old centre on a small hill and this provides lots of interest in a small area.
I have compiled a comprehensive information book which is kept at the house, with detailed descriptions of the history and interesting places to visit both near and further a field.
To view gallery of surroundings, please click here.
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