Mediterranean - French Riviera
Sainte-Agnès is perched at an altitude of 800m and offers a wonderful panoramic view of the Mediterranean. It used to protect the Franco-Italian border on the Maginot line and was a coveted military site for a long time. Today, the village offers visitors seeking authenticity its narrow paved streets, its unobstructed view of the French Riviera and its sunny weather.
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Gourdon clings to the summit of a breathtakingly steep cliff at a height of 760 m and offers an unobstructed view of the Gorges du Loup and the Mediterranean. Clustered behind an imposing castle surrounded by gardens that were designed by Le Nôtre, the old houses have been well preserved and restored in this lively village where craftspeople are a driving force.
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Coaraze lies at an altitude of 650 m, not far from Mercantour National Park, and is known as "sunshine village". The steep cobblestone lanes, arch-covered passageways, houses built of stone or painted blue, yellow or pink in Italian style and the flower-decked squares have attracted many artists and celebrities, some of whom, such as Jean Cocteau or Ponce de Léon, signed the village’s sundials.
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Some twenty kilometres southwest of Perpignan, Castelnou is nestled at the base of Les Aspres foothills and the Canigou, the Catalans’ mythical mountain, is in the background. Vicomtal Castle overlooks the village and had to adapt its pentagonal shape to the sheer, jagged ridges of the rock it was built on.
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Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a stopping place on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela ; its church is a gem of Romanesque art of the Languedoc. The village is situated in a wild spot at the entrance to the Gorges du Verdus and the cirque de l’Infernet. The narrow streets spread out from Place de la Liberté square and its imposing 150-year-old plane tree and as visitors stroll around they can still admire Renaissance mullioned windows, twin-arched openings and gothic lintels.
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Olargues is torn between the South of France and the Massif Central, but that’s no problem because it’s got a little bit of both ! Chestnut and cherry trees rub shoulders with vines and olive trees and the sun tries to heat up the chilly waters of the River Jaur. At the foot of the Caroux Mountains, the old fortified village attracts visitors not only because of its paved streets and covered passageways but also because it is ideally located for outdoor activities.
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Surrounded by deep gorges cut where the Brian and Cesse meet and situated at the very end of a limestone plateau, Minerve is a stony village in the heart of the Languedoc hinterland. It was an old Cathar bastion that was destroyed by Simon de Montfort in 1210 and the village has a column in memory of a stake at which 140 Cathars were burnt at that time. Minerve is also famous for its wine that has been produced here by local winegrowers for centuries
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The landscape surrounding Lagrasse is one of vineyards and hills and is typical of the Corbières wine-growing region. The River Orbieu runs through the village and is spanned by a bridge linking Lagrasse and its old 14C market to its abbey, an architectural jewel from medieval times. Lagrasse is not only known for its Corbières wine, but also for its know-how that local craftsmen will be delighted to introduce you to
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Once you have climbed your way up the flower-decked alleyways lined with pastel walls to Place Deï Barri, you will enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez bay and the Maures Massif. This is also a delightful spot to stop and savour a bite to eat and a glass of Côte de Provence wine at one of the village restaurant’s terraces.
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