With its picturesque beauty and turbulent medieval past, Minerve is a enthralling must-see end upon anyone’s French canal holiday.
Situated on a high ridge in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, the village of Minerve commands a sweeping view across the junction of the Cesse and Briant rivers. subsequently the Canal du Midi winding through the south of Languedoc-Roussillon, Minerve is a absolute day vacation during any French canal holiday.
As you see out at the surrounding countryside from the Pont Grand, it’s easy to forget that this region in the same way as motto drastic turmoil and upheaval. Today a gorgeous village and a frequent end for French canal holidays in the region, Minerve was past the site of shout abuse and destruction.
An Ancient Town
Minerve’s roots stretch encourage as far afield as Roman antiquity, as evidenced by its pronounce – a hint to the Roman goddess Minerva. A temple dedicated to the goddess afterward occupied this site. The Languedoc-Roussillon region is peppered in the manner of such traces of ancient Roman civilisation – features that pull visitors from every greater than the world
During the center Ages, the region was rocked by the Crusades. In 1209, Pope pure III initiated a military raise a fuss that was to last 20 years: the Albigensian Crusade – as well as called the Cathar Crusade.
The Cathars & The Siege of Minerve
The Albigensian Crusade was launched in order to quash Catharism, a Christian dualist pursuit that was purchase spread in southern France during the 13th century.
In 1210, after a devastating massacre in the comprehensible town of Bziers, a bureau of Cathars fled to Minerve for safety. But that safety was not to last long. The village was besieged by Simon de Montfort, a French warlord who was one of the most prominent leaders of the Albigensian Crusade. For six weeks, de Montfort and his army assaulted the fortified village subsequently trebuchets. Despite Minerve’s excellent defensive position, the town surrendered.
However, 140 of the Cathars at Minerve refused to give up their faith in the direction of defeat. As punishment, the French army burned the Cathars at the stake in Minerve on 22 July.
Minerve Today
If you visit Minerve today as part of your French canal holiday, you can look the remains of the medieval fortifications that held support Simon de Montfort’s army, as without difficulty as several monuments to the Cathar victims. As you climb the narrow streets and gaze out on top of the red tiles roofs and surrounding verdant countryside, it’s simple to see why Minerve has been chosen as one of Les gain Beaux Villages de France (“The Most pretty Villages of France”).
And gone traffic restricted to permit lonely the cars of residents, Minerve is a silent and pedestrian-friendly area to explore. If your visit to Minerve is ration of a French canal holiday or longer journey, this village is the absolute place to stop for a bite to eat and a glass of local wine past continuing on your way.
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