Region
The quiet village of St. Jean de Minervois with its 150 inhabitants borders the famous vineyards on one side. On the other side lies the Parc Régional du Haut Languedoc, a beautiful vast protected nature reserve. The village has a good restaurant and four times a week a mobile grocery van comes by where you will be able to purchase your fresh ‘croissants and baguettes’. In the village of Saint Chinian (15 min by car) you will be able to purchase all your groceries with it's attractive bi-weekly market which locals and tourists alike can enjoy.Only a few steps from the house one can start lovely walks through the vineyards, and impressive gorges covered in green oak, thyme, box and other regional flora that will remain green throughout the year. The house is located in the department of l’Herault (southern most department of France bordering the Mediterranean) in the Languedoc Roussillon province land inwards from Béziers and Narbonne.
No shortage of beautiful nature in this area. The Parc Régional du Haut Languedoc with its 180.000 acres of magnificent forest and 247 species of birds is a very diverse area offering heather fields, beech forests, plains and meadows. All these contrasts can be seen in the enormous dale of Monts de Lacaune on the plateau of Sidobre.
The hinterland has some wonderful wine regions like Saint Chinian, Faugéres, Minervois and the Corbiéres. A visit to a famous wine house is an absolute must. Narbonne is only 40 minutes drive away. This town bordering the Mediterranean has lovely sandy beaches, seaside resorts and summer activities.
But also culture lovers will be pleased with the area. The impressive remains (fortresses, castles, keeps) of the Cathars can be visited in the places like Minerve, Roquebrun and the astonishing Carcassonne. Narbonne is an ancient Roman port with it's beautiful cathedral and former arch bishops palace. The region has many old abbeys and other historical sites. And of course there is nice shopping in Narbonne and Béziers.
All of this makes the Languedoc a lovely region for everybody as it has everything: culture, nature, mountains, sun, sea and beaches.