Located near the Haut-Languedoc regional nature park in southern France, this site is one of France's finest villages.
Visit one of southern France's finest sites! The village of Minerve is perched on a headland. Back in the Middle Ages this powerful town provided a refuge for members of the heretical Cathar Christian faith.
The natural "bridges" carved out by the Cesse and Brian rivers make this a particularly impressive site.
Minerve played a key part in the crusade against the heretical Cathar movement. The mediaeval town is surrounded by a magnificent setting. Visitors can discover heritage sites and natural attractions during this high-quality visit.
Visit the Cathar castle
During the mediaeval period, the viscounts of Minerve built a mighty castle here.
In 1210, it was besieged by Simon de Montfort, the military leader of the crusade against the Cathar heresy. Bombarded by catapults and deprived of water, the Parfaits (the name given to the Cathars) refused to recant their faith and were sentenced to be burned alive.
After the pillaging of the town of Béziers in 1209, the siege of Minerve was one of the key events in the struggle which raged throughout the Cathar region.
You can discover the history of this site during your visit to the Hurepel Museum.
Enjoy a leisurely walk in a spectacular natural setting
The village is perched on a rocky headland carved out by two rivers. Thanks to the action of the water, two natural Bridges appeared. These take the form of tunnels carved out of the limestone plateau.
During the summer months you can cross the river to go under these impressive arches without getting your feet wet!
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