| The village of MINERVE lies a dozen kilometres north of the Canal du Midi, and halfway between Carcassonne and Béziers in the middle of the Minervois wine country. Its location is extraordinary, isolated on an island of rock between the gorges of the Briant and Cesse rivers, the latter of which has cut its course through two enormous tunnels in the rock known as the Ponts Naturels. The village turned Cathar at the beginning of the thirteenth century, which made it a target for Simon de Montfort's crusade. On July 22, 1210, after a seven-week siege, he took the castle and promptly burnt 180 parfaits (or "purified souls"). There's a memorial to them by the church and, inside, one of the most ancient altars in Gaul, dated 456 – but you won't be allowed in for love nor money. Nothing remains of the castle but the ruins of a wall. If you want to stay, you'll find free camping in the valley bottom by the cemetery and the Relais Chantovent (tel 04.68.91.14.18, fax 04.68.91.81.99; €30–40; closed mid-Dec to mid-March), which is also one of the better places in town to get a meal (menus from €15). The tourist office (July & Aug daily 10am–noon & 2–6pm; tel 04.68.91.81.43) has information about other accommodation possibilities in the area.
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