Carcassonne is most famous for the Cité de Carcassonne, a medieval fortress restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997. Situated on the right bank of the Aude, the Medieval City is a fortified city with its  double ring of walls and towers protecting the old town. Its history is marked by 2000 years of conquest and by the imprint of Catharism and the Crusades.

Minerve is listed as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France"). Surrounded by deep gorges cut where the rivers Briant and Cesse meet and situated at the very end of a limestone plateau. As well as being a beautiful village with narrow streets, shops and cafes its surrounded by some great walking and cycling routes. It was an old Cathar bastion that was destroyed by Simon de Montfort in 1210.

The work of Pierre-Paul Riquet and excavated in the XVIIth century to link the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The Canal du Midi was formerly used for transporting goods and people. Today it frequented by numerous boaters, cyclists and walkers. We are located 1.8km from the canal, see map for route

Eloi Merle is in the heart of the Minervois wine region, where many vineyards and domaines produce quality wines exported around the world. There are plenty of opportunities to visit, taste and buy wine locally.

Narbonne dates back to Roman times, when it was a large city and port. Les Halles, the large covered market, is open Monday to Saturday and is a great place to buy and taste local produce while soaking up the atmosphere. The city stands on the Canal de la Robine, which joins the Canal du Midi.

The beaches and ports of the Mediterranean are within an hour's drive. The nearest beaches are at Narbonne and Gruissan, while the ports of Marseillan and Sète have great seafood restaurants, serving fish fresh off the trawlers that dock right in the town centre.