Le Soleil

Aigne is a village from the eleventh century with 250 inhabitants and is located in the Minervois wine region. The old center (l'escargot) is built in the form of a snail's house. On the village square is an excellent restaurant where you can eat outside if you wish. Aigne is located in the vicinity of major places such as Narbonne, Carcassonne, Beziers and Perpignan. These places are definitely worth a visit because of the many sights such as, cathedrals, castles, rustic streets, (flea) markets and restaurants. Aigues Vives is two kilometers away where you can find a bakery, a cave and a supermarket with a good butcher's shop. Olonzac is a somewhat larger place which lies at a distance of 10 km. There are several shops, restaurants, terraces, ATMs and a post office here. On Tuesday morning there is a pleasant market with many local products. There is a medium-sized Casino supermarket with a good butcher shop, an extensive wine department and a fresh fish department on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Just outside Olonzac, on the way to Homps, lies the Lac de Jouarres. Here you can swim (under supervision), sunbathe or find the shade under the trees. You can picnic and barbecue here and you can rent canoes and pedal boats here. Aigne is located at the foot of the Montagne Noir. An area with a lot of natural beauty where you can walk, cycle, mountain bike, picnic or swim in crystal clear streams that have made their way through the imposing rock faces. The ancient town of Minerve (the name giver of the Minervois wine region) is a must to visit. For the hikers among us: from our house you can take a nice, brisk walk to Minerve in 1.45 hours. There are marked walks in the nearby area. We have a booklet describing multiple walks. You can also make beautiful walks from home. There are many wineries and wine castles in the area that you can visit. Of course you can taste anywhere. In Aigne we have two great vignerons who are happy to let you taste a few things. Everywhere in this area you come across the 250 km long Canal du Midi with its 69 locks and 350 bridges or aqueducts. It was dug between 1667 and 1681. You can walk and cycle along this and enjoy the activities in the locks. You can rent a boat without a license and sail through the canal yourself. At Beziers, due to the large difference in height, 9 locks had to be built one after the other, the staircases of Fonserannes. From Aigne, Narbonne-Plage is the fastest accessible coastal town (about 45 minutes). From Narbonne you drive through the nature reserve la Clape. Along an impressive road through pine forests, past rocks and grape fields. An exceptional wine comes from this area. Narbonne-Plage has a boulevard with terraces, restaurants, shops and a wide child-friendly beach. Sun beds, umbrellas and pedal boats are rented. Right next to Narbonne-Plage is St. Pierre-sur-Mer where there are dunes, where it is less touristy and where you can find beautiful large shells. There is a campsite at the end of St. Pierre and after that the civilized world ends as Fleury. That is why the beach and the dunes are very natural and unspoilt here. Along the coast, south of Perpignan, against the rocks of the Pyrenees, are authentic harbor towns such as Collioure, Banyuls and Port-Vendres. This rocky coast also offers wonderful snorkeling and diving opportunities.