Lagrasse, the Abbey Among the Corbières Vineyards

A Carolingian abbey in the heart of the garrigue

Hidden among the bare hills of the Corbières, where the Mediterranean garrigue meets the first vineyards that will produce some of the most rustic and authentic reds of the Midi, Lagrasse is one of those villages you discover only by seeking them out. No motorway signs point the way, no mainstream guide puts it on the cover. Yet its Benedictine abbey, founded in the eighth century — perhaps by Charlemagne himself — is one of the oldest in the South of France.

The village mirrors itself in the Orbieu, a small river that in summer shrinks to a trickle between stones and in autumn can swell with Mediterranean fury. A medieval humpback bridge links the borgo to the abbey, separating the sacred from the profane with a perfect arc of stone.

The Abbaye Sainte-Marie d'Orbieu

The abbey is divided into two parts. The public section, managed by the municipality, hosts contemporary art exhibitions in medieval spaces of great evocative power: the monks' dormitory, with its cross-vaulted ceilings, and the apsidal chapel are among the most atmospheric spaces. The private section belongs to the Canons Regular of the Mother of God, a religious community that lives and prays in the abbey according to the Augustinian rule. Guided tours give access to the eighteenth-century cloister, the thirteenth-century bell tower and the pre-Romanesque church.

The cloister and gardens

The cloister, rebuilt in the eighteenth century in classical style on medieval foundations, is an oasis of peace with a well at its centre and a garden of aromatic plants. In summer, concerts of early music in the cloister are an unforgettable experience: the music resonates under the arcades of white stone beneath a starlit sky.

The medieval borgo

The village is a pleasure to explore without a map. The narrow lanes, flanked by houses in pale stone with blue or green shutters, converge on the Halle, the covered market of the fourteenth century. The Place de la Halle, with its plane trees and its cafés, is the village's drawing room, at its most animated on Saturday morning when the market is held.

The artisan workshops

In recent decades Lagrasse has attracted a community of craftspeople and artists who have revitalised the borgo. Potters, painters, luthiers, knife-makers: the workshops alternate along the rue du Pont and the rue de la Promenade. The Banquet du Livre, a summer literary festival, draws writers and readers from all over France.

The Corbières vineyards

The Corbières produce some of the most characterful reds in the Languedoc: wines of the garrigue, dark and spiced, made from Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grown on arid, stony soils. Prices are still reasonable relative to their growing reputation. Visit the small cooperative cellars and family domaines along the D212 towards Fontfroide.

The Abbaye de Fontfroide

Twenty kilometres from Lagrasse, the Cistercian abbey of Fontfroide is another wonder. Founded in 1093, it is today a private estate open to visitors, with a perfect Romanesque cloister, rose gardens and a cellar producing excellent Corbières. Together, Lagrasse and Fontfroide form an abbey itinerary of great charm.

What to eat

• Cassoulet: the Corbières version, with white beans, Toulouse sausage and duck confit, slowly cooked in a terracotta casserole
• Petit pâté de Pézenas: a sweet-savoury pastry with mutton and spices, an eighteenth-century British legacy
• Lucques olives: the queen of Languedoc green olives, sweet and meaty
• Miel de garrigue: wild thyme and rosemary honey, amber and aromatic
• Corbières red: robust, tannic, perfect with grilled meats and aged cheeses

How to get there

Carcassonne airport (35 km) has low-cost flights from several European cities. From Carcassonne by car, follow the D6113 then the D3. The TGV station at Narbonne (35 km) is on the Paris-Perpignan line. In summer, a bus service links Narbonne to Lagrasse. A car remains the best way to explore the Corbières.

When to go

From April to October. Spring is explosive with the garrigue in flower. Summer is hot but the Orbieu offers natural pools for swimming. Autumn is the season of the harvest and colours in the vineyard. The Banquet du Livre takes place in August.