Serviès
- Serviès
- Sheep are rare in the Corbières
Travelling in this terroir it is hard to believe you are still in the Corbières. A damp, fertile valley sheltered on the south and west sides by the Plateau de Lacamp and on the north by the Montagne d’Alaric, this is about the only place in the Corbières where you are likely to see sheep, their bells tinkling as they crop the grass in gently sloping meadows. There has been more replacement of vines by other crops here than anywhere else in the area, and the valley floor is a patchwork of different colours.
Not surprisingly, villages are also more frequent, many of them enhanced by the presence of a stream running through them. Monze, an unexceptional-looking place from the main road, is a particularly attractive example, with a medieval packhorse bridge over the Bretonne, on the outskirts of the village.
- Monze
- Medieval bridge
For something a little different, Mayronnes offers a "Sculpture walk" during most of July and August. The path through the garrigue is dotted with modern sculptures by various artists; pause in the village to get a map and guide to the sculptures before setting off. And if you are here in June, try to get to the annual event De ferme en ferme, organised by seven farmers in the Val de Dagne. With tastings of local organic produce and occasionally a gigantic picnic involving a roast ox, it’s a great way of finding out more about life in the Corbières.
- Mayronnes
- Sculpture walk
We took a delightful circular tour around this terroir on a warm sunny day (in January!). From Lagrasse, we headed towards Serviès via the D3, along the Gorge du Sou. From here, we took the D110 along the valley floor — pausing for a picnic by an isolated chapel surrounded by cypresses near Villetritouls (you might want to stop off in the hamlet itself, for some tasty sheep’s milk cheese).
Arriving in Villar-en-Val, you can visit the 11th-century church, set in an untypical and attractive churchyard, which houses an exhibition on local poet Joseph Delteil (1894—1978) during the summer season. Villar-en-Val is on the very edge of the terroir (and the Corbières) but it is definitely worth pursuing the now narrow, twisty, and unfrequented road through the woods and over the Col de Taurize. As you descend the other side, a narrow and far-from-obvious turning to the left leads to the Cistercian abbey of Sainte Marie de Rieunette, occupied by nuns after its recent restoration. It is in a perfect setting for contemplation, in a quiet, wooded valley miles from anywhere, the only sounds birdsong and the gurgling of the stream. Continuing towards Ladern and turning left at the next T-junction we returned along the D56, which runs alongside the Lauquet, amidst almost alpine scenery of woods, meadows, sheep, and even the odd chalet, joining the D114 at Clermont-sur-Lauquet.
This winds back down through the woods into the valley (and the Corbières), reaching the valley floor at Labastide-en-Val. We were particularly taken by this village, where one side of the square is formed by a stream shaded by plane trees, with a stone bridge leading across to the church and the town hall on the other side.
From here, you can either return directly to Serviès and Lagrasse, or detour via Rieux-en-Val (where there is a picturesque medieval footbridge, a few hundred yards off the D42, used in many a cloak-and-dagger epic), rejoining the D3 at Villemagne.