The best road cycling routes around Ferrals-Les-Montagnes

From the climb at Liviniere, a plateau emerges where you pedal wonderfully on relatively flat asphalt.

The former Saint-Pons Cathedral It is difficult to understand Saint-Pons-de-Thomières without stopping here. The building is the former abbey church of a Benedictine monastery founded in 936, around which the town developed. In 1318, the abbey became the seat of a new bishopric: the church then took on the status of a cathedral, which it retained until the Revolution. The Romanesque building, most of which dates back to the second half of the 12th century, still bears the traces of this turbulent history. Fortified in the Middle Ages, the cathedral was heavily damaged in 1567 during the Wars of Religion. Then, in the 18th century, its appearance was profoundly transformed: in 1716, the orientation of the choir was reversed and a new classical facade was built to the east. The medieval remains are particularly remarkable: the two crenellated towers on the north facade recall the defensive character of the building, while the former west facade preserves precious Romanesque reliefs depicting, in particular, the Last Supper, the Washing of the Feet, the Ascension and the Crucifixion. Inside, there are also marble decorations, choir stalls and an organ dating from 1772.

From this viewpoint, the village appears surrounded by the vineyards of Minervois and protected by the relief. The domed bell tower of the Saint-Étienne church stands out clearly above the roofs.

In the heart of Félines-Minervois, the church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption is a discreet witness to a history much older than its stones suggest. Built in 1694 in an ogival style and organized around three naves, it preserves a precious relic from the early Middle Ages: a Visigothic lintel, probably from an ancient place of worship that has since disappeared. This stone fragment recalls that a Christian community already existed here more than a thousand years ago. The church is part of a territory shaped by several millennia of history. The first traces of human occupation date back to prehistory, notably with the l'Abeurador cave, where evidence testifies to one of the oldest known agricultural practices in the south of France. Later, the Gallo-Roman period left its mark with installations related in particular to ceramic production, which could be the origin of the village's name, derived from the Latin figulinas, meaning “place where pottery is made”. In the Middle Ages, the heart of local power was not yet in Félines but around the castle of Ventajou, an important fortress mentioned as early as the 9th century. Situated on a promontory overlooking the valley, it controlled the passage routes between the Minervois and the foothills of the Black Mountain. Like many sites in the region, it was affected by the events of the crusade against the Albigensians at the beginning of the 13th century, before gradually losing its importance in favor of the current village.

At the entrance to La Livinière stands a monument astonishing in its size and history: the Notre-Dame du Spasme basilica. This Marian shrine, which became a minor basilica in 1959, has been a major pilgrimage site in the Minervois for several centuries. Its origin is linked to Nicolas de La Jugie, lord of La Livinière in the 14th century, who is said to have brought back from Jerusalem a statue representing the Virgin at the moment of her swoon at the foot of the Cross. The interior of the building reveals an architecture vaster than one might imagine from the road: three naves and a large space capable of accommodating many pilgrims. A detail that gives the place a unique history: the original statue of Notre-Dame du Spasme, venerated for centuries by the inhabitants and pilgrims, disappeared during a theft in 1960.

The church of Saint-Baudile preserves a heritage that recalls the past importance of this parish with a beautiful altar made of marble from Caunes-Minervois. It also bears witness to a time when village life was deeply marked by religious traditions. After the turmoil of the Wars of Religion, the confraternities of Penitents played a major role in local life. The confraternity of the Blue Penitents of Siran, created in the 17th century, indeed had its own chapel and accompanied major ceremonies, while also providing aid and support to the inhabitants. For generations, the inhabitants also went in procession to the old church of Saint-Michel de Montflanès, which has now disappeared.

Located in the Jaur valley, in the heart of the Hauts cantons of the Hérault, Riols is a vast rural village typical of the Haut-Languedoc. The village is intimately linked to the history of the abbey of Saint-Pons-de-Thomières, founded in the 10th century, on which it long depended. From the Middle Ages onwards, Riols was part of a network of monastic possessions. Even today, the old center retains its valley setting, crossed by the Jaur, around which the main routes and activities developed. The Pont-Vieux and several structures on the river bear witness to this close relationship between the village and its watercourse.

interesting site to visit