The best road cycling routes around Saint-Couat-D'Aude

The l'Aiguille lock is a double lock on the Canal du Midi located in the commune of Puichéric.

L'Epanchoir de l'Argent Double, classified as a historic monument: started in 1677 and completed in 1694 according to Vauban's plans, it allows the canal to evacuate its excess water.

L'Epanchoir de l'Argent Double, classified as a historic monument: started in 1677 and completed in 1694 according to Vauban's plans, it allows the canal to drain its excess water.

gentle climb between 4 and 4.5% gradient. nice asphalt. stunning view over the landscape.

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.

In the heart of the old village of La Livinière, the church of Saint-Étienne is a discreet but remarkable witness to nearly a millennium of history. Mentioned as early as 1102, it retains a Romanesque nave from the 12th century, supplemented over the centuries by side chapels and Gothic additions. Its vaults and sculptures recall the craftsmanship of medieval builders in the Minervois. Its most remarkable feature remains its domed bell tower, rare in the region. Built on a Romanesque base and then topped with a stone dome in the 17th century, it gives the church an immediately recognizable silhouette. A local tradition recounts that this bell tower was inspired by buildings observed in the East by a knight returning from a crusade, a story that adds a touch of mystery to this monument. The church is part of La Livinière's eventful history: a former fortified village established around a castle, possession of the lords of La Livinière then the Trencavels, the town has traversed the great periods of Languedoc's Middle Ages. The La Jugie family, who marked the village in the 14th century, also left their mark in the church with the discovery of a family tomb in the Saint-Blaise chapel. Right next to the church, the J. Callas & H. Roquebernou garden offers a pleasant interlude in the heart of the village. This landscaped space accompanies the discovery of the monument by providing a place of calm and respite.

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.