Castles, nature and medieval villages: visit Corbières!

Whether you like culture, history, nature, or a good glass of wine, the Corbières region in the France Occitanie region has something for everyone! Get in your motorhome and drive past vast vineyards, Cathar castles and a beautifully varied landscape. In this article, we give you some tips for places not to miss when visiting this region. Bon voyage !

Start your motorhome trip in the medieval village belonging to one of the most beautiful towns in France, Minerve. Perched on a rock, this village is surrounded by the gorges of the Cesse and Brain rivers. Minerve is not only a great place for wine lovers and hikers, but also for history buffs! Indeed, you will find here, among other things, an impressive medieval Cathar fortress. You will also find ruins of the city walls and in summer, when the rivers are dry, you can go into the caves.

- Minerve: one of the most beautiful villages in France!

Drive on to the picturesque village of Lagrasse, which lies against the river Orbieu and is the cultural capital of Corbières. In this village, you'll find medieval, narrow streets. So you can't drive through here with your motorhome. Make sure you follow the signs to the parking; from the parking you'll be in the village in no time.

Wander through the streets of Lagrasse at your leisure and visit the characteristic market hall in the market square. Don't forget to admire the 14th-century church too. Maison du Patrimoine is also worth a visit! Indeed, here you will find beautifully painted ceilings. Afterwards, sit down at a café for a coffee or a glass of wine, as you are guaranteed to find some in this wine region! Not a wine lover or looking for a different tasting experience? Then visit Cyril Codina in this village. At this vinegar maker, you will find out how vinegar is made, and you can do a vinegar tasting.

You can also choose to visit the abbey of Sainte-Marie l'Orbieu, which is a little further away. This abbey was founded by Charlemagne and is one of the most beautiful abbeys in the area. The abbey is run by the canons of Lagrasse and can still be visited by tourists. Join a guided tour to learn all about this abbey.

Park your motorhome at Parking de la Promenade, P2. From this motorhome stopover, you'll be in the centre of Lagrasse in no time.

- Visit the abbey of Sainte-Marie l'Orbieu and discover the abbey!

This castle, which served as a stronghold during the Cathar Crusades, is remarkably well preserved and is the landmark of Villerouge-Termenès. This village, like the others in this article, is intertwined with Cathar history. Indeed, this is where the "last" Cathars were burned at the stake. If you want to visit this castle, take your time! With an audio guide, you'll learn all about its history. Want to experience real castle life? Then make sure you grab a bite to eat at the medieval rotisserie near the castle. Here you will find dishes from the 13th and 14th centuries, medieval furniture, and crockery.

Also visit Esprits de garrigue, this is a real French farm shop where you can buy the tastiest local produce

With your motorhome, you can spend the night at the free motorhome stopover Félins-Termenès. Did you spend the night here? If so, don't forget to leave a review.

Please note: these attractions are only open from 1 April! Find more information about this village via Office de tourisme Corbières Minervois.

- Make sure you take the time to visit this chateau! ©CCRLCM

Gorges de Galamus offers unparalleled natural splendour! Located in a beautiful gorge, carved by the Agly River, this village is framed by steep rock walls that are up to 300 metres high in some places. The force of the river has also carved out caves in this gorge. In one of the many caves, you will find the famous Ermitage Saint-Antoine de Galamus. This hermitage has been used since the 14th century and hermits lived here until 1950. Today, it is still a traditional place for pilgrimages on Easter Monday and Whit Monday. A must-see if you go to this village!

Want to do something adventurous? Then Gorges de Galamus is the right place for that too! You can go canyoning here. Through waterfalls, rocks, and water basins, you will follow a course by swimming, sliding, or jumping off rocks.

Note: the roads can be very narrow in some places, making it unsuitable to go here with your motorhome. Therefore, choose to explore this village on foot via hiking trails or get into a canoe and explore the village by water!

Nearby, you can stay overnight at Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse. From this camperstop you can also easily visit our next tip in Cucugnan.

- Discover Gorges de Galamus while walking! ©Vincent Photographie

This castle, perched on a rock at an altitude of 700 metres and one of the last strongholds of the Cathars, should not be missing from your list when you go to the Corbières region. From the nearest parking, you can easily visit the Château de Quéribus. During your walk up, you can already enjoy the view, which is truly magnificent. But be sure to walk beyond the foot of the ruins, because on top of the castle's big tower you will find a platform from where you can look around in 360 degrees. So don't forget to bring your camera!

- Enjoy the view you have from the castle! ©Vincent Photographie

This city is one of the oldest cities in France. Its historic centre is full of old buildings! One of the most famous is perhaps the Palace of the Archbishop. You will recognise the building by its square towers, which were built in the Middle Ages. Be sure to climb these towers because from there you have a great view over the city! The palace used to be the archbishop’s residence, but nowadays it houses an archaeological museum, among other things. Close to this palace you will also find the Via Domitia, a very special road! In fact, this is one of the oldest Roman roads in France and was an important connecting route between France, Spain, and Italy. Archaeologists have excavated part of this road, as a tourist you can walk along this stretch and experience how the Romans lived! Feeling hungry after discovering these sights? Then visit the covered market Les Halles, where you can sample local delicacies. From cheese to olives and, of course, the wines of Corbières - as far as we are concerned, the perfect end to your motorhome tour of the Corbières region! 

In Narbonne itself there is no motorhome stopover, but about a 15-minute drive away you'll find motorhome stopover Vinassan and about a 20-minute drive away you'll find motorhome stopover Peyriac-de-Mer.

- Climb the towers of the archbishop's palace and enjoy the view!

Do you always select a motorhome stopover based on reviews? Then be sure to share your experiences with fellow motorhomers by writing reviews in the Camperstop-App or on Camperstop.com.