Villeneuve-Minervois
Villeneuve -Minervois (Catalan and Occitan: Vilanova de Menerbes ) is a commune of 1,053 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) in the southern French landscape of Minervois in the Aude department ( Languedoc- Roussillon ).
Location
The town of Villeneuve -Minervois sits on the banks of the river Clamoux, about 18 km ( driving distance ) north-east of Carcassonne. The neighboring towns of Caunes-Minervois and Rieux -Minervois lie about 7 km north-east and 12 kilometers to the southeast.
Demographics
Economy
As in many places in the Minervois wine growing for centuries played a major role in the economy of the community. Also black truffles thrive on the wooded slopes of the montagnes noires.
History
Already in the 11th century there is a message that a castle has guarded the height above the river Clamoux; this was in the 13th century - that is, in the time of the Albigensian wars - renewed. Since canon of Narbonne is appropriated some goods of the Albigenses in the region, the place was called for a while Villeneuve les Chanoines.
Attractions
- From the castle (château ) in the 13th century, a round tower has received.
- An approximately one kilometer west of the town center, the windmill ( Moulin à vent Bénazet ) from the year 1819, was to the end of the 19th century in operation, was restored in 2001 and can be visited. It is the only remaining functioning windmill in the whole department.
- On walks in the nearby area ( approx. 3.5 km ), there are the remains of two dolmens (La Tombe de Jargantière and Roland ). A third dolmen ( Roque de Traoucadou ) arg is forfeited.
- Likewise, there are some curved or inside covered with wood-beamed stone huts made of dry walls ( cabanes or capitelles ), which were built by (Wine) farmers to protect against wind and rain; sometimes the farmers also stayed - to protect their fields before boar or crop thieves - for several nights in the relatively stable accommodation.