Minerve, Hérault

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Coordinates: 43°21′17″N 2°44′50″E / 43.35472, 2.7472

Administration
Commune of Minerve View of Minerve
Location

Country	France
Region	Languedoc-Roussillon
Department	Hérault
Arrondissement	Béziers
Canton	Olonzac
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes le Minervois
Mayor	Michel Jan (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	137 m–604 m (avg. 227 m)
Land area^¹	27.89 km²
Population^² (1999)	111
- Density	3/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	34158/ 34210
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Minerve

Minerve is a medieval fortified village in the région of Languedoc-Roussillon, France.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Miscellaneous
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

In 1210 a group of Cathars sought refuge in the village after the massacre of Béziers during the Albigensian Crusade. The village was besieged by Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester. The attacking army besieged the village for six weeks before it capitulated. They set up four catapults around the fortification: three to attack the village, and the largest, Malevoisine, to attack the town's water supply. Eventually the commander of the 200-strong garrison, Viscount Guilhem of Minerve, gave in and negotiated a surrender which saved the villagers and himself after the destruction of the town's main well. However, 140 Cathars refused to give up their faith and were burned to death at the stake on 22 July.

[edit] Geography

The village is situated on top of the gorge of the River Cesse in a naturally strong defensive position. Near the village the river disappears underground in a large, naturally-carved tunnel.

[edit] Miscellaneous

Minerve has been selected as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France"). Historically, the village has been the capital of the Minervois wine region.