As you drive along the road approaching Minerve, it's hard not to be struck dumb by the sight before you. The medieval village clings to the top of a rocky outcrop high above a spectacular gorge - the view is surely little changed since the Middle Ages. Ok, so the route is now tarmacked for cars, rather than a rough track for horses… fundamentally this fortified village remains much the same as when it was built in the 13th century.
Minerve, one of the 'Cathar cities', hides a most bloody of histories. In 1210, during the Albigensian Crusade, a group of Cathars escaping the massacre of Béziers sought refuge here. The brutal Simon de Montfort set up four catapults and trebuchets to bombard the double ring of ramparts. Minerve was thought to be impenetrable but was ultimately forced to surrender.
When the 140 Cathars refused to give up their faith, they were burned at the stake in the village square. This grim history echoes through the picturesque streets today, making Minerve not just a visual marvel but a site of significant historical sorrow.
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