The Village

Siran is regarded by many as being the centre of the Minervois wine growing area. The headquarters of the "Cru Minervois" and "Cru La Livinière" are in the Maison du Minervois, which is part of the Chateau. it is fully equipped with a large tasting room and has a large outside area used for festivals and wine tasting events which is directly overlooked by the terrace. Our guests have access to the village tennis courts (just a few metres away and again, overlooked by the terrace) as well as the hotel swimming pool. Whilst the hotel restaurant - 'La Cigalière' – is renowned for its cuisine and imaginative menu, the village bar also serves food and is excellent for everyday eating. The boulangerie is 2 minutes away for your morning bread and croissants whilst the village shop stocks an amazing range of produce including, of course, local wines from producers in the village and surrounding area.

Close by

La Livinière, a 20 minute stroll away, has a recently opened restaurant and a new bar/ brasserie. It also has several ‘caves’ for that all important wine tasting. Lac de Jouarres, a 5 minute drive away, has a beach with swimming facilities as well as a sailing and windsurfing school, life guard in season, snack bar and picnic area. Olonzac, 10 minutes away, has a good supermarket and a full range of shops and restaurants. There is a bustling market here on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Homps, just next to Olonzac, is right on the Canal du Midi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and has some nice restaurants. You can rent a boat or take a trip on a barge here. It is also a great place for a stroll or cycle along the tree-lined banks.

Further afield

The Cathar village of Minerve (20 mins), dating back as far as the 12th century, offers breathtaking views. The village is perched high above a canyon on top of the gorge carved by the River Cesse. Carcassonne (40 mins), another UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most impressive walled cities in the world and has a full range of shops, as does Narbonne, which is about the same distance from Siran. The coast is less than an hour away with good beaches at Narbonne-Plage and Gruissan. The Pyrenees mountains and the Spanish border are around 90 minutes away. The area around Perpignan is also worth a visit to experience the Catalan culture. If you want to get away from it all, the black mountains north of the village are quiet and unspoilt, and home to the four Cathar castles of Lastours.