Places: Cucugnan, France
The scoop…
Le petit village de Cucugnan, France…
How to adequately describe this magic?
Cucugnan is nestled in the Corbiéres Massif in a valley surrounded by beautiful vineyards below and dramatic Cathar strongholds above. It is a tiny village in southwest France that lies near the Spanish border. It is as far away from la Côte d’Azur as you can go and still be in southern France. Here there is no glitz, no flash, no glitter.
The French historian Renè Quehen has established that Cucugnan was first documented in the year 951. In 1495 the village was destroyed by Spanish invaders. Years later a new village was erected around the medieval ruins. is a destination of sheer magic. The clay tile roofed stone houses sit as if decorations atop a wedding cake, as you look down on Cucugnan from the mountains above. It is 350 meters above sea level but 400 meters below the towering and historic ruin of Chateau de Queribus. You can easily drive or hike right from the village to the high and isolated castle ruins. It is said that Queribus was one of the last mountain strongholds of the Cathare religious sect in the 12th century. The castle ruins now stand abandoned in concert with the clouds, wind and birds of prey. On a clear day from Queribus you can see all the way to the Mediterranean Sea and to the peaks of the snow covered Pyrenees. As you climb up into the castle ruins you become bewitched by its past.
Cucugnan has ~130 year round residents, is bathed in history, surrounded by vineyards and marked by the great hills and mountains towering above. It is a seasonal tourism destination for active sportive types, and lovers of wine, Cathar history, all things nature and the unadorned beauty.
Your first visit may capture you and leave you wanting for more as you walk the narrow and winding streets that look up and away to the mountains and down to the vineyards. A good first stop is a visit to the Moulin d’Omer, a17th century windmill originally and currently used to grind grain into flour. It sits atop a small hill in the village and looks out into the majestic valley and vineyards below. Beneath the windmill you will find the understated, but spectacular bakery, Les Maitres De Mon Moulin, where you come to sample the artisanal goods birthed from ancient grains by the celebrated baker, M. Roland Feuillas. I present to you a video (in French) of the ultimate Master Baker and genius grain connoisseur, M. Roland Feuillas. You will be forever changed after tasting his beautiful organic creations made from ancient grains. I believe that after this one encounter you will return to Cucugnan again and again to feed your new found addiction for Roland’s exquisite, pure and delicious baked goods. From the bakery you can walk down the street to visit the tiny neo-gothic 14th century church of Eglise Saint-Julien-et-Sainte-Basilisse, dedicated to Sainte Agathe, the patron saint of the village. Well worth a visit as it is beautiful in its stark simplicity and hosts the unusual wooden statue of the pregnant Virgin Mary. Then after your village visit, taking time to walk/hike through the vineyards and in the hills and mountains above is a must.
For wine lovers a stop at the two local vineyards is a must. The Chateau Trillol is located in the valley at the foot of the Village and the Domaine du Grand Arc lies just over the ridge to the north of the village. Both focus on terroir driven wines that reflect the unique topography of this region. Perhaps like me you will fall in love with these vineyards and their wines.
For those of you who may be looking for or thinking about French language lessons in this idyllic environment there is a gem of an opportunity for you to study at Cours-a-Cucugnan with the extraordinary teacher and woman, Mme Claire Campbell. I first met Claire many years ago when I came to her in my desperation to communicate and be understood in French. She has become a life long friend and my language tutor for all time!
Alas, I cannot talk of Cucugnan without retelling the famous story of Le Curé de Cucugnan in which the parish priest shares a dream with his congregation who have lost their faith. He tells them that he had a dream and in this dream he went to heaven and then to purgatory looking for, but not finding, any of the past dead villagers of Cucugnan as they were all in Hell! His goal was to frighten and bring them back into the flock after offering confession. Originally, Le Curé de Cucugnan was a sermon given by Auguste Blanchot de Brenas in 1858, consequently made into a short story by Alphonse Daudet published in 1866 in "Les Lettres de mon moulin".
I urge you to go and immerse yourself in the stark beauty of this tiny French village and the region it occupies.
Go and experience the magic, a gift to give yourself.
