By Neil Parkinson

Published in French Property News, August 2007

 

The medieval village of Roquebrun is in a part of the Mediterranean basin that has been peopled for thousands of years - Roman legions, the noblemen of the Carolingian period and Cathars are among past inhabitants. The village comes spectacularly into view when approached from Béziers. Set beneath the ruins of a millennium-old tower, it is built on a hillside at the confluence of the river Orb and a minor stream. It follows the curve of the hill between the river and rocky outcrops high above.

 

 

In 1932 writer Jean Lesaffre visited Roquebrun. He observed carefree children carrying water from the fountain, old ladies dressed all in black, their hair bound in handkerchiefs, goats ambling along the road and guided by a young woman with a bundle of twigs teetering on her head. The white walled houses with sun drenched terraces rich in floral displays, he noted, had a distinctive Mediterranean appeal.

 

The narrow streets of the village ride upward onto the hillside revealing small squares and ‘suspended’ gardens. A slow stroll is required for the visitor to appreciate the site to the full, the Orb and right bank coming into full view at various places along the way. As is so often the way in Mediterranean villages, the houses display an insistent individuality - sizes vary, renderings vary, as do the sculpted stone surrounds and lintels, sometimes in marble, for windows and doors.

 

It was self evident in September 1932, as it is now that Roquebrun is special. The village enjoys a benevolent climate; winters are short, frost is virtually unheard of, and spring comes early when gardens are awash with mimosa. It is sheltered from winds from the north, but there is a second and more predominant reason for the gentle weather. Scrape away the top soil and you will see that the rock below is schist, a mineral with two virtues; it retains water and releases heat accumulated slowly.

 

The consequence is an abundance of Mediterranean flora - mimosa, eucalyptus, cacti and magnolia as well as trees bearing fruits - jujubes, pears and figs are among the autumn crops. And winter brings a fine harvest of citrus fruits. Grapes are said to mature overnight even and local wines are considered more ‘aristocratic’ than their neighbouring counterparts.

 

The climate is put to good use. Botanists have created a Mediterranean garden which now totals approximately four thousand species of plant:- a wide range of Mediterranean flora, a collection of cacti, numerous types of mimosa, and a Mediterranean orchard. The garden, popular with tourists, is near the top of the village, and therefore commands beautiful views over the Orb.

 

Originally an experiment, designed in part as a site for the preservation of rare plants, and partly as a tourist and cultural site, it has gained a reputation in the scientific world, largely due to the efforts involved. To reach its current state, one thousand tonnes of materials were hauled up the hillsides by animal and human muscle. The garden is in a permanent state of revision, the objective being to continually enrich the collection of plants.

 

At the very top of the village is the only remaining part of a Carolingian castle built to protect from invasions in the year 900. Lesaffre, as he climbed upward through the village, questioned whether the tower would stay upright for long. Three quarters of a century on, it’s still there, but crumbling.

 

Beneath the tower and level with the church, is a medieval house for sale. Of an unorthodox shape, square at one end, and round at the other, it bundles within its walls all the character one could wish for in a holiday home. The involvement of a conservation architect during its restoration means that the property conforms to top quality norms and combines a subtle contemporary look. Numerous windows and an excellent exposure to sunlight make the interior very bright and give broad views across the village, river and countryside beyond. The asking price is 223,000€.

 

The vista from the house encompasses an ample bend of the Orb and the countryside beyond. Also visible is the village bridge that crosses the Orb joining Roquebrun and villages to the north around Olargues with the lower lying land and Béziers. Legend has it that the builders danced four days and four nights when the construction was complete. They had reason to celebrate: for many centuries, crossing the Orb was not so easy. Essayist Jacques Gatorze from nearby Cessenon is an authority on the local history. He says that between 1308 when the idea of a proper bridge was first conceived, and its inauguration in 1870, lack of money was to blame for the necessity of a more rudimentary solution. The villagers required some means to cross the Orb - they often owned farmland on the right bank, and many would travel to Béziers, Pezenas, Montagnac, and as far as Beaucaire to sell drapery and local produce.

 

 

On the left bank downstream of the weir and mill is a tower. An equivalent tower would have been on the right bank, and, suspended between them, a cable that served to maintain a boat in a straight line as it crossed the Orb. Quays beneath each tower served for embarking and disembarking villagers and cattle. Archives between the years of 1625 and 1789, indicate the construction of numerous iron-braced wooden boats. Some were swept away in periods of floods and broken against rocks but rebuilt by local craftsmen with loans taken out recurrently to finance them. Liberties were taken by villagers who made off with them for the purpose of a little private fishing.

 

Fishing, hiking, bathing, climbing, mountain biking, archery, canoeing and tennis are some of the local sports and pastimes. Numerous festivals are the opportunity to purchase local products – in particular pottery and paintings. New wines are celebrated in May and markets are held on Tuesdays and Fridays. The tradition of street parties lives on among the people of Roquebrun who gather for various fêtes and festivals no less than twenty times per year - in particular for the spring fête du mimosa. The wines of Roquebrun (under a "Saint Chinian" appellation) can be tasted at the Cave Coopérative.