The land of the Cathars and ancient castles, the region is steeped in history. The valley was inhabited by man before the Ice Age. The ancients knew something. A beautiful area for walking and spectacular drives. The small roads are excellent with remarkably little traffic. Within 2 or 3 minutes stroll of the house, the attractive village has 2 or 3 restaurants, 2 groceries, butcher, bakery, tabac, café, doctor, dentist, chemist, 2 hairdressers all tucked into the old buildings. Wednesday is market day. The river wonderful for swimming in hot weather and is stocked with trout annually. 35 kms from miles of sandy beaches. The terrace is sheltered from the wind and great for eating outside, even in winter. This was a walled village, impregnable till the invention of gunpowder in the 1500s as all the houses have wells down to river level from their cellars - there was even a metro so non-combatants and animals could be sent away from the fighting.
There is a open air Market across the river every Wednesday. The village had a Licence for a market from the Count of Toulouse in the Nine Hundreds, and it has continued ever since.
Bize was a Walled village, impregnable till the invention of Gunpowder, as the houses had wells down to river level in their cellars. Too there was a metro system through the cellars so non combatants and animals could be sent away from any fighting. The village changed hands between Catholics and Protestants 5 times at the end of the Fifteen Hundreds. If only the stones could speak. The village records were burnt at the time of the Revolution, so the only history comes from the Bishopric in Narbonne. ?biased?? The Bishop of Narbonne sent 8 Artillery pieces against the village which ended its resistance
Festivals:
In February there is a wonderfully unsophisticated parade for CARNIVAL with some 20 floats and groups, and in the evenings bals and a Bal Masque.
14rh July the storming of the Bastille is celebrated with games for the children in the afternoon a Retrait aux Flambeaux at dusk when all the children parade with Japanese type lanterns on sticks. Very pretty, followed by an impressive firework display by the Pompiers, in front of this house in the river bed. Reflections in the water are lovely.
Also in July there is the Fete des Olives, with many stalls selling local products set up in the old streets, a hotly contested competition in the Square for the best Aoli made from eggs, garlic and olive oil, a repas at lunchtime and in the evening, with a spectacle and then more fireworks in the river bed in front of this house
Other Activities:
Village Festivals, Carnival (Feb), Quatorze Juillet, Fete des Olives (Jul)
