Signature experience — Carcassonne
Corbières and Minervois vineyards
Duration
Full day
Price
From €560
Mercedes
Dedicated vehicle & chauffeur
Leave the bustle of the medieval ramparts behind and the landscape flips to scrubland, stone huts, and long rows of Syrah and Carignan running toward the Montagne Noire. Between the Corbières and Minervois appellations, you’ll pass Fontfroide Abbey (founded 1093), feel the real push of the Tramontane and sea breezes, and taste why proximity to the Med doesn’t mean heavy wines. Expect old-vine Carignan in Boutenac, schist near Durban, limestone around La Livinière, and head-trained parcels that predate wire trellising.
The day stays flexible: hotel pick-up in Carcassonne, a Mercedes at your disposal, and your dedicated driver handling routes, timing, and bookings while you taste. First, a 20‑minute run to Fontfroide’s cloisters; then about 35 minutes to Boutenac and the Terrasses de l’Alaric estates; finally, 45 minutes up to Minerve, the former Cathar stronghold above the Cesse. You tour and sip; he drives, waits, and adapts to the weather, your pace, and a hearty local lunch in a wine village.
Your itinerary
- I
9:00 — Pick-up at your Carcassonne hotel and drive to Fontfroide Abbey (20 min).
- II
10:00 — Explore Fontfroide (self-guided or guided), then continue to a Boutenac estate for the first tasting (35 min).
- III
12:45 — Local lunch in a Corbières wine village, table reserved by the driver, followed by a short stroll among the vines.
- IV
14:45 — Head to Minerve via the Cesse gorges, visit the village and taste Minervois La Livinière, return to Carcassonne around 17:30.
What’s included
- ✓ Dedicated driver all day
- ✓ Premium Mercedes vehicle
- ✓ Hotel pick-up
- ✓ Waiting time and luggage
Your chauffeur’s tip
From May to June, mornings are cooler and breezier: schedule Fontfroide right at opening (9:30) for a near-private cloister, then book tastings after 11:00 to miss the group rush.
Book this experience
Confirmed within 30 minutes · Fixed price quoted in advance