When Cherri and Ed asked us if we wanted to ride with them “into the Minervois” the answer was an easy, “Yes, please!” It’s a major wine region that begins just east of Carcassonne but since the vicinity no longer has any train stations, traveling in their rental car was going to be ideal. Our destination for this day out was the area’s historical capital, Minerve, a fortified medieval village located cliffside high above the canyons of the two rivers below. The bonus was that it’s a member of the organization “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” that highlights especially beautiful communities throughout the country.

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From Carcassonne the railroad tracks go east, west, and south. In the last 6 years while living here we’ve used them to travel to other countries as far as London, Amsterdam, and Venice. Within France they’ve taken us to the borders with all eight surrounding countries plus the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, and the Mediterranean Sea. Although we’ve passed by the next station down the line from here, originally called Eburomagus (Yew Market) by the Romans in 600 BC, we were always on the way to a distant destination. With a journey time of only 10 minutes and a rail fare starting at 1 euro, it was time to hop aboard and visit the town now known as Bram.

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