| Literally
translated La Clape means the rock- so no sniggering please.It is
the first part of the Aude that you see when you are driving down
the Languedocienne Autoroute (A9) or taking the train from Paris
or Lille rising up between you and the Med. 15,000 hectares of hills
overlooking the sea with its own microclimate. Aleppo, umbrella
and sea pines cover the slopes and there is a garrigue covered plateau
of rosemary, thyme, lavender, and holly and apple oaks. A large
part is now a nature reserve and development is sparse. The hills
are criss-crossed with well marked paths making it ideal walking
country with splendid views of the etangs-lagoons, the sea and,
on a clear day, the Pyrenees. The bird watching is superb especially
as migration time.
The river Aude
flows into the Med at the most North Easterly point resort of les
cabanes de Fleury, further along the post are the other resorts
of St. Pierre-sur-Mer, Narbonne-Plage and over in neighbouring Corbieres,
Gruissan. The beautiful village of Fleury
d'Aude is also well worth a visit. The walk up to Chapel of Notre-Dame
des Auzils is particularly poignant with its path of memorials
to local sailors lost at sea.
In the
past an island, traces of prehistoric man have been found and it
is still possible to find discarded stone axe heads and arrow points,
in Roman times this was the location of numerous luxury villas over
looking the thriving port of Narbo Maritus , Narbonne.
La Clape
Wines
La Clape falls under the Coteaux
du Languedoc AOC. Indeed it is only one of two whites that does.
The majority grape for the white is Bourboulenc giving it a real
depth of flavour and benefits from a few years aging. This small
area squeezed as it is between the Corbieres and the Coteaux main
producers still manages to make some much sought after wines. Full
bodied reds, slightly more costly whites and some light and enjoyable
rose perfect to go with a seafood lunch or as a refreshing afternoon
tipple on a sunny terrace.
Look out particularly for
the following Labels:
Château
de Complazens, Château Moutjan, Château Pech-Céleyran,
Château Pech Rédon, Domaine de la Rivière-le-Haut,
Château de Ricardelle de la Clape, Château Rouquette-sur-Mer,
Domaine de Terre Megre, Domaine de Vires.
Related
Links
Wines of La Clape
Gruissan
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