In the summer of 1210, Simon de Montfort, leader of the crusade against the Cathars, brought his army to the remote castle of Termes, in the heart of the Corbières, and laid siege to it. The castle's lord, Raymond de Termes, held out for four months, and the defenders only surrendered when their water supply was contaminated and disease broke out, or so the story goes. The castle became a royal fortress, guarding the border with Aragon, and was eventually dismantled in the seventeenth century. Today, its ruins sprawl over a rocky spur above the village, with remains of walls, towers and a chapel, and the views over the wild hills of the Corbières are tremendous.
Termes is one of the so-called Cathar castles, a group of fortresses in the Aude and the eastern Pyrenees, many of which were rebuilt by the French kings after the crusade and form part of the history of the region's conquest. Others include Peyrepertuse, Quéribus, Puilaurens and Aguilar, all perched on high rocks with dramatic views. The village of Termes itself is tiny, with a handful of stone houses, a small museum and a cafe, and the Gorges du Terminet, a narrow gorge cut by a stream just below the village, makes a fine short walk or ride.
The riding in the Corbières is some of the best in southern France. The hills are wild and rugged, covered in garrigue scrub, vineyards and patches of forest, and the roads wind endlessly through them, with tight bends, steep climbs and descents, and very little traffic. The surfaces are generally good, but narrow, and there are often no barriers on the edges. The wine of the Corbières is excellent, and there are many small producers along the way. The tramontane, a strong, dry wind from the north west, can blow hard here, especially in winter and spring, making riding challenging.
Services in the Corbières are limited. Lagrasse, with its great abbey and medieval bridge, is a lovely village to the north, and Carcassonne, with its famous walled city, is a short ride away. Summers are hot and dry, so carry plenty of water.