CASSAGNOLES

In the extreme North-West of the canton, with 80 inhabitants on 2,454 hectares, Cassagnoles culminates at 1,012m above the sea level, at Alaric's greenhouse. Very close to the departments of Aude and Tarn, in the heart of the Montagne Noire (Black Mountain), Cassagnoles is part of the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Languedoc. In 1880, there were 430 inhabitants.
A few kilometres to the South of Cassagnoles, there is a mistery that attracts curious and sceptical people every year. At the place called Lauriole, a road seems to go up while it goes down... or the other way round! This "descending slope" is indicated by the sign "Curiosité de Lauriole". A special configuration of the surrounding terrain creates an optical illusion. The result is very curious, and you can experience it with a ball, a bottle, or a car in neutral. The observed direction of descent (by letting a cylindrical or spherical object go down, for example) corresponds well to the direction determined by a level reading.

The dolmens of Le Bouyssière and Le Four and the 16th century church also are curiosities not to be missed.

Cassagnoles owes its name to the Celtic cassan (oak) + suffix iol (place, clearing),1290.
On the first foothills of the Montagne Noire, the Fontgassière fountain, near the Col de Salette, marks the meeting point between three departments: Hérault, Aude and Tarn. Fresh water comes down from the mountains and waters many vegetable and flower gardens .
In Cassagnoles, you can also find the highest vines in the Minervois.

Discover the remains of the castle, destroyed by English attacks in the 14th century, including the tower, which has been transformed into a campanile.

Playful and educational, la Maison de l'Abeille (Bee's House), a place exclusively dedicated to the knowledge of this insect, will tell you all the secrets of beekeeping.
 
The main activities of the commune are forestry and wine-growing since it is situated on the territory of the famous Minervois appellation d'origine contrôlée.

:: The dolmens of Le Bouyssière and Le Four
:: The 16th century church
:: The Lauriole's curiosity