Villebazy: Discover Hiking, Wine and History

Villebazy combines a small rocky hill, hiking destinations in the forest, winegrowing and a history dating back to the 9th century. This gives you a range of starting points for planning your trip: paths into the forests, horse-riding and educational activities at an educational farm, and historical sites. Villebazy lies on a small rocky hill that rises above the surrounding area.

Hiking and Horse Riding in Villebazy

A circular hiking route from Villebazy lets you discover Crausse Forest. From the village, you can also explore the state-owned Crausse-Rabassié Forest on a hike. The first option is specifically described as a circular route; the second focuses on starting in the village and heading for the state-owned forest. You can choose based on the specified route type or forest destination.

La Ferme de Lamoure is an equestrian and educational farm in Villebazy. Its activities include leading a pony for half an hour, horseback rides lasting one or two hours, and half-day or full-day riding tours. The educational activities include self-guided visits, guided group visits and animal-assisted learning. The formats vary in both duration and activity, from a short pony ride and longer horseback rides to visits and educational activities.

Local History and Remembrance

Villebazy’s origins date back to the 9th century. A fortified castle first belonged to the Counts of Carcassonne and later to Saint-Hilaire Abbey. No traces of the castle remain. Crausse Forest was also once owned by Saint-Hilaire Abbey. Saint-Hilaire is therefore a recurring reference point in both the history of the forest and the history of the village.

The Maquis de Coummemazière in the state-owned Crausse Forest fell during an attack by the German army on 17 July 1944. A 2024 report describes the annual commemoration and names the participants: local residents, local elected officials from the former canton of Saint-Hilairois, and members of the Fnaca and Souvenir français. The small church of Saint-Fructueux is also among the village’s historical sites: during a cultural outing in 2014, the group stopped there to admire the restored paintings.

Winegrowing and Blanquette de Limoux

Villebazy is a winegrowing commune in the Blanquette de Limoux production area. A historical event provides further context: Villebazy and Gardie joined forces for Toques et Clochers, an event announced for 23 March 2013. Visitors were to discover the landscape, the distinctive slopes and that year’s wines. This shows Villebazy’s connection to wine both through the production area and through a joint event at the time.

Discover more destinations: Alet-Les-Bains, Sainte-Camelle, Boutenac, Argeliers, Soulatgé, La Pomarède, Castelnaudary, Peyriac-De-Mer.

For the broader travel overview: Aude.