Nizas

Nizas (Nisàs in Occitan) is a small village very typical of the Languedoc. The present village was shaped in the XIIth century on the pattern of a circulade; this is where the streets are set in a tight spiral configuration, often with the church or château in the centre, with the outer buildings having very thick stone walls as a defence.  Nizas is named after a Latin nobleman, Nisius. His domaine is now buried under the village but there are remnants of Roman, and possibly Greek, occupation still existent.

Today, Nizas is better known for its wine. The Domaine de Nizas is currently owned by an American who originally hails from Bordeaux. John Goelet has already created fine wines in California and Australia and, after searching the world for the best ‘terroirs’, settled on Nizas. This high-quality artisanal wines retail at up to 100€ per bottle.                                        

Nizas is only a short drive away from Pézenas which is a great town to visit, especially on a Saturday when the market is on. There are artisan boutiques in the narrow ruelles, street artists, bars and cafés galore. Pézenas is proud of its links with Molière who visited the town many times with his theatre troupe, L’Illustre Théatre.