Oppidum d'Ensérune & Etang de Montady

The Oppidum d'Ensérune is an ancient hill-town which rises up from the surrounding vineyards and overlooks the Etang de Montady on one side, and the Canal and Tunnel de Malpas on the other. The town was continuously settled from the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD and an interesting museum has now been built on the site. The Etang de Montady used to be a swamp in ancient times but no longer so since it was drained in early Roman times. The fields that remain resemble the spokes of a wheel, these fields drain via a system of pipes into the central point of the wheel and are still in use today.

A trip to the Oppidum, combined with a visit to the tunnel of Malpas and the tourist centre perched above it, make for an excellent afternoon’s research. The kids will enjoy it too as there is plenty of space to run around in — just don’t let them fall in the Canal du Midi. Stories abound that tell of catfish swimming in the depths, big enough to pull the average dog underwater!