Roquebrun

Roquebrun is a large village situated at the southern entry to the National Park of the High Languedoc. Most of the village is between 200 and 350 meters above sea level and more than 100 meters above the Orb River which flows from the mountains to the west.Overall the pattern of weather is Mediterranean but Roquebrun is also affected by the winds from the Massif Central to the north and the Pyrenees to the west. However, the village is sheltered by hills to the north, east and west and this, with the remnants of nearby heat from underlying volcanic intrusion produces a microclimate in which orange, lemon and pomegranate and several types of palm trees are able to flourish and produce fruit. Roquebrun is also known as the 'Le Petit Nice' because its location above the river, giving a view similar to that seen from the corniche on the mediterranean coast of Provence, and because of its vegetation, which is dominated by grape vines and the native garrigue, similar to the Chaparral in California. The lower slopes of the hills are covered by the garrigue: cistus , thyme, rosemary, arbousier and other flowers and shrubs. The Mediterranean Garden, open to the public, is located at the top of the village below the Tour de Guep, and displays plants which are grown in Mediterranean climates all over the world.

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