25 km from the villa, about 25 minutes
Video : MSK Productions
Terra Vinea is one of the most original days out in the Corbières: a former gypsum mine, first dug in 1807 and worked for almost two centuries, now a museum of vines and wine. You go down 80 metres underground to walk almost 800 metres of galleries, at 16 °C summer and winter alike. From Villa Container Fitou, Portel-des-Corbières is a 25-minute drive, and 5 minutes from the Sigean African Reserve: the two fit together nicely in a single day.
The visit
It begins on the hillside, facing the Corbières, aboard the little train, the "Terra Vinea Express", which takes you to the entrance of the mine. Underground, the route tells the story of wine around Narbonne from Antiquity to today: the casks and ageing barrels of the Cathedral Cellar, the reconstruction of a Roman wine villa, a medieval banquet, a museum of vineyard tools and machines, and a sound and light show beneath the cellar's immense vault. The visit lasts about 1 hr 30 and ends with a free tasting of local wines.
In low season the visit is audio-guided in French, English, German, Dutch and Spanish. In July and August it is a guided tour in French.
Good to know
- Open every day from 1 February to 30 December 2026, before the winter closure.
- 2026 prices: €16.90 per adult, €15.30 for 13 to 17-year-olds, €10.30 for 5 to 12-year-olds, free for under-5s. Prices taken from the official website in October 2026: please check them before you go.
- Tickets online on the Terra Vinea website, or on site if you arrive 15 minutes before departure, subject to availability.
- You reach the mine down a staircase of 120 steps (you only go down them, not back up): the visit is not accessible to wheelchair users. The rest of the route, about 1 km, is on the level.
- Bring a light jumper: it is 16 °C down there, even at the height of summer. That is also what makes it the perfect outing on a rainy or scorching day.
- On site, Le Grenache restaurant serves lunch every day: regional cooking paired with local wines. Free parking.
From the villa
15 chemin des Plâtrières, 11490 Portel-des-Corbières: 25 km via Sigean. The perfect day: Terra Vinea in the morning, lunch at Le Grenache, then the Sigean African Reserve, 5 minutes away, in the afternoon, before heading back to the villa for the heated pool and the sunset over the lagoon.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Terra Vinea visit last?
About 1 hr 30, wine tasting included.
What are the Terra Vinea prices?
€16.90 per adult, €15.30 for 13 to 17-year-olds, €10.30 for 5 to 12-year-olds, free for under-5s (prices taken from the official website in October 2026).
Is Terra Vinea open all year?
Every day from 1 February to 30 December 2026. The site then closes for the winter until the end of January.
How far is Terra Vinea from the villa?
25 km, about 25 minutes by car from Villa Container Fitou, and 5 minutes from the Sigean African Reserve.
See also: the Sigean African Reserve, a wine holiday in Fitou and Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne.
Photo: Jacques Le Letty, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
