The village of Le Vivier
The village probably owes its name to the existence of a reservoir where fish could be kept (from the Latin “vivarium”). Adjacent to the old ramparts, there was the enclosing wall of a large basin (dating from the 6th or 7th century). The remains of the manor house date from 1604.
In the 12th century, the Viscount of Fenouillèdes gave the fiefdom of Le Vivier to a younger branch of the Narbonne count family. At the time, the castle was part of the French kingdom’s border defense belt. The influence of the du Vivier family remained strong until the French Revolution.
Not far away, in the center of a small valley, stands the pre-Romanesque church of Sainte-Eulalie (13th century). It served as the parish church until 1646, when the castle church opened its doors to the villagers.
Le Vivier is a well-preserved commune that comes alive during the summer months (meals, pétanque competitions, traditional local festivities…).
