At the foot of the Serre, nestled among vineyards, lies Oupia; the old village overlooks the plain, and from Oupia there are panoramic views of Beaufort. This landscape setting is complemented by specific cultural themes, from murals to the architectural history of the church of Saint-Étienne and the Château d’Oupia. If you would like to consider landscape, art and history when choosing a place to stay, Oupia offers clearly distinct points of interest.
Murals with different themes
Two murals in Oupia explore different themes. “APOCALYPSE WINE” by PHAZES was created in 2021 at the former washhouse and presents changes in climate and nature from a futuristic perspective. Created in 2024, “L'ANCIENNE GARE” by Raphaël Poron reconstructs the former Aude tramway, which served the villages of the Minervois from Lézignan to Carcassonne. While the first work takes a futuristic look at nature and climate, the second takes visitors back to an earlier transport connection through the villages of the Minervois. In this way, environmental change and regional transport history stand side by side as two distinct subjects.
The architectural history of Saint-Étienne
The church of Saint-Étienne can be understood through several periods. At Place du Fort, remains of two successive building phases were unearthed: first, a Carolingian church with a flat-ended apse, followed by a late Romanesque or Gothic church dating from the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13th century. At the end of the 19th century, Saint-Étienne was rebuilt in the Gothic style. The church also contains a carved altar support from the Visigothic period. Together, these features reflect earlier building phases, a much later reconstruction and a historic furnishing. For those interested in architecture, this sequence of periods offers a helpful perspective: the excavated remains point to earlier building phases, while the reconstruction reflects the church’s later design.
The Château d’Oupia also adds to the picture of the village’s history: its origins date back to the 12th century. This is a distinct historical reference alongside the multi-phase history of Saint-Étienne. Those wishing to compare historic architecture can consider a château with early origins separately from the church’s different architectural and furnishing features.
Le Bosquet and the former water tower
Le Bosquet is located above the village, around the former water tower. It features a zip line, a hut, and wooden tables and benches. At the former water tower, the village children, under the direction of Raphaël Poron, decorated the concrete of the former water reservoir. Here, named facilities sit alongside the artistic treatment of a historic structure. The decorated concrete surface provides a distinct feature alongside the murals, whose themes include climate and nature or the former tramway.
When planning a trip, Oupia’s main attractions can therefore be considered separately: the landscape and panoramic views offer one point of interest, while the church, château, murals and Le Bosquet provide specific themes for exploring the area’s cultural history. This can help you decide whether, during your stay, you would prefer to focus on the scenery or on the village’s different artistic and historical features.
Discover more destinations: Avène, Cazevieille, Usclas-D'hérault, Causses-Et-Veyran, Saint-Etienne-De-Gourgas, Prades-Le-Lez, Servian, Margon
For the regional travel overview: Hérault.
