Bize-Minervois

History

Bize is first mentioned in 911 in the will of man named Walcharius who left the lands of the parish of Saint-Saturnin of Bizan to the Archbishop of Narbonne. During the religious wars of the 16th century Bize changed hands many times and in 1573 was fortified as a protestant stronghold against the catholic Bishops of Narbonne.

Geography

Located on the edge of the Haut-Minervois in the Cesse valley, Bize lies between the fertile sedimentary plain of Narbonne and the causses of the Minervois and the Montagne Noire. Bize is situated approximately 3 km north of the D5 between Olonzac and Capestang. Bize is a small village with a population approximately 1,200 where 19% of the houses are second homes.

Most-observed species

• Common Pipistrelle

  Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) · Mammalia
  53,052
• Pipistrellus kuhlii (Natterer, 1819)

  Pipistrellus kuhlii (Natterer, 1819) · Mammalia
  30,451
• Soprano Pipistrelle

  Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Leach, 1825) · Mammalia
  3,844
• European Serin

  Serinus serinus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,494
• Common Nightingale

  Luscinia megarhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1831 · Aves
  1,674
• Lesser noctule

  Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817) · Mammalia
  1,464
• European Goldfinch

  Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,435
• corn bunting

  Emberiza calandra Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,394