Languedoc AOCs wine - Conseil interprofessionnel des vins du Languedoc

Empreintes occitanes en Languedoc

The Languedoc cross

The extraordinary history of the symbol whose rich past seems to indicate the future of a region and its great wines.

“Mouthed and hollowed out, with keys (or paws) and golden spheres”. This is how the heraldic language describes the Languedoc cross which has been adopted by the CIVL. This authentic symbol of Languedoc can be seen on ancient sculptures from the time of the Wisigoths. Legend surrounds this is emblem and claims that the counts of Toulouse would take it for their own after winning the battle between count Toresin and the Moores in Bayonne where an angel would request the count to adopt this cross one fine night.

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It is certainly of provincial origins. Mentioned as far back as the year 1080 in Marseille, it was worn by the counts of Venasque. Their land would eventually fall into the possession of the counts of Toulouse who were also the Marquis of Provence. Shortly before the first Crusade, Count Raymond of St Gilles added it to his banners and introduced it to the county of Tripoli in Syria.

It quickly became one of the most famous heraldic elements and was worn on the arms of many royal families, appearing on many of the coats of arms in many municipalities, often validating deeds in the South of France and became a symbol of Province up until the revolution. Like the Phoenix, it is continually reborn and symbolises a country that wishes to exist forever in the refinement of its wine.

Apart from history, it's surprising symbolism has been studied by connoisseurs. The number 12 (the 12 pommels) could symbolise control of the surrounding universe (the 12 signs of the zodiac) and of time (12 months of the year); the number could even symbolise the 12 Apostles but this is open to interpretation...

The language of Oc

When region and language share the same name…

The language can be traced back to the 13th century when the term language of Oc (“yes” in Occitan) appeared to distinguish it from the language of Oil spoken throughout the rest of the kingdom (that would later become the French langue).
From the 11th century, the Troubadours would give their patents of nobility while singing the rhymes for the first time in another language other than Latin, official and administrative language. It is an antiestablishment language, a language of revolt, the language of the people ruling from Toulouse to the Rhone valley used to enlighten the minds and the writings of the Cathars who would make it their preferred and declared language. From the integration of the Languedoc region into the kingdom of France until the revolution, Occitan would remain a very common language but would never symbolise success or official power but of art and culture. Shamefully, it was though of as a dialect.
Occitan left its mark; some writers enamoured by the Languedoc region (Max Rouquette for example) gave us some wonderful works reaching all across Europe in showing the talent of this contrasted region. A number of villages have Occitan names or an Occitan sounding name (Fa, Oupia, Cascastel. Cucugnan, Villemoustaussou, etc)

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Toponymy: the names of Languedoc
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The names of Languedoc

Many of the names of Languedoc owe their consonance to their origin. They were all first forged in the language of Languedoc, the language of Oc. The French forms are a result of translation or transcription, more or less complete, of the original Occitan names.
However, the origin of these Occitan names can be traced back even further. The names of the Languedoc region carry a historical mark of the peoples who have lived in this region: the Iberians, the Celts, the Romans who stayed for more than five centuries (names with -an, -a, -argues, -ac, ville-) and the Wisgoths who lived in Languedoc for almost 300 years (names ending in - ens).

Languedoc names also speak of the unbreakable link between man and nature. A large number of names originate from natural elements such as water (Fontanès, Fontcaude, Fontjoncouse), Stone (Pierrerue, Cailhau, Roque-), trees (Fraisse, Homps, Pomas) and vegetation (Faugères, Ginestas, Malviès).
With humour (Mirepeisset) and bitterness (Bramefan), poetry (Cantogril, Bel Matis) and euphony (Cascastel, Fa, Villemoustaussou, among others), they describe a piece of the souls of the men and women who have lived in Languedoc.

Both stony and proud, spiced and Mediterranean, wild and modest, the language of Oc is married to the land and tells every man's story. It expresses a popular culture, gastronomy, a tradition, an everyday way of life that has throughout time become a veritable Languedoc art of living. Today, after a period of little development, Occitan is undergoing a modern passion and is taught in schools and universities.

Both Occitan and Languedoc have had and still have the same destiny nuanced with revolt, suffering, contrasts but also emotions, pleasures and wine.

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Some poetry in Occitan
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Poem of Antonin Perbosc

Se nòstres èls abian vertut pron sobeirana
per claure en lor agach l'espàci subregrand
que sarias solelhet, ò solelhàs virant
train l'astrum que Io cèl etèrnament debana !

Mas, brave solelhet, es ton flam sens engana,
daurant la tèrra a l'alba, al ser l'emporporant,
que fa venir lo vin sanitos, allegrant,
balhant ardor e gauch à nòstra ama pacana.

Es son rai que nos ris, Agach, dins ta belor;
que nos potona, Boca, en tos potets en flor;
que canta en lo Bordon e nòl dins lo Mentastre.

Solel, qu'aqueste vin de bon terraire d'Oc,
escampant dins mon còr Io sanc de ton còr d'astre,
i espeligue à ton laus un sirventesc de fòc !