The Benedictine abbey of Saint-Hilaire stands in the picturesque valley of the Lauquet. It occupies a dominant position in the heart of the former medieval fortress of Saint-Hilaire. The monastery is on a human scale surrounding its Gothic cloister. It houses the sarcophagus of Saint Saturninus, a major work by the Master of Cabestany. This was where the monks invented, in 1531, the world’s first sparkling wine - Blanquette.