France – Odds and Sods
Here’s a bit of a collection of odd pictures taken in a variety of places that I either I think are good pictures or they evoke a memory that I cherish.
They come in no order as I don’t feel they need to. I have written a description of some of them and others need none. I hope you enjoy.
Vive La France
Yes, it is difficult to find good coffee to buy in France to make at home
Seen in the Corbiere region
The quintessential European scene. This one is in St. Antonin Noble Val
Corbiers grape. It’s almost the season for picking grapes. Should we stay in France?
La Citie – Carcassonne. The altar. An amazing nave
Carcassonne. Where don’t they have a ferris wheel.
La Cite – Carcasssonne. The Hotel de la Cite located right in the centre of La Cite – beautiful place
Lagrasse – a piece for the Ceres Franco collection. A must see if you go to Lagrasse. 2 houses packed with art
A farmer who has retired to town
Peyrerpertuse – the falconer
Peyrepertuse – the eagle has escaped and flying free
Cennes – nothing like the plane trees
Cap d’Agde. Haven’t stopped looking for that perfect offshore sailing vessel
Carcassonne – the tattoo shop
Montolieu – 1936- 1939 incarceration of Spanish communists during the Spanish Civil War
Commonwealth War Grave – Montagne Noir. A cemetery and monument to the resistance fighters of WW11
Montolieu – seen creeping around town
Brousse – the annual paper dress festival. Brousse has one paper making establishment still in operation. Worth visiting
Saissac – my getaway car
BYE
Chateaus, castles and abbeys
The last blog left everyone on the road in Beziers having dropped off our bicycles and Relax Rentals. We did make it back to Saissac by train and bus and since then have been exploring south and south-eastern France. This area includes the Aude Valley and the foothills to the Pyrenees.
Historically the area has been invaded many times, settled in by the Romans, conquered by the Visigoths, lorded over by the aristocracy, counts and feudalism, repressed by the Inquisition, administered by the Revolution, devastated by the Nazis, The summation above misses much of the history of the area and each can be delved into and explored in great detail. However, over the centuries the area represents two proud and strong cultures of Occitane and Catalan, both of which have survived through many changes throughout history. We have met people not only in Saissac but also in other areas here that proudly identify themselves as not French but rather Occitane or Catalan.
So, as part of our stay here we have made an effort to get out and see a little of the countryside and experience through walks, museum visits, château wanderings and lots of food and wine (!). Below are some pictures of chateaus, castles, museums, art, food, cities and people.
Of course, our first visit was to our local village Chateau:
The next château took a little more effort as did many of the others. To get to Chateau Montsegur was an incredible climb starting with a steep climb up into the mountains with the car and then a 1000metre climb from the parking lot up to the Chateau. We drove through the valleys of the foothills of the Pyrenees and slowly climbed up to a parking area. Our thoughts were on the sign which indicated an incredible view from the top of the Chateau and an incredible site. The picture looked like this:
Chateau Montsegur
And the reality was this:
No loss. We enjoyed what we saw and on our way to the next château we stopped for lunch one can see below the château in the ‘clear view’ picture of Chateau Montsegur. Our lunch was terrific and prepared us for the next climb at Chateau de Puilaurens a Lapradelle
That was it for that day. We certainly don’t like to rush things but by the time we got back to Saissac we were so enthralled with our tour that we got up the next morning to head down to view Chateau de Peyerpertuse a Duilhac. This is a most spectacular Chateau and if one has only one chance to see a Cathar castle then I propose this one is it.
It was a beautifully long climb up to the top and we were rewarded a spectacular view out over the valley and could even see the Mediterranean Sea. What a defensive position. Once at the top we timed it perfectly to be treated to a wonderful exhibition of falconry. Not only did the falconers have falcons but also vultures, a Pacific North West bald-headed eagle and an owl.
It was a spectacular showing of falconry skills and was amazing to be at such a height and see these birds circling the landscape. If you look carefully at the collage of pictures above there is a bald-headed eagle circling the Chateau. Amazing…
Ok enough of chateaus. We are now on to Abbeys, On the same day as visiting Peyrepertuse we looped around and headed back to Saissac through Lagrasse stopping for a look at an art gallery and then it was time to head back to Saissac.
However, undeterred we headed out the next day to view a few abbeys. Heading east in the morning we went through Narbonne, stopping at the central market to pick up a picnic lunch, and then on to Abbaye Fontfroide. Abbaye Fontfroide is held in private hands and is in amazing condition. As well as the Abbaye acting as a tourist magnet to the region the owners also have vast vineyards producing a corbieres variety of wine of very good quality.
We pulled out our cheeses, cold meats, fresh fruits and drinks on the property of Fontfroide surrounded by roses, planus trees and sculptures. Who can complain. The sun shone, no-one asked us to move on, it was quiet and so we munched on oblivious to the other tourists strolling through looking longingly at our lunch. Planning, planning, plannning….ha, ha.
After we walked around the Abbaye staring in disbelief at the beautiful gardens, the stain glass and the abbaye itself.
Our most recent foray and the last one for Sue as she was heading back to Victoria was a trip to take in one more abbey and a Chateau.
The first was the Abbaye Villelongue. It lies in the valley below us only a 20 minute drive from Saissac. Tucked away in a remote area on a very small road it presented an interesting contrast to all the others abbeys as much is in ruins but it is still a family home.
There is a very old garden which is still maintained and productive. It’s also a lovely spot to stay if one was looking for a quiet night or two in the countryside as there are several Auberge D’Hote including one run by the Abbaye.
Then on to our last Chateau for a while – Chateaux Lastours
Chateaux de Lastours as seen from the town below
Like all the châteaux, perched on the highest point and from a defensive viewpoint almost impregnable, but not quite for the persistent. No-one actually successfully besieged the châteaux but rather the inhabitants capitulated. There are actually 4 châteaux that make up the whole all of which are in ruin but there is still enough left to give a pretty good idea of their layout.
Almost last on the tour of the countryside was the Abbaye de Saint-Papoul. Again, another abbaye close to Saissac and all in pretty good shape.
We still haven’t completed our tour but we have lost an adventuring mate, Sue. Thanks Sue for being such a great driver and guide. I tried my best at navigation and we got lost lots of times but we always had fun discovering unexpected gems. And thanks Connie for putting up with all the detours, long days in the car and our penchant for searching out the most outrageous art.
Sue and Connie gaining the high ground to ensure no-one is following us and we are going in the right direction
And last but not least is the queen/king of all the Chateau – Chateau de la Cite de Carcassonne. It is a highlight because of the condition of the grounds around the Chateau but still within the walls. Up until 30 years ago there were still close to 30,000 people who lived within the walls of the city. But as tourism grows the walled city has become a huge tourist attraction. It’s still worth wading through people from all over the wall to get into the centre and see both the ramparts and the cathedral – both stunning.
A reminder of our other life
Canal du Midi – Day Five and Six
It’s true. I can’t believe I didn’t take my camera off my shoulder for day five cycling. It was a long day. Had to find our way out of Agde in which one is directed to go off the trail and take an alternate route which is much longer than the direct route along the ocean.
We were now ‘out in the open’. The day was blistering. The bitumen trail was hot but traffic at a minimum. Eventually we made our way around the Etang, or salt marsh, and back on to the direct route between Agde and Sete. I have to say that without the tablet
Agde to Sete
to help with navigation we would have had a hard time finding our way around the Etang. Supports for cyclists were minimal in terms of signage but once back down close to the ocean things changed drastically.
The old road between Agde and Sete had been converted into a bike path and a new road built parallel to the old road 1/2 km away. So, the path we got to ride along followed right along the edge of the dunes and we would get glimpses of the Mediterranean where access gulleys existed.
Photo by Leslie Ewing Converted road to bike path of 20+km
The cycling was hot and dry. However, there were bathrooms along the way where one could stop and refill water bottles, stand under the shade for a while and then on to the next section. This section between Agde and Sete is about 20km. By the time we got to the end of the path and the beginning of Sete we were ready for a beer or maybe more.
Drink French beer?
Finally we got back into the saddle and cycled through the town to our Airbnb accommodation we had arranged for the previous evening. It was a small apartment located very close to the main town market and a few minutes walk to one of the major waterways that make up the town.
Photo by Leslie Ewing
Art on the path
Sete is a working town. It’s not prettied up for tourists and I kick myself for not speaking good enough French to walk up to a group of fisherman at the docks and asking if I could take a picture of them as they mended their nets together. It was such a quintessential photo of the Mediterranean fishing port and I missed it.
A little more ethnic diversity than Saissac!
Sete also has a ferry which goes to Tangiers. Historically this connection is long-term and as a result there is a heavy Arabic influence on the town recognized by men in their djellabas and Muslim headgear. It’s a city reflecting more the diverse French population than places like Saissac and Carcassonne.
Sete’s earlier years saw numerous Italians settling as they became the mainstay of the fishing industry. There is an ‘Italian’ section of Sete that is quite colourful and is close to the downtown area.
Overview of Sete from the hilltop with the Tangier ferry in port
Who looks grumpier. Me, after walking up that damn hill or, grumpy cat?
The beaches do attract the tourists but they are to the south of Sete along the cycle route we had taken. To accommodate the beach lovers there are lots of resorts/hotels in the stretch leading into Sete but the town is thankfully isolated from their impact other than along the main shopping street.
Love the iron railings in France
Main waterway through town
We all stayed in town for two nights taking in the sites, eating some good food and taking in a Miro exhibit at the local gallery. Early the last morning we clambered on to the train with our bicycles and headed off to Beziers where we dropped off our bikes.
On the french train system SFR
As usual in Europe travelling on the trains with bicycles is a great way to go. Not all trains have bike facilities but the large majority do and at no cost. It makes travelling in Europe the easiest and even if you aren’t planning a week-long trip but rather going city to city then it’s a great way to travel. Having a bike once you are in a place makes sightseeing so easy as most cities are bike friendly.
Beziers was the terminus. We had cycled by Beziers on Day 4 of our trip but had not stopped in the city itself. So, we got there early, dropped off the bikes and walked around the town. It’s not a large city, 71,000 people, but is one of the oldest cities in France dating back to 570B.C.
Beziers Theatre
St.-Nazaire Cathedral
Inside St.-Nazaire Cathedral
Time to head back to Saissac. Our cycle trip was over and we were heading back to the mountains. We knew it would be cooler up there so it was a bit of relief to get back. However, we were all sorry the trip was over. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the company of Dave and Leslie. Till next time…
Connie and Leslie
Leslie waiting for the ‘mouth-watering’ food
Thanks Leslie, Connie and Dave for a great experience. The intrepid cyclists
Canal du Midi – Day Four
Yawn. Have to leave this wonderful Vin Auberge and get going but we’re taking our time. However, that’s not a good thing as we know we’re getting close to the coast of the Mediterranean, it’s the height of the summer tourist season and we may have difficulty in finding a hotel/accommodation for the night. So…
Getting ready to go from the Vin Auberge – Lesley, Dave and Connie
This was going to be a long day. We did not want to stop in Beziers, a larger city, as we were going to be returning our bikes to Beziers at the end of our trip and we wanted to stay in a smaller place. So off we went prepared for a longer than normal riding day.
12 arched bridge across the Canal du Midi
The architecture of the canal is amazing. A lot of the water that supplies the canal comes from the Montagne Noir which is where Saissac is located. It always amazed me as we cycled along that this was built almost 400 years ago. Anyway we are glad to see that there is a Canal authority in existence that is doing its best to maintain the canal providing funds to local communities that want to do improvements in their section.
The variety of condition varies greatly and is nothing like the trail along the Donau which is in magnificent condition. However, we were never deterred from using the path along the canal although at times it got a little rough. If we had been doing this in the rain it would have been a different story.
Some people aren’t so lucky. we would not want this to happen to Sage
Having said that about the trail here is an example of a slightly rougher section and all you have to do is add rain to this path and you can imagine what it would be like. As for the boat – well, some people either just tie their boats to the bank and leave them to rot or they’ve sprung a leak and end up as above.
The other item to note here is the condition of the plane (platanus) trees. “Ceratocystis platani, a wilt disease, has become a significant problem in recent years in much of Europe” (Wikipedia). For the canal, and a lot of the roads, in France it’s a big problem. Who knows what they will be replaced with. They are great shade trees and for cycling along the canal provide relief from the relentless sun.
Next stop was the Oppidium d’Ensurene. This was located on the route and included one of the few hills we had to climb. How easy can it get, eh? Well, it was my suggestion that we go up. And what a grind. After cycling 3 km almost straight up we got to the steepest point. We all started the last grind at the same time weaving all over the road to get to the top. We moved over when cars came by but to make it all the way up we needed to traverse the road to make it a little easier. At the top I was confronted by an irate driver who was in the parking lot who started to berate us for not staying on the right side of the road. I tried to explain, in my high school french, the difficulty of going up a slope like that without weaving. He wasn’t willing to listen and turned away in anger while the other young french couple listening shook their heads incredulously. I have to say this was the only negative incident in our whole cycle trip.
The oppidium dates back to the Romans. Unfortunately it was not open when we got there. But the view from above across the plain was incredible.
View over the Etang of Montady from the Oppidium d’Enserune
The picture above is taken from the Oppidium and overlooks the Etang of Montady which at one time was a salt lagoon which in 13thC was drained and turned to cultivation. I think this was my one regret from our cycle trip that we didn’t wait for the Oppidium to open allowing us to walk through the ruins and the museum. Perhaps we’ll return when we finish off cycling the Canal between Toulouse and Carcassonne.
Had a great ride down the hill back to the canal to continue on. Our next challenge was to find our way around the city of Beziers.
Beziers
The guide-book we were using, Cycling the Canal du Midi by Declan Lyons, warned us about the difficulty of finding our way past Beziers as the Canal takes many twists and turns and can be confusing. However, what amazed us again was the engineering that went into this section of the canal. Not only were there sections of the canal that incorporated multiple locks in one place
There were 5 locks in just this one spot
but there were sections of the canal that were bridges of water going over other waterways
Leslie rides along the canal du midi which is built over the River L’Orb
Another view of the canal and the River L’Orb
Atop the River L’Orb
We finally make our way around Beziers and onwards to the Mediterranean coast. True to the book’s description even here the path is questionable. However, sighting of cranes on the low marshy areas boosts our spirits and makes the going pretty easy.
Cranes along the route
We finally made it to our destination, Villeneuve les Beziers. Am afraid that I have no pictures from here and through the next day. I can’t remember if I took some and lost them or….
Canal du Midi – Day Three
Ah yes, the sun has risen, the bikes are cleaned the croissants eaten, the coffee slurped and off we go. Another day of great scenery but not so far to go this day. We slowed down a little covering less distance and taking more time to enjoy the scenery, have lunch and generally take it easy as this is no marathon and was never designed that way.
What wonderful bridges
Tow paths remained in fairly good condition
12 arched bridge across the Canal du Midi
Dave “I’ve had enough”.
We ended up stopping for the night in Poilhes, a beautiful small town where many of the barges owned by foreigners stay for the winter time tied up to the banks and under the bridges of town.
We lucked out scoring a great deal for a suite that would accommodate the 4 of us for 160 euros, 80 euros per couple. It was a huge self-contained suite complete with a kitchen two bedrooms and huge entranceway. It was located at one end of the town, quite and well-appointed. The name of the hotel as Vin Auberge. Click on this name to see more.
Dining room at the Vin Auberge
View over the local vineyards
Another day on the canal comes to an end.
Canal du Midi – Day Two
Oh my god, are we sore! Haven’t done this much cycling in a while so it took us a while to get going but going we did. And not only the next day but even that first evening. Being way out in the country and not equipped to prepare our own meal we cycled another 4km one way to the local town for a dinner at a hotel.
Satisfied with dinner we cycled, downhill, and back to the gite for a great night’s sleep but morning came to soon and we had to get our butts back into the saddle and move on.
Get moving. Must be early in the morning as Connie and Dave look refreshed
The canal path for the first day and a half was in pretty good shape as you can see above. There were not many instances of seeing a paved section most being hard packed gravel. The first few hours on the path were quiet with very little traffic on either the bike path or the canal. As late morning arrived we saw more cyclists, walkers, strollers and fishermen. The canal traffic was always quite light. There is no commercial traffic on the canal other than the tourist boats working out of the major centres taking people out on a day trip. The majority of the other traffic on the canal were rented canal boats with a very small smattering of sailing yachts transiting from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic or vice versa.
Canal du Midi – locking up
The above picture shows a sample of one of the many locks with two pleasure boats getting ready to move through one set. The canal as a whole is an example of an incredible engineering feat running a distance of 241km from Toulouse to Sete, on the shores of the Mediterranean. Commissioned in 1666 it was finished in 1681. The chief engineer was Pierre-Paul Riquet and the canal was built during the time of Louis XIV.
Approximate route of the Canal du Midi
Today the Canal du Midi provides a recreational ribbon using the old towpath used for the horses to pull the barges. The paths now vary in quality but nearly 100% of the path is navigable by bicycle. Passing small towns and villages one always finds people out exercising on the path. And for those wanting a water adventure there are always the barges you can rent to drive yourself or those that are more old world style and are like a fully crewed charter yacht.
One of the converted old barges now used for tourist travel on the canal
Or better yet for extreme luxury try clicking on this
This day took us from Marseillette to Le Somail – see map below
Our cycling route
or go to Google Maps
Our second day in the saddle saw bright sunshine, plane-tree lined canals, a relaxed pace and some wonderful scenery.
Another old barge re-fitted
Most amusing of all and my vote for best-managed lock on the system comes to the locks in the pictures below. Each of the locks is managed by a lockmaster. They have not automated the locks and the lockmaster usually lives on site and provides the required assistance to the traffic on the canal.
This particular lock had a lovely maintained garden and even a place to sit and have a picnic or a break.
Lockmaster’s home
In the lockmaster’s spare time he obviously enjoyed making sculptures out of old metal and many of these sculptures were quite unconventional,
Canal sculpture
idiosyncratic
Who’s the boss
or downright quirky
Ohh, time to get out of here
So, one more picture before we move on to the next lock
Lesley, Dave, Connie
One of the best parts of cycling the canal was that we could always stop in a small town, pick up some items for lunch and cycle on till we found a comfortable spot along the canal to take a longer break, enjoy the scenery and the passing traffic and dig in to great French bread, pate, cheeses, wines, cold meats, pastries – oops, I shouldn’t go on about the food. But then there’s dinner!
Before we could stop for dinner we, of course, had to find accommodation. Apart from the first night at Marseillette (Gite Sainte Marie) we had no reservations. We never had a problem finding accommodation and on this night we lucked out in Le Somail and the second place we asked at had two rooms very close to the canal.
Neptune Hotel – Le Somail
Le Somail is one of a number of places on the canal where charter companies operate from. There is an extended basin, usually turn around places for the old commercial barges, where the charter barges are stored and where the companies rent from and supply the boats.
For us, Le Somail, was a welcome break. We arrived around 1700hrs, found Hotel Neptune, had a shower and before dinner took a walk through the town and down the canal to see the sunset.
Sunset in Le Somail
Then it was time for dinner. Wow – great little place just outside the hotel, music during dinner and a wonderful table d’hote – see picture below for the starter, the wine and the dessert which were all excellent. High marks to this restaurant, L’O a la Bouche, my mouth is watering.
The menu
First course
The wine
Dessert at L’O a la Bouche
What a great way to end the second day on the canal.
Canal du Midi – Day One
At the end of the last blog I left you all in Saissac. The fact that we I mentioned we had a car came after a sojourn by Connie and I cycling the Canal du Midi and Sue rushing off to enjoy the decadence of Berlin.
Connie and I rushed off to join our friends Dave and Leslie on bicycles rented from Relax Bike Rentals in Beziers. The bike rental agency provided us with great bikes for the Canal du Midi path. They were equipped with bike bags for the rear racks and front handlebar bags. They were delivered to Carcassonne where we were awaiting the start of the next leg of the Tour de France.
Tour de France – Carcassonne
No, we were not renting the bikes to join the Tour de France but rather to do the Tour de Canal du Midi. We just happened to be in Carcassonne the day the Tour de France was in town and in the morning cycled right outside the apartment Dave and Leslie rented as they were heading out-of-town and down to the Pyrenees.
The next day we headed out of Carcassonne at a slightly slower pace than the Tour de France and in the opposite direction choosing the Canal du Midi instead of the uphill contours of the Pyrenees.
Cycle tour 2014 – the beginning. Beside the Canal du Midi in Carcassonne about to head off on day 1
The first day of our trip we were trying to take it a little easy. New saddles to try to get used to and stretching of those muscles to get the right rhythm for cycling. We didn’t carry anything to record the kilometres cycled but believe the first day we managed to cover about 40km. Certainly no marathon.
Day 1 – Carcassonne to Marseillette
According to the Google map above it should have taken us 1 hour and 6 minutes. However, that’s if we had followed the main road rather than the blue squiggly line that shows the Canal du Midi. What it also doesn’t show are all the sites along the canal such as the Caves, the locks themselves, the small bistros and the fields of sunflowers. We actually took about 6.5 hours to cover the distance and ended up at a wonderful farmhouse out in the middle of a vineyard.
Gites Sainte Marie
Relaxing
Saissac
Saissac – located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, Aude department and 25km north-west of Carcassonne along the D6113 and then the D29.
Saissac is a small village with a population of just under 1,000 people. It’s located in the Montagne Noir, a beautiful area just north of the valley of which the Canal du Midi runs through on its route between Bordeaux, to the west and on the shores of the Atlantic, and Sete, to the east on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Saissac is famous for the ruins of a Cathar château of which part of the construction dates back to the Roman times. Viewing the village from the main road into town the château dominates the landscape. Located below the existing village it’s a tourist attraction for those interested in following the Cathar trail through Southern France. The château is now a museum and work on restoration is slow but the work well done. 90 percent of the château is in ruins but it’s still holds one enthralled by the stunning site and if your imagination is fertile then one can envision the village and terraced hillsides and smell the fear of the inhabitants under siege.
The Château is located to the right hand side of the picture
The château lies on the lower confines of the old village. Hence one has to walk down through the village along the cobblestone streets. As a result we have numerous tourists who walk by our temporary home some stopping to ask us questions and others sitting by the fountain to have their lunch.
Walking towards the Chateau
Visiting the Chateau
On site in the château looking out over the Aude valley
Today the town consists of the remnants of the old village with cobblestoned streets, tight alleyways, fountains in every imaginable nook and cranny and shuttered windows hiding either the neglected interior or slightly open to reveal the renovation work of some foreigner or local who is trying to keep the old village alive. Then the other part of town consists of the ‘new’ village, a tightly packed in development of new single storey homes accessible by car.
There’s no shopping centre but there is the butcher and small grocery store on the outskirts of the village and a small grocery store in the old village all of which do a fabulous job of providing fresh produce, meat and various sundries to the townsfolk. In addition to the two small stores and the butcher the town is well served with a meat truck that comes on Thursday, the fish truck on Tuesdays and a small vegetable market on Sundays.
Sunday Saissac market
Without a car it calls for careful planning when it comes to the weeks shopping. One will never starve but one has to plan well for the weeks meals. I will say if there’s no food then there is always wine! The region explodes with vineyards. One can simply walk down the hillside to get a bottle filled with not the best wine but certainly a wine that in British Columbia would probably sell for $20! And here? It’s only 3 Euros.
Sue and Connie waiting at the Saissac bus stop for the bus to Carcassonne
Ah, life in a French village. Well, we have not been completely marooned in Saissac. Sue, our friend, and chauffeur has arrived back from her trip to Berlin with a car in tow. There are both the negative and positive sides of having a car. On the positive side it allows us to go out and explore. On the negative side it takes away from the slow life of the village and keeps our minds and bodies wandering throughout the countryside exploring all the wonderful secrets of southern France.
However, there are a few special times in Saissac. Of course, we were here for July 14th, La Bastille, Le Fete Nationale. Passing by our home on this special day were the dignitaries of the village and anyone else, like Connie and Sue, who wanted to join in. The marching band and entourage walked around all the important places in the old town ending up in the city hall square. For your amusement see the video. Along with this special fete we joined in the celebrations in the evening taking in the community dinner. Paella for 150 people cooked on the open fires of the community centre. Who has a paella pan this big at home?
Paella at La Bastille
And then there is always pitanque at the Saissac boulodrome.
Connie taking it all very seriously at the Saissac boulodrome
So, all in all life in Saissac is pretty good. Here are a few shots of our summer home:
The outside of our summer home #4 Place Aux Herbes, Saissac
And then there is the inside:
And
The inside of our home at #4 Place aux Herbes, Saissac
And that’s it for now. Next adventure is cycling the Canal du Midi…
Links to accommodations in the region:
Another link for Saissac accomodation – from here there are other links to homes for rent in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Then it’s a matter of looking at other sites list ‘Gites‘. But at least this gets you started
France, you say…
Our route – St. Antonin Noble Val to Saissac
Yes, France. What better place to spend the summer along the banks of the Canal du Midi and the Montagne Noir, sipping Blanquette de Limoux and hunting for truffles.
Herve, Connie and Evelyne on the upper patio St. Antonin
We left our friends, Herve and Evelyne, in St. Antonin Noble Val, and headed south past Albi to the
Strolling the streets of St. Antonin down to the Saturday market
Montagne Noir descending down to Saissac, our home for the summer.
Albi was our first exposure to the history of the Cathars with Albi acting as one of the centres combating the threat to the Catholic Church posed by the Cathars.
The central cathedral in Albi is an imposing structure that speaks to power. An imposing building with sheer walls rising hundreds of feet above the central square.
We spend part of the day wandering the streets of Albi visiting the inside of the cathedral, the Toulouse-Lautrec museum and the gardens of the Abbey.
All of these remarkable places are the introduction to the Cathar history permeating the Midi-Pyrennes region of south central France.
Albi Cathedral
Gardens attached to the Cathedral in Albi
We are going to hear and visit many of the places the Cathars resided and died in subsequent to the inquisition and persecution of the 13th centrury.
We left in the mid afternoon headed to Castres and Mazamet and up into the Montagne Noir. It was a beautiful drive along well maintained roads, lovely fields of sunflowers, wheat and grapevines and then through the dark paths of the Montagne Noir.
Then it was over the top of the Montagne Noir and down into Saissac, an ex-Cathar village of some 2000 people and the remains of incredibly well fortified castle/chateau of which much remains from what was constructed starting in 958A.D. Subsequent construction continued on right up into the 18th century by various parties including the Cathars. It was one of the strongholds of the Cathars but fell to assault in 1234.
This is our home for the summer:
The inside of our home at #4 Place aux Herbes, Saissac
The outside of our summer home #4 Place Aux Herbes, Saissac
Sage on sail 
