Carcassone

While we were in Provence, we saw some of the usual sights, the Pont d’Avignon just outside of the walled city of Avignon, for example.  This area was so crammed with tour buses though (I mean they were literally ringing the walls) that we shuddered a little and kept on going without spending time inside the city.  I think I would like to go back some day and see more places, but in the off-season.  No more summer travel in France, unless it is before July. 

We decided to follow this guy in the old FJ...  Ken about had a heart attack when he saw this.  It was all he could do not to run up to the car window and beg the old farmer to buy his rig.

 

On the way to Carcassonne, we did have a prolonged visit with the Pont du Gard.  Having such hot weather, it was delightful to wade in the Gardon river and try fruitlessly to catch all the small fry and minnows swimming in the shallows.  Next time, it would be nice to rent canoes and spend some time drifting down the ancient river way.  Some people tried it, but kept getting stuck in the shallows.

Just inside the entry gates.

I’m not sure what to say about Carcassonne.  It is one of our most favorite things about France.  Maybe the only thing all four of us would agree on so far!  It is really a very, very cool little spot that everyone should see in their lives if they get the chance.  There has been a human settlement in this location, of one type or another, for over 2500(?) years.  The city as it stands now was built over the ruins of a Roman settlement around the year 950.  It has been preserved as it stood around the year 1400.  People still live in the city.  And maybe the best thing about it is that even though it is a tourist destination with touristy shops, it hasn’t been corrupted in the Disney/amusement park fashion.

There is an amazing chapel covered in frightening gargoyles.  Their grimaces are made more menacing by the history of the place.  People were tried of heresy to the Catholic Church, convicted and then bad mojo would occur.   

Harbinger of very bad mojo.

There is a chateau built on the upper levels of the city that you can tour to get a feel for the living spaces of medieval days.  Two walls ring the city as a means of defense, and now in the summer, jousting tournaments are held.  It was pushing 100 degrees when we were there, so we declined to attend.  The sunshine bouncing off those stone walls made it feel like a pizza oven, and we were the dough. 

We stayed at a B&B called Le Jardin de la Cite.  Another great find.  It is literally a 5-minute walk to the gate of the city.  This allowed us to go early in the morning before the tour busses arrived, play around in the city walls and make a dinner reservation for 8pm that night.  We could go back to Le Jardin for the heat of the day, and then back to the city for several hours of relaxed dining and more exploring.

The owners are a mother and son who are extremely warm hosts.  The accommodations did make me feel like we were staying at a relative’s house, because it really is their house converted into several guest suites.  And it had a pool – and a wonderful hilltop location that caught the breeze.  And lizards, and horses next door and barn cats with their kittens.  Cute, cute kitties.

The city as seen from Le Jardin at dusk