After a few hours sleep on Thursday at 3 am - I headed off to Long Ashton where I met Mel and Rob and made our way to the Airport. After a shorter than we expected flight we ended up at Beziers and hired a car and took a trip to the Cap - De Agde. I had planned to do a bit of reading before I left - but following fairly hectic events at work it meant that I have had little time to read up on the region. We spent some time at Cap De Agne and even managed to make a small splash in the med and had a pleasant lunch.
We then moved on to Beziers. I love French towns and I Love how all the regions all seem so different. This one was very different from my normal Normany-Brittany trips of the past and my first glimpse of mediteranean France. A walk around Beziers and after bit of reading I was intrigued to find out about the Cathars - a form of pre-reformation heresy that I hadn't come across although typical of the region. Having read Laurie Lee's 'as I walked out one summer morning' I was excited to see the pyranees in the distance! However I had no plans to walk away with just a violin to make a living with!
Anyway Beziers had quite a bloody history with Simon De Montfort rounding up thousand of people for execution. I was also intrigued later to learn that I had past several routes to St Iago (st James de Compestella). The architecture here following the usual French medieval plans - strangely unlike English medieval towns not appearing to have burgage plots. We had a good look around the cathedral of St Nazaire. St Nazaire cathedral like many in the region seemed partially built but on an excellent hill tip site. We arrived at our campsite at Le nautique at six and examimed the caravan which was in a very well kept site next to a lake.
Friday - I was very excited to head off towards the Pyranees. We drove through some very mediteranean country. I was intrigued later to read that some of the early theologians - arinanues e.t.c. that I had read and written some very dry essay about at Lampeter had been active in this region. A few burnings at the stake seemed to liven the stories up! Anyway we drove on through some hills looking at the vines and eventually stopped at Durban Corbiers where there was a pattisorie and some interesting architecture and lots of dogs! I am always bemused about the amount of dogs one sees in France. I was saddened to see stray kittens in several car - parks - if I had a chance I would have taken them home. What can you do?
Anyway anther feature of Durban was the dried up river in the centre. We then drove on through Tuchan and arived at Quirbus - a keep perched somewhat precariously on an outcrop with a steep path up to it. We walked to the top and had excellent views over the range and Pyranees in the distance! We wandered down and had lunch and set off for another larger castle at Pyrepetus which certainly was very photogenic. We had quite a steep climb here and admired the handgliders from the chapelle St Lawrence.
We left here and headed for a gorge (nr St Poul) where we walked along watching people far below walking down the gulley - river! We also passed a hermits home.
On the way back we stopped in a bar/restuarant in . It was a lively place and reminded me of some of the places I had where I had meals in Dinard - almost 8 years ago. I'm always fascinated by the characters in French towns. Again I was bemused by a man at the bar cuddling his dog - not something you would see in your average English booxer. Mel and Rob had a local dish and I settled for a four cheese Pizza. It was quite late by the time we got back.
On the saturday we headed out again to Carcossone via Lasours slightly north. We stopped off at a Pattisorie and then headed off into some French country towns. I'm always intrigued by these small places. I have to admit a slight error on my part led us to taking a small lane through some vine fields and past a most romantic romansque 12th cent church which looked quite neglected and deserted and not in use either.
We evetually ended up at the pretty village of Lasours where we experienced some of the scary loos in France. French loos have a reputation. In Paris I found them to be ok - same in Brittany. However this region seemed to specialise in the bidet which according to the French is supposed to be more hygenic but to my mind - urghhhh! Anyway we had a nice hot cholate in a cafe where my welsh and french got mixed up buying cakes! Anyway we eventually headed up to he castle and enjoyed some excellent views if slightly painful legs!
We headed off to Carcasonne - later on and visited the castle although we couldn't get in to the main section. However we enjoyed looking at this impressive citadel erected by the Trencavel family (I wonder if there is a celtic link with the Cornish name Pencavel?) and had a look around the citadel. Like all good invading barbariens we had a glace - or some people (me) two! We had a walk around the ramparts and then around the basillica and around Ye Medieval shops.
Next we invaded the town which seemed a pleasant enough place with some excellent art - neveau buildings. Even the drunk near a local bridge was polite. However one native in a cafe saw us eyeing his menu and said 'non' in a get-out-of- my -restaurant -before- I-behead-you voice' I felt like adding fuel to my large stake by saying I have a hugenot surname but I think he would have served me up with his frites if I had!
We eventually found a friendly enough place near the castle and then had a trip home with Rob looking for Petrol quite urgently as most stations were closed.
On the sunday we headed off for Norbonne where we a somewhat seedy street market in practice. However it was an intriqueing place and reminded me a little of Vannes or Quimper. A massive half built cathedral. I was also fascinated to that the Hugenots had been busy in the cathedral smashing the heads of the reredos figures. I was suprised that they had come this far south as they were mainly from La Rochelle and Northern France. I guess this must have been the earlier wave of hugenot Calvinists rather than the later groups of the late 18th cent.
We had a good look here and enjoyed some cakes on one of the main streets after climbing a steep tower in the town hall. We had a quick look around and found La Marchand pont bridge which amused me.
We then headed off to Norbanne Plage and St Paul where the sea was quite rough. Remembering my last big swim in similar conditions at Bude I had wished I had brought my swim stuff along - will have to wait until I borrow Alans wet suit when things are warmer. After Piella and meeting a friendly dog we headed off to Groussane where we walked by the town and saw some flamingos in the estuary.
A very enjoyable holiday. A huge thankyou to Rob for driving and for Melanie for organising!
Next morning we flew back to the current financial crisis and the nationalisation of the high street banks. However it does warm my heart that some of the capitalists who have made millions off of the back of others might walk away poor men although I doubt very much they will be living on a run down council estate and sending their kids to the local comp. It also warms my heart that nationalisation is happening - much as I thought it might several years ago when it seemed that consumerism and capitalism/greed might remain order of the day. As much as I want nationalisation I never ever thought it would come back again albeit in not quite the form I hope for. All we need now is for the public service sector to be renationalised and the Miners to get their Justice - although sadly too late for the miners I fear. I was equally annoyed to see a Government Minister, Harriet Harman visiting Henbury in todays news. The area has had a new school - but people get a rough deal here in terms of investment in amenities and policing - that tends to follow where certain local councillors live. One hopes that maybe she might go back and redress the balance between working and middle classes - I say tongue in cheek but having said that I never expected to nationalisation again in my life time! Britain remains to my mind as class and status conscious as sadly it ever was.
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