Travel Journal

Aude, France (Jul 2015)

Liz and Paul now have a pied-à-terre in the Aude in south-central France - 'Cathar Country'. Laura and I joined them for a few days in July, flying in and out of Montpellier. (Tristan and Tom were in residence but Matt was on a tour of the US at the time). The weather was scorching, but that didn't stop our tour guide (Paul) from showing us the sights. Lovely holiday - we'll be back!

Castelnau-d'Aude

Liz and Paul's villa is in the tiny village of Castelnau-d'Aude, mid-way between Carcassonne and Narbonne. Lovely place to stay with excellent hosts!

The area in and around Castelnau-d'Aude is lovely. The river Aude and the Canal du Midi both run within a mile or so to the north of the village, and the Lac de Jouarres near Homps is a good alternative to the longer trip to the Med.

If there was to be a complaint ... it would be nice if there was a boulangerie, maybe even a bar, in the village!

Minerve

A short drive north of Castelnau is the medieval village of Minerve. In the 13th century, during the crusades against the Cathars, this was the site of a famous siege and subsequent massacre. Sobering history, but a fascinating place to visit.

Gruissan

One of the closest points to Castelnau on the Mediterranean Sea is Guissan, just beyond Narbonne. Liz's friends Michelle and Mark have a penthouse apartment there - very nice.

We visited on the same day that the Tour de France à la voile arrived. Carnival atmosphere and great fun.

Abbaye de Fontfroide

A trip to see (Liz and) Paul in France isn't complete without visiting an Abbaye! The Abbaye de Fonfroide was a great choice - very serene and welcome relief from the searing heat. The walk to the cross on the hill overlooking the abbey was tough, but at least there was a cache at the top!

Viaduc de Millau

En route back to the airport at Montpelier, we took a 'slight' detour to the Viaduc de Millau. Absolutely breathtaking!