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Published: July 28th 2008
Sorry its been a few days since I last updated the blog. Travelling rural France has its downsides, lack of internet cafe's in quaint villages and the price of beer.
The train trip from Barca to Perpignan was short with no mishaps. We sat next to 3 Venezuelan chaps travelling Europe during their US summer break from college in the US. Pretty normal fellows - not that there is anything wrong with South Americans. Talking to them reminded me how similar their countries situation is to Zimbabwe's with Hugo Chavez the Robert Mugabe of South America. I digress.
France and a car for 8 whole days!!!!!! The timing is perfect to give our weary legs a long rest. The usual sign language and broken English later we received the keys for a left hand drive diesel Peugeot 207, bags in the boot, aircon on (it's still in the mid 30's), prepare myself for mad French drivers and small village lanes and we're off!
Well, for about 5 seconds!! Stupid car made an outrageous squeal. Standard checks: doors shut properly; lights off; seatbelts on. In the end we gave up! Luckily so did the car as after 10 mins
French Village
The village stirred when the fish van arrivedit eventually shut up.
Departing Perpignan for a 2nd time, we made our way towards Carcassone, a small town dominated by a fairytale-like castle. After about an hour into the journey we decided it was time for lunch. Not having had a decent breakfast, I pulled into the first establishment bearing a "Snack bar" sign. We parked the car in what was previously a petrol station forecourt and marched quickly into the shady resturant. Shady being the operative word! The place was a strip-club! A strip joint amongst the vineyards in rural France??? Those farmers wives must believe their are many fences for their husbands to mend in the eary mornings! €12 later for 2 ham baugettes, and some choice comments from the passenger seat, we departed yet again.
Vineyard after vineyard after vineyard, not that I am complaining, wine costs €2 a bottle. Rual France is beautiful, forested hills accompany the vineyards and canal network throughout the region making the trip to the campsite we would be staying at for the next 3 days most enjoyable.
Situated on top of a hill, well off the beaten track, the campsite was small, well run and filled with
Dutch men - the real one's. The English owner, together with his portugese wife, labrador called Hottie - who barked everytime you ventured near the house and their 2yr old son had moved to France to get away from the London rat race. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay their; clean, quiet, a great view and friendly fellow campers. Kathryn wasn't too sure about this on the first morning. Taking too long to get out the tent, I missed the baker who passes through the campsite each morning. An elderly man seeing this, offered me half of his baugette - no he wasn't naked and hiding in the bushes - I kindly refussed and headed off to the toilet. Arriving back at the tent, I was greeted by a startled Kathryn, sitting in the tent with half a baugette. The kind old fella had simply gone to our tent and shoved half the roll into it while Kathryn was still sleeping!
The palace in Carcassonne really does look like a fairytale castle. You almost expect to see seven dwarves hi hoing their way down the hill. The chateau in the centre of the walled palace, is the only area you
Carcasonne Palace
Window shopping, I hope! have to pay to enter. Like most of the attractions we visited, the outside is often more impressive than viewed from within so we gave the chateau a miss. Inside the palace walls there are many shops, restaurants and hotels and is a great way to idle away the day strolling through the narrow streets window shopping.
The remaining 2 days was spent driving through small villages in the region admiring their simple way of life. We also spent a rediculous amount of time in supermarkets. With no fridge you we had to buy fresh groceries each day. This was made more difficult buying for 2. in the end we wondered if it was cheaper to eat out in restaurants???
The next destination Provence!
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