Blogs from Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Europe - page 4

Apologies to anyone who had trouble with the pictures in the last blog entry from St Guihem le Désert. There was a system problem that prevented all photos on all blogs from displaying for about a day and a half. All seems to be well again. Carcassone We had google mapped Carcassonne before we left home but we cleverly just got off the train and started walking. We figured we could find the tourist office without a detailed map and we did. The very helpful lady gave us a city map and told us to turn left, go through the square, cross the bridge and follow the road up the hill to the entrance on the other side of the fortress. Twenty minutes. Piece of cake. Pride goeth before a fall. We cut through the square ... read more

In the last blog I mentioned I had come down with a nasty cough and cold. It really got in the way of being an energetic tourist and blogger. Fortunately, Dianne didn’t succumb to the cold and I seem to be on the mend. During this period we took it pretty easy. Fortunately our base camp is well situated for walks around the old city and, being near a tram stop, we can jump on a tram and go all over Montpellier to start our walks in different locations. The low point of the trip so far, was Thursday, February 28th. How do I know? Well, Dianne took exactly one picture. It was of me taking a nap. Zoo Getting to the zoo involves a long tram ride followed by a transfer to a local bus. ... read more

Yesterday, we popped across to the bar, "Le Terminus," for a drink. Today, in the course of exploring this little tiwn, we ended up there THREE TIMES. Fortunately, due to the times of day, our order was different each visit (small coffees, then teas, and finally wine/beer), so we never got to the "Comme d'habitude, M'sieur-dame?" stage! Parts of the town are lovely and well maintained, but other streets, nearby, seem run down or even abandoned. Strange. We met some Brits who live here, but we agreed we could never do that - too isolated, surrounded by all those mountains! Anyway, we've enjoyed our visit, but we're ready to move on tomorrow.... read more

Today's hike was Caranca Gorges. Again, locating the trailhead was a challenge. The gorge was beautiful and the hike challenging. I love these hikes. The scenery combined with the physical challenge to my body, I feel like I am using my body as it is intended...the machine like quality to climb the mountain, the dexterity and coordination not to stubble along the rocky terrain, and the mental fortitude to believe whatever comes up is meant for me. The path took us near the river and then up a steep ascent (70 floors of climbing according to the iPhone tracker). From the peak of the hike, we could see the what we assumed to be the return path (a tunnel blown out of the rock on the opposite side of the river. The trees were probably a ... read more

This one was a short trip on the land of the good men, as Cathars were called. The Cathars believed that materialism was corrupted and only by the ascetic way of living, a good man could reach paradise. Anyone could have told by the places where they built their castles. Who could live there? Cold, wind, isolation... the Cathars were really strong people in their beliefs. So the road trip started with Quéribus and Peypertuse castles. I stayed near a small village called St Paul de Fenouillet. Actually I tried Gamping for the first time there. It's an awesome concept. I was alone, near the vineyards and a river, where I could bathe the wild way. It was a marvellous spot for painting. I also visited les Gorges de Galamus, natural pools surrounded by super dangerous ... read more