June 29: Carcassonne—Toulouse—Lourdes

Today was moving day as we bid farewell to Carcassonne and made our way to Lourdes by train.

We got an early start and hurried past Place Carnot, which was already buzzing with Saturday Market, and onto the train station.  Our plan was to catch the TGV (high speed train) to Toulouse and then switch to a regional train to Lourdes. 

The Kreugers are a railroading family and so we were all looking forward to this day.  However, this was not to be!  Electrical issues in Toulouse and a track problem near Carcassonne delayed all trains 2.5 hours and cancelled many, including all TGVs.  Crestfallen, we eventually made it to Toulouse, bought our tickets for Lourdes and then sought out a cool place to wait in the station.  The heat wave that France is experiencing makes afternoons unbearable.  Our two—hour trip to Lourdes was very hot as the air conditioning in our car broke down.  The conductor brought us water and eventually some seats opened up in a cooler car.

Arriving in Lourdes we were taken aback by hustle and bustle of the city’s main drag. I imagined that this is what Vegas would look like if it had been designed by the Pope.  Trinkets, Holy Water containers, rosaries, and every imaginable item emblazoned with the image of St Bernadette, were for sale in nearly every store and hotel lobby.  The street was full with the crush of pilgrims procuring souvenirs and meandering their way down to the Holy site of St Bernadette’s visions.

We barely had the energy to get our Camino Passports stamped and find a place to eat supper and so we decided to check out shrine complex in the morning. I’m not sure how I feel about holy water, miracles, and the like, but tomorrow I plan to wash my Toronto Maple Leafs tattoo with Holy Water and see what transpires over the next season.  It certainly can’t hurt!

June 28: Carcassonne

Our early morning hike wended past the citadel as the sun broke brightly above the horizon behind us at 6:12 a.m.  Immediately past the citadel, the countryside began with lush green vineyards.  As we walked, we gratefully inhaled the fresh morning air — such a relief after the stifling heat of the previous day and evening!  After 5 kms, we reached the top of “Pech Mary” hill and were rewarded with a fabulous view of the citadel, Carcassonne, and the landscape beyond (we would have seen the Pyrenees Mountains, as well, but it was far too hazy today).

Back at our apartment, there was jubilation as we received word that Betty’s package had finally arrived and was being held for her in the dress shop downstairs!  She immediately rushed down and retrieved it — her rain jacket, which she had forgotten in Robion and which Claire had kindly mailed to Carcassonne via express post.  Phew — it got here just in time, as we’ll be leaving here early tomorrow morning, to head to Lourdes!  Jim joked that we should be sure to not get rained on now (Murphy’s Law)!

June 27:Carcassonne

What do you do in Carcassonne when the daily weather forecast is 39 degrees? You get up before the sun and hike 14 km to and around Lac de la Cavayere. Then you take the bus home for an early siesta. 

The hike this morning was very reminiscent of the Spanish camino passing beside  vineyards and paths lined with wild flowers. Although shorter in distance from yesterday’s,it was much hillier and certainly more challenging. I have still not learned to love hills since the last camino!

The actual lake was quite interesting. It had a lovely (but hilly) path around and was home to many different adventures such snow and water ski jumping, a floating obstacle course, and a massive outdoor adventure park for, from what we could see, middle-aged men. I have captured photos of some of these below. 

We have now completed all of the local hikes except for a 4 km hike to a vantage point for the ‘perfect’ photo of la cite. We will attempt to do this after it cools down tonight.

June 26: Carcassonne

Our plan was to use Carcassonne as a training ground for our Lourdes—St-Jean-Pied-de-Port Camino walk, so early this morning we headed for the Canal du Midi intent on clocking some flat kilometres in the direction opposite from yesterday.  The tranquil canal path gradually transformed into a tangled way of thorns, vines, and reeds that Betty named the “Route Savage.”  By this point, the bank was too high and steep for us to climb to the road so it was push on or back track.  I insisted that the path was made by walkers like us and not feral animals or hobos.  Persistence paid off when we finally emerged from behind a barrier on the other side to rejoin the well-trodden route.

The morning was warm with a cooling breeze and the tree-lined canal offered a shady path for us to follow. Our early conversations were punctuated only with stops to admire the vista or to wave at canal boats.  There is generally a dearth of public toilets in France and the Canal du Midi is no exception—I mention this because my walking companions require more sanitation infrastructure than I do and therefore have a shorter walking radius.  After passing a restaurant and two cafes that were, unfortunately, closed until later in the day, we needed to amend our route and return back past the same cafes (still closed) to the Carcassonne train station for relief.  To our chagrin, the restrooms at the train station were under repair so it was a very brisk walk back to our apartment.  Our 16 km walk earned us each a shower, lunch and a siesta.

After a few hours of R & R, we ventured back out into the heat for shopping and a trip to the Museum of Beau Arts.  Betty found a new dress and we all found a picture we liked at the museum (mine was “The Haircut “). Then it was back home for supper and some Netflix.

June 25: Carcassonne

Today, we strolled along the Canal du Midi from Carcassonne to the village of Trèbes (a total walk of 14.5 kms); being a canal-side path, it was mostly all flat and level, which we quite appreciated.  We headed out fairly early, at 7:15 am, in order to beat the forecasted high temperatures, which turned out to be a good plan, since the high today was as hot as predicted — i.e. 34 degrees C.  Most of the path was shaded by huge plane trees and other greenery, plus a gentle breeze also provided some comfort.

Interesting sights we saw along the canal:  boats (naturally), both docked and moving; locks being opened, the water level changing, and boats going through; coypus* swimming; swans swimming; wild flowers blooming; cyclists passing us; graffiti; and vineyards loaded with tiny developing grapes.  We didn’t see any other birds, but we sure heard them singing as we wandered past.

On arrival in Trèbes, we stopped in at a canal-side cafe for a cup of coffee, then caught a bus back to Carcassonne (the fare was only one euro = C$1.50), where we bought some fresh fruits in the market that had set up in Square Carnot, near our apartment, and then had a siesta.  We finished the day with a short neighbourhood walk and enjoyed watching children play in the fountain and ride on the carousel in Square Gambetta.

*A coypu is a good-sized rodent, an invasive species indigenous to South America

June 24: Carcassonne

Happy Jean Baptist! I was actually surprised to see no evidence of celebration or even acknowledgement of this fete in Carcassonne. 

Another perfect day here-around 30 Celsius with a lovely breeze. We spent the majority of the morning and early afternoon touring the Chateau in the inner sanctum of Le Cité de Carcassonne. The entire Cité de Carcassonne is so overwhelming and beautiful it is hard to choose a focus for this entry. I have decided to share (thanks to Wikipedia) the legend of why it is called Carcassonne.

The legend takes place in the 8th century, during the wars between Christians and Muslims in the southwest of Europe. At the time, Carcassonne was under Saracen rule and Charlemagne's army was at the gates to reconquer the city for the Franks. A Saracen princess named Carcas ruled the Knights of the City after the death of her husband.

The siege lasted for five years. Early in the sixth year, food and water were running out. Lady Carcas made an inventory of all remaining reserves. The villagers brought her a pig and a sack of wheat. She then had the idea to feed the wheat to the pig and then throw it from the highest tower of the city walls.

Charlemagne lifted the siege, believing that the city had enough food to the point of wasting pigs fed with wheat. Overjoyed by the success of her plan, Lady Carcas decided to sound all the bells in the city. One of Charlemagne's men then exclaimed: "Carcas sonne!" (which means "Carcas sounds"). Hence the name of the city. legend takes place in the 8th century, during the wars between Christians and Muslims in the southwest of Europe. At the time, Carcassonne was under Saracen rule and Charlemagne's army was at the gates to reconquer the city for the Franks. A Saracen princess named Carcas ruled the Knights of the City after the death of her husband.

The siege lasted for five years. Early in the sixth year, food and water were running out. Lady Carcas made an inventory of all remaining reserves. The villagers brought her a pig and a sack of wheat. She then had the idea to feed the wheat to the pig and then throw it from the highest tower of the city walls.

Charlemagne lifted the siege, believing that the city had enough food to the point of wasting pigs fed with wheat. Overjoyed by the success of her plan, Lady Carcas decided to sound all the bells in the city. One of Charlemagne's men then exclaimed: "Carcas sonne!" (which means "Carcas sounds"). Hence the name of the city.

I have included in the many photos below two sculptures of Dame Carcas and judging by these she had a very round face! She could easily have been a Kreuger.

We ate cassoulet and poulet de Carcassonne on the terrace of a restaurant within the walled city. On the way home we stopped at an ancient Abbey to purchase our French Camino passports. The passport is a concrete reminder that we are in France to walk...

Laurel and I are currently in siesta mode while Jim is whipping up a Clafoutis for dinner. I will certainly post a photo of the results.

We ended the day with a gentle 8.5 km walk through Gambetta Sguare and along the Aude River

 

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