Mick Paskins Blog

2025 France Part 4

2025 France Part 4

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  • Saint-Roman Abbey
    A troglodytic structure in a large rock on top of a hill. First mentioned in 961, it went through a miriad of phases, including being converted into a castle. An interesting sentence from the brochure we were given.
    “Occupied by soldiers between 1574 and 1576, the castle owner launched an attack to regain possession of his property, but he killed himself by jumping off the top of the walls”.
    I think there must be more to that story!
    Also, “In the early 13th century, the site served as a stronghold when the Archbishop of Arles gave Saint-Roman Castle as a fief to Simon de Montfort…….”
    That name again! Died at the battle of Evesham, 1265.
    And, we came across him in Spain during the War of Succession. 1701 to 1714. Quite old then.
    The abbey rock.
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    The large hall. Originally divided into three levels.
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    The entrance to the chapel.
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    The view from the top.

    Looking the other way, the next hill.
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    Graves cut into the rocks….everywhere.
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    Another room

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    Seats cut from the rock in the chapel. Not allowed to try them out!

  • Sun 26th Jan

    Decided to stay the night at the Abbey car park, an isolated place half way up the hill. Quiet and peaceful, we were the only people there after about 5.00 pm. That evening, really pelted down with rain.

    Drove to Chateau Beaucaire, opens at 10.00.
    The chateau from below. I would describe it as a castle.
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    After toiling up, following signs to “Chateau Musee”, we reached this.
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    Not very chateau ish. Eventually found a sign saying opened at 2.00pm. Didn’t seem too much of an inside, so left. But not before I scaled the steps to the chateau battlements, an expansive view.

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    And yes, a splendid day weather wise. A bit disgruntled, we went to Pont du Gard, the tallest structure still standing from the ancient world. Apparently. Built by the romans in the first century BC.
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    The lower bridge, open to walk across, is a later addition.
    The view from the other side.
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  • Toiling up to the view point
    Sue declined.
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    I counted the steps on the way down. 95.
    Part way up.

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    The top.
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    Behind me when taking this photo, the water used to flow through a tunnel.
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    Tool marks on the tunnel wall.

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    Beyond the tunnel, the aqueduct gets rather broken up, and difficult to follow.

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    An astonishing structure, and so remarkable it has survived. Even more remarkable that it was built.

  • Mon 27th Jan
    We wanted to visit Nimes, but found the usual problem of parking in a large city. However, Sue found a website detailing Park and Ride sites. Couldn’t find out if they had height barriers, the bane of motorhome planning. Eventually, I looked at one of the sites on Google maps, and street view, although it didn’t show the entrance, did show a motorhome parked there. Great!, off we went, parked up and caught the bus into the centre. A very much Roman day.
    The arena of Nimes, the best preserved of all the Roman amphitheatres.
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    Even at the top of this huge structure, the walls are enormously thick.
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    What a wonderful thing to have slap bang in the middle of the city!
    Not far away is the Maison Carree, a temple built between the 1st century BC, and the 1st century AD.
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    Very plain inside, but interesting display boards.

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    The original dedication of the temple was lost over time, but a researcher climbed up to the parapet, and traced holes made to attach the original letters, and worked out the inscription.

  • Fwd: I found this on Google Images from www.maisoncarree.eu

    Begin forwarded message:

    From: Mick Paskins <mickpaskins2@gmail.com&gt;
    Date: 27 January 2025 at 22:28:10 CET
    To: Self <mickpaskins2@gmail.com&gt;
    Subject: I found this on Google Images from www.maisoncarree.eu

    Restitution de l’inscription – La Maison Carrée
    images.app.goo.gl/JQuW9ELAFX1gxm9u9

    Images may be subject to copyright.
  • Cont’d
    Our final destination for the day was Tour Magne, a lookout tower built into the long gone Roman wall round the city. This is situated on top of a hill, in what is otherwise a very flat city. Red rag to Sue! who always complains when going uphill. And, I havn’t mentioned it before, but I’ve got carbuncles on both feet, and they have rubbed raw, so I’m hobbling. Must have looked a right pair by the time we got to the top.
    Not very picturesque to look at.
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    The conical inside has a spiral staircase, built in 1843, per the inscription on it.
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    139 steps. Sue declined. Superb view from the top.
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  • Tue 28th Jan

    Travelled to Aigues Mortes, on the western edge of the Carmague. We have been to the Carmague a few years ago, but not here. We were very disappointed then, and really disappointed now.
    Aigues Mortes is a town completely enclosed by its original town walls, completed in 1300. Sounds interesting.
    The rather pristine town walls.

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    Two streets inside the town. In this one, the town wall on the left, 1950’s style houses on the right.
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    A street going through the centre.
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    We were expecting interesting architecture. Massive disappointment. About the only interesting sounding thing, an elaborately decorated chapel, was closed until 2.30.
    Went back about 3.00, still closed.
    Some consulation. Several restaurants, and because we are close to the sea, selling fish dishes. We saw them at lunch time, all quite busy, so we decided to go back in the evening.
    And when we did, they were all closed. Very odd, opening at lunchtime on a weekday, but not in the evening. This place certainly lived up to its name. Morte.
    Will move on with totally negative memories of the Carmague.

  • Wed 29th Jan
    Decided to move on…anywhere not the Carmague, but as we are out of the area covered by our guide book, we need the help of a TIC. Trouble is, they are always in the town centre, impossible in a motorhome. Did a great deal of research, and found we could park in an Intermarche car park in Narbonne, do the washing in their launderette, get some bio milk, and catch a bus to the TIC. Worked well…….except the large washing machine was out of order, so only did half the washing.
    Then, bus to TIC, there does not seem to be much in this area that is open, but an abbey is on the agenda for tomorrow. Then, very confused finding the bus stop to return. Eventually got on a bus, which went the wrong way. Actually, probably was going the right way, we were wrong. Got off, crossed the road to the opposite bus stop, and whilst trying to find if we were at the right stop, very small print and diagram on the bus stop, a bus came. And went. Damn, that was our bus. Next one 30 minutes. Waiting on the pavement in an unprepossessing side street confirmed Einstein’s theory that time throughout the universe varies.
    Eventually returned to our Intermarche car park, found an Aire about 15 minutes drive in a small village, and when we arrived there was one other person there. After parking, and walking Josie, started talking to him. He is German, passable English, and clearly was relieved to talk to someone. Told me he had just spent 10 days in hospital, is epileptic, not allowed to drive or drink. He then insisted on giving me 11 litres of wine. Asked me to move his motorhome tomorrow, so that it is in the sun to allow his solar panels to recharge his batteries. Apparently waiting for someone to come here, and drive him home to Germany. Seems like a life changing moment. We invited him for a meal, and we all spent the evening together. Didn’t understand everything he tried to tell us, but before retirement he worked with trees, probably an arboriculturist, which he learnt from his grandfather. He several times referred to his accident, which resulted in his present condition, but never did find out.
    We got on very well with him, wonder what tomorrow will bring.
  • Thu 30th Jan
    Moved the German’s van into the sun. We think his name was Andre. When I got up this morning, found two croissants hanging in a bag on the M/H.
    I had found reference to an ice house a few minutes walk from our campsite, so we went to have a look. Built in the mid 1600s.

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    Then drove to Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistertion monastery, added to over the centuries, but largely unaltered, hence very austere.
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  • Abbey Fontfroide more pictures
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    View from the terraced garden overlooking the abbey. On a nice sunny day, it was a superb setting, at the top of a wooded valley.

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  • Fri 31st Jan
    Didn’t achieve a great deal today. Drove to a TIC, have a list of places to visit, and set off for the first on our list. Slow driving along very narrow scenic roads, then hauled up into the foothills of the Pyrenees. Turned out the route to the abbey was a 1.6 km walk, and an ascent of 300 metres. Sue refused. I will always wonder what is up there…..
    Now parked up, just over 2300 feet up, so chilly, under a cloudless sky. First time for several days I’ve felt the need to put the windscreen insulation cover on.