2025-france-part-5

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• Test part 5
• Sat 1st Feb
  A short distance from our overnight stop, the Abbaye de Saint-Michel de Cuxa.

  

  The cloisters have been reconstructed from original material, but the main structure is original, construction started in the late 900’s, and completed in the early 1000’s. Really old, and very little altered, although all the internal decoration has gone. We had an excellent audio guide, supplemented by an audio visual in the building, really well done and greatly enhanced the visit.
  A very structural pillar in the crypt.
  

  

  Very massive construction.
  Continuing our backtracking journey, we went to Serrabone Priory, a fascinating drive along narrow country lanes, culminating in a vertigous climb up a series of steep hairpin bends. As I was beginning to suspect as we approached, we have been here before, about five or six years ago. Still, a very nice place to visit, although very little there.

  

  A really nice terrace, with a superb view. This was built a couple of hundred years after the Abbaye above, in the mid 1000’s.
  Inside.

  

  

  The outside.
  

  A welcoming committee as we returned to the vehicle.

  

  I have an altitude app, so I was able to measure the drop as we descended the windy road down, just under 800 feet in about four minutes.

• Another day, another cloister
  This time Cloitre b’Elne, 12th century, so later than the ones yesterday and the day before, and therefore more decorated.

  

  

  The church was not at all interesting.

  

  There was a nice balcony above the building, with a view down into the cloisters, and the surrounding town.

  

  

  A short distance away is an Aire that we have stayed in before, next to a very nice restaurant, so we went there, after checking the restaurant is open.
  Piece of paper sellotaped to the door, opens 7th Feb.
  So that was a waste of time, and we are in an unpleasant Aire, would never have come here if we knew the restaurant was closed.

  

  Two further rows of motorhomes behind this one, good job we are out of season!

• Mon 3rd Feb
  A day that went wrong. I was planning a short drive down the coast to Collioure, just north of the Spanish border, where there is a castle, open every day of the week. Was surprised how rocky and hilly a coastal town it is, and gave up trying to find a parking space within walking distance (in my case, hobbling distance, bunions still a problem).
  Decided to drive west along the French side of the Pyrenees, to the next area, leaving Pyrenees-Orientales and into Aude. Eventually found a TIC in a town called Quillan. Decided there is not much open of interest in Aude. However, Quillan has a ruined very small castle…….

  

  And a surprisingly nice restaurant.

• 4th Feb
  My birthday. Late middle age is an increasingly distant memory.
  Woke to a thick fog, and a hard frost. Fortunately, the fog rapidly disappeared, leaving a cloudless sky and no wind. A perfect day.
  Drove to the Chateau de Montsigur, a ruined Cathar castle. The Cathars were a religious sect condemned by the Vatican as heretics. They worshiped the wrong god, or more probably, worshiped the right god the wrong way. Whichever, the Vatican wiped them out, in a bloody campaign. We went to another of their castles a few years ago, and it was fascinating. Peyrepertuse.
  This is the castle like chateau, from the car park.
  

  Very up, sore feet, should we go?
  

  Of course! That’s the motorhome down there. Sue declined the climb. The view was magnificent.

  Looking down at the village.
  

  

  Towards the higher Pyrenees.
  

  A passing Frenchman took my photo. (I took a couple of him on his phone)
  

  I wasn’t sure whether to wear my jacket. It was a mistake.
  The chateau castle, not much to It.
  

  

  

  In 1243, Hugh of Arcis, together with the Bishop of Narbonne, led an army of 10,000 to lay siege to the castle. The siege lasted 11 months, after which the Cathars surrendered. 230 of then were burnt to death, and this is a simple monument to mark the spot where it happened.
  

  The path was a trifle rugged.
  

• How not to present a castle.
  Foix castle rises impressive on a rocky hill in the middle of town, so inevitably a climb up to visit it, not too difficult.
  Having arrived, and paid the entrance fee, there are three towers to climb, all with rooms either in the tower or adjoining. All with a mix of furnishings, chests, tables, chairs. Nothing else. No information, in any language. No idea of its history, who lived in it, who built it, or when. Just nothing except loads of spiral staircases to climb.
  

  

  

  

  Left Foix rather disgruntled.

• Thu 6th & Fri 7th Feb
  Drove to Saint Lazier, just a short way north of Foix, and had a rather lazy day in a car park, but did visit the cathedral. Regrettably, the Palace was closed.
  The cathedral…..
  

  

  

  The cloisters

  

   

  I did climb up to the palace, and had a splendid view over the village, and the mountains in the distance.

  

   

   

• Then on to Saint Bertrand de Cumminges
  A hilltop town and cathedral. The view from our overnight car park.
  

  More cloisters. 12th century this time.
  

  

  The magnificently carved choir and rood screen, much later, inaugurated in 1535.
  

  

  

  Splendid organ and pulpit, very poor photo.

  

  General view

  

  Another poor photo, but this is the oldest part, eleventh century.
  

• Cont’d

  The eleventh century front.
  

  St Bernard de Comminges is described as one of France’s “Beaux Villages”. Interesting, certainly, old, definitely, but Beaux……

  The most Beaux street.
  

  And, described as a XVI century house.
  

  I bet it’s in better condition than when it was built.
  We’ve had a really good run of wonderful weather, cold starry night, and warm sunny days. As I write this , evening of the 7th, we are being buffeted by strong winds. Knew the sunshine couldn’t last, pity. Will see what tomorrow brings.

• Sat 8th Feb

  Woke to a light dusting of snow, which fairly rapidly turned to slush, as we drove to Mauvezin via a TIC (closed Sat & Sun, today is Sat), a BioCoop, they are pretty reliable, an Intermarche to do the washing, got in a mess with the drier, took three goes at 15 minutes a go, in a very busy slushy car park.
  But finally arrived at Chateau Mauvezin.
  And, what could be more convenient than that…..

  

   

  The castle, started in the 12th century, but extended and completed two centuries later. All display boards were multilingual, including English, and considerable effort made to show displays of medieval life in the various rooms. The courtyard had a display of medieval weapons, battering ram, trebuchets, slingshot (not come across this before, apparently very accurate, and capable of firing once a minute), and an assault tower for breaching walls.
  

  Inside photos……
  

  

   

  

  

  

  The top of the keep had a wooden roof, which rather detracted from original.

  

   

   

• That man again!
  

  

  So, not only did Simon de Montfort die at the battle of Evesham, fought centuries later in the War of Spanish Succession, but he was also killed in the siege of Toulouse.
  A fine view from the battlements towards the Pyrenees, on a rather grey and dull day.
  

• Sun 9th Feb

  A six minute drive from our castle eerie to Abbey Escaladieu, open every day from 10.00 am. When we arrived, a hand written notice on the gate informed us the abbey opened at 2.30pm. If only their website posted actual opening hours, we could very easily have come here yesterday afternoon.
  Thoroughly disgruntled, we trundled off to Lourdes. Put a M/H parking coordinates into the SatNav. About ten kms from Lourdes, took us up a really narrow very steep road, with multiple hairpin bends. Sue was most alarmed, I was most confused. I later realised, we had crossed the meridian line, east coordinate was minus, and, as we have encountered in the past, the minus sign is often omitted, don’t know why as it is an essential part of the coordinate.
  Anyway, found our way to our parking, and hoping for a couple of miracles, my feet and Sue’s cough.
  The church complex, built around 1880. I hadn’t realised it was so comparatively recent.
  

  The lower church.
  

  

  Above is a rather strange crypt, with relics, old bones.
  

  And above that, another church.
  

  Really don’t like the architecture we have so frequently encountered, very heavy and dark, it seems the desire for thin columns, gothic arches, and huge windows hasn’t penetrated southern France.
  

  Still, I suppose that’s what they want.
  As expected, the road leading here is full of shops selling “articles religioso” I was tickled by “Palais de Rosaire”.
  

  Returned to M/H, no miracles. Feet still sore, Sue still coughing.

  We have decided this area, although scenically attractive, is not so interesting, and as the weather forecast for northern Spain is excellent, we are going there. We started our last year trip in northern Spain, and we we’re really enjoying it, but were forced to flee south due to incessant rain, and forecast snow. And, the obvious way is via Canfranc. Again!

• Mon 10th Feb
  Journey to Canfranc was going nice and smooth, mountains getting closer, when we came upon a sign on our road which said the approaching Coll was firmly “ferme”.
  Didn’t even realise we were going over a pass until then, but had to backtrack, fortunately not too far.
  Weather was poor, light drizzle, clouds atop the mountains, so we played safe and went through the five mile long Somport tunnel, rather than the pass above, despite being open.
  Now in Jaca, first stop after crossing the Pyrenees, and waiting for the tourist office to open. Have to get used to, unlike France where lunch break lasts one and a half hours, lunch break in Spain lasts until early evening.