28 June 2012 - Conques-sur-Orbiel Carcassonne

Yesterday we were on the road from the Dordogne down to Cathar country.  First we had to clean our apartment to the satisfaction of the owner - in the end we surpassed her expectations (surprise!).

4 hours later and $40 in tolls we arrived in Conques-sur-Orbiel (according to the GPS) and then read the fine print in the booking details.  A U-turn involving 20 blocks of a very small village afflicted with two-way streets 2.5m wide and a one-way system in parts, a dash down the local highway, brisk discussions between the navigator and the driver and 4km of roads 1 car wide with weeds/wild flowers growing up 2m high either side and large trucks heading in the other direction through vineyards and scrubby woodlands we eventually turned into a farmyard that had old wagon wheels scattered round, white washed buildings and 2 delightful apartments built into part of a ruined barn. Our hostess Jilly turned out to be an English high-flyer who had decided to head for France and the relaxed pace of life.  She, her husband and their young son run the accommodation (more units in preparation) plus a farm that includes a horse, 30 goats and a lone emu left over from the previous owner flock of ostriches.  Apparently an egg had been left and hatched independently, but why an emu egg happened to be on an ostrich farm has not been explained.

Not what you expect to see in France.

We crashed out in the afternoon and then headed into the ancient city of Carcasonne for dinner,  Unfortunately the recommended restaurant was closed on Tuesdays, so we were sucked into a VERY EXPENSIVE restaurant in the gardens below the castle.  Food sort of OK, but service slow and so-so.  We walked out without desert feeling hard done by.

 Walls of Carcassonne

Today we returned to the walled city of Carcassonne to visit the castle and learn a little more about it.  Originally fortified in Roman times, the fortifications were improved in the 12th century with the Cathcar community needing a safe refuge,  The Cathcars were religious zealots who rejected the corruption of Rome and were consequently labelled as heretics (an excuse for France to grab the lands on the Spanish border).  The Cathcars were ruthlessly dealt with and the French improved the defensive capabilities of the town. 

 Looking along the ramparts of Carcassonne

After wandering around the ramparts with a delightful guide we grabbed some food from the local supermarket and headed north into the hills to find a lake with swimming beaches.  Due to the signs to the lake facing the wrong direction and road works closing a section of road it was after 5pm before we reached the promised swimming hole.  This turned out to be a reservoir where sand had been imported to form a couple of beaches, but the lake itself had a distinctly muddy feel underfoot.  As this was at about 800m altitude it wasn't as oppressively hot as the Carcassonne area and we only stayed in the water for 10 minutes.

Reservoir in the hills

A quick dinner at the apartment and bed, ready for another road trip to Uzes, near Avignon.