Carcassone

Diane and I jinxed our train trip to Carcassone because we said how well our travel had been going. We had a hardware failure between Sarlat and Toulouse. Waited on the tracks for about 30mins which meant we missed our connection but the SNCF app is great, they changed our next booking and emailed us the QR code and time.
Carcassonne is another bucket list item from 1991, we saw the walled old city from a distance and I said one day I am coming back. Our apartment was right under the wall of the old city, as I went out into our courtyard the castle & wall were looking down on us, magnificent sight. Out for dinner at a local restaurant that served Tapas which is very popular here. Courgette flowers, black pudding, squid, pate, aubergine (deep fried & breadcrumbed, yum) steak pieces. They look at you funny when you ask for a wine list, they have one beer and one Rosè on offer. As long as it was wet and cold we weren’t worried! I have even taken to putting ice in my wine which I have always considered to be sacrilege but when needs must!
We did not escape the heatwave here, it was very hot, 37 degrees so the next morning we went early to walk around the old city wall, go through the castle and cathedral. Had a history lesson on the way round the ramparts and Neil was practising throwing a javelin through the gap in the wall at the enemy 😆
The old city had an amphitheatre which has been converted with modern seating and they were setting up for a concert, there was a sound check happening which sounded pretty good.
A sorbet was welcomed when we descended then we went back to the apartment to chill out, literally. We jumped in the jacuzzi which was set at 27 degrees, heaven.
A night market was happening just around the corner, goods this time not food, a band was playing, fire performers, 4 girls dressed in black velvet 🥵 singing and playing instruments as they walked through the diners in the narrow street. This happens every week, the locals turn out in force plus tourists which made for a festive atmosphere.
Dinner was cold Gazpacho soup for Neil & Cassoulet, a dish that is a regional favourite, roasted duck leg & duck sausage with white beans in a gravy. Neil really enjoyed it. I had a cold dish, salmon tartare with cucumber & apple, delicious, will be trying that one at home.
Just a two night stay in Carcassonne, now D&D head to St Remy-Provence and we head to Toulon. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time with them, many laughs and it is good to have comrades in arms when travelling. We are back to coping on our own!En savoir plus