Carcasonne to Perpignan

Thursday 5th June

Up and about reasonably early, walking shoes on, head for the medieval city. We decide to have breakfast up there. It is in full operation up there, of course catering for tourists.  Hotels, Restaurants and a variety of boutique and touristy shops. There are also local residents who live there.

The enormity of the city is incredible, most of which is fully intact or well restored. Today is a perfect day for exploring weather wise. Bright blue skies and up to 30 degrees, but a really comfortable heat.

The Outer Ramparts

The Abbey inside the City

The Inner Ramparts

There are ruins all around the region of Languedoc-Roussillon. We decide to take some of the smaller roads and go through a couple of the villages on the way to Perpignan, which is only about a 1 hour drive from Carcasonne.  There are 3 different types of roads - A roads, toll roads, but fast travelling up to 130km,

D roads, some have two lanes each way 110kms and other roads 70 - 90 kms. These routes are often the shortest, but slower driving.

We visit two of the bigger villages on the way Alet les Bains and Lagrasse

At Lagrasse there are a large amount of medieval ruins. The biggest being the Abbey that sits across the other side of the river Aude. A gorgeous town and big grape growing area, so wine boutiques scattered through the village. We stop by the river for a ice cream - glacé.  It's actually sorbet. I have passion fruit - beautiful, and Sam has citron - delicious.

Lagrasse Abbey

Lagrasse Town Buildings

The view looking over the Village

Just an old Building in Middle of Nowhere!

We decide to head to Narbonne - no hotel booked winging it. Arrive there and don't really like the city area, head to St Marie Plage, a beach just put of Perpignan.  Get there and don't think much of that either, so head to Perpignan.  At least we will be handy to train station. It takes us a wee while to find a hotel, but finally get one. Nice dinner in restaurant and earlyish night, ready for a weekend in Barcelona.

San Sebastián to Carcasonne

Wednesday 4th June

Heaviest rain we have had all holiday when we look out hotel window. Beach is just a haze, so no walk along it this morning! It's like being in a different country. No historic stone buildings - very Spanish style and lots of apartment blocks. I'm sure this place would be buzzing in the height of summer. We decide to pack up and drive to San Sebastián in Spain for brunch. It is only a 40 minute drive. 

Traffic backed up on motorway with road works - never seen so many trucks!

After finding a parking spot we wander into city centre. A lovely man, 81, spots us talking and recognises us as New Zealanders. He says "NZers and Aussies walk, but those Americans always taxi - even from one block to another!" Turns out to be a big time All Black fan. The tourism business he worked for hosted them in the 70's. He grabs a map from a hotel for us and points us to the old quarter and tapas bars.

Wow! 

The bar is lined up with at least 30 different choices. You load your plate up, and away you go. Most are around 2 euro each. Wine is offered - it's only 11am! We go for coffee as we have a few hours driving ahead of us still.

What a gorgeous spot! Lovely little lanes, cobblestoned. Beautiful buildings in this area. 

We walk down and around the beachfront area. Would be lovely on a sunny day - but at least the rain as stopped. 

Government Buildings

Surf side of beach

Watered and fed we head on our way to Pau. This is often a stop on the Tour de France so decide to check it out.  It's a lovely drive through the Mid Pyrenees. Heaps of quaint little villages on the way.

Pau a busy centre with a lovely cathedral at its' centre of course. Always tricky navigating around town centres as the sat nav doesn't always pick up one way streets. Certainly have to have wits about you, but we are getting pretty good at it now. 

We arrive in Carcassonne about 7pm, staying at Ibis Budget. Great location for a visit the medieval city.

It is breathtaking perched up on the hill.

  Found a lovely wine/tapas bar. Great night devouring more delicious tapas, Rose and Red wine while watching a bit of the tennis. 

Exploration of the city tomorrow! Looks amazing at night!

Bordeaux Region - St Emilion

Tuesday 3rd June

We wake up in the idyllic setting of our Chambers de Hotes (hotel) La Gomerie on a vineyard.

This hotel is an 18th century house on the vineyard. It has 5 suites. Views across the wineries in the region. Our hosts have been to New Zealand - Cape Kidnappers a Golf Course! They would love to live in NZ. I suggested to Sam we could do a house swap!

The view out our window.

St Emilion is a medieval town. It is famous for this as well as the story being St Emilion, a monk introduced the first grape varieties to the area, according to Bernard who we met in the village the night before. He shouted us a wine, he'd had a few, as had many others who were tripping up the cobblestones !  Beautiful town, fantastic buildings. Eighty wine stores, in converted houses. Not many people live in the village now. 

The Abbey

One of the "tertes" - steep cobblestone streets. No high heels here!

The remains of the old convent

Not only is the village known for its wine, but it is also well known for its macaroons.

Delicious - amazing varieties to choose from. Macaroons and red wine purchased - all set for next part of journey.

Next stop Biarritz. A seaside resort town. Sure it is a buzzy place in the summer. There are a few different beaches along the coast. The style of building is very Spanish looking - it is only a short distance to the border of Spain.

Another day over!

The Lovely Loire Valley - Bordeaux

Monday 2nd June

Champagne and Chateaus - the Loire Valley! We wake to a nice sunny day and a view out of hotel window of the chateau Saumur.

We head off after our traditional French breakfast of chocolate pastries, croissants, bread and coffee of course to explore the Loire Valley from Saumur to Amboise.

We stop off at some troglodyte caves. These date back to cavemen times, but a lot, like the one we visit have been limestone quarries for buildings in the area. Lots of have been diversified, this into mushroom growing - champignons and others as cellars for the champagne in the area.

All along the valley following the river are lots of gorgeous houses built into the hills wineries - making Champagne and many Chateauxs.  It is a beautiful area. Fantastic having the car, get to see so much.  This is a real highway for cyclists too. Some carrying their gear, but others just riding to a point each day where their bags await them.

We head for Ambiose. This is where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last 3 years.  We visited his Chateaux called Le Clos Luce. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and in the gardens are many of his inventions.

The centre piece for this town is the Chateaux Palais Royal. Huge! Like others it sits overlooking the town.

There are so many Chateauxs you can visit in this area. We pick on Chenonceaux dating back to the 15th century. However one tower that pre dates this remains at the entrance. It's amazing!                Fully furnished with period furniture and paintings, even down to the kitchen.

The gardens are immaculate and there are huge arrangements of fresh flowers throughout the chateaux. We spent a couple of hours wandering around. There are stables, farmhouses and it even has it's own labyrinth.  Absolutely awesome - so huge. 

The hall

Part of the kitchen

Stairwell - one of the first staircase

The ceiling

It's about 5.30pm when we head for the motorway south to Bordeaux - St Emilion. It's about a 3 and a half hour drive, Sam and Peugeot humming  at 130kms! Tolls 38 euro, about the same cost for the diesel! Reach destination about 9pm.