Early rise as we get ready to leave Paris, a city we failed to strongly connect with, in order to head south to Carcassonne. The Paul Kelly song about cities keeps coming into our heads as we walk along the early morning streets of Paris. We have chosen to take an early metro given that we are lugging stupid oversized bags and the metro is so incredibly hectic at peak times.
We arrive early at Gare de Lyon and try to locate our train platform. The German rail network provides you with platform numbers both online and at the station, well in advance of departure. Conversely, the French like to gather hundreds of people in a small place near the departure board, then 5 minutes before the train is due to leave, they identify the platform as 'the day's winning lotto number' and there is mass carnage as people scramble with suitcases, towards the platform and then knock each other out of the way to locate their carriage-chaos! This experience has been preceded by further disgust with French Rail SNCF at the booking office for the next two city locations: "sorry we have no further available Eurail pass ticket holder reservations , another $120 euros please if you want to board these trains"
Nevertheless, the train is smooth and glides along around 230km/h and by 3.30p.m we are in the south of France with the temperature much, much colder than the north, at odds with it's geographic location? Whilst looking at a map trying to find our accommodation, a lovely old French woman asks me (John) if I am Spanish and even though she speaks no English, she manages to communicate that it is too far and too cold to walk with bags, points us to a nearby bus and John sets off to see if the driver is going anywhere near our accommodation (This is a joint writing effort). The driver also speaks no English but knows the address and because the bus is empty, with a smile , he agrees to transport us (not his actual bus route) and we are dropped off only metres away from our accommodation. Now, this is unlike our experience with the French in Paris!! , or anywhere else in the world.
Our accommodation is directly across the road from the medieval city of Carcassonne which at late afternoon and evening, looks stunning, like going back to the middle ages. Immediately we feel more comfortable in our new location and make the realisation that as we decided against living in a city in Australia, it is totally understandable that Paris failed to provide the 'wow factor'. Carcassonne DOES and how!!!!
We walk along the wall of the castle which, even has a drawbridge and explore this beyond belief, beautiful ancient city. After exploring this remarkably intact, living breathing medieval town for several hours, we decide to eat at a lovely French restaurant, opting to sit outdoors, to take in the ancient streets from an eating are framed by a beautiful pergola covered in vines and coloured lights. ( I am sure the staff thought we were crazy as it is around 3 degrees). Well trained dogs are allowed to enter restaurants and stay with their owners! Our tummies full and feeling totally connected with our new surrounds, we walk back to the Notre Dame de l'Abbaye to settle for the evening.
28/10/2012
We foolishly took the breakfast option when we booked in yesterday and are disappointed with the unappetising, stale options available. At least the coffee is hot! We head back to the medieval city and attend mass at in a Beautiful Basilica built in the 6th century. I will never complain about Bishop Jarrett's homilies again. The priest's homily continues for over 45minutes and we think that he basically said 'dedicate your lives to Jesus and you will be happy....' The pipe organ, which dates back to 1522, is accompanied by a choir which sounds lovely (mostly children) and is led by an older woman from the Lectern. The basilica is beautiful and humbling in it's comparative simplicity, without the elaborate artworks and gold that other churches are adorned with throughout Europe. Spectacular lead light windows allow a stream of coloured light into the inner space.
Mass ends and we leave for another look around the city on a very cold and windy day-beanies, scarves and thermals are critical necessities today! We make friends with a few of the local animals: a furry cat who began following us after patting it, and a black dog that appeared to run a souvenir shop.
We decide to make a trip to the 'newer' part of town-which is so quiet today. Carcassonne is a much bigger city than we anticipated. A supermarket is open so we make a few essential purchases and head to a park to enjoy our lunch. We return to the accommodation for diary catch up and rest.