2. Arzens to Fanjeaux

We both slept like logs in Arzens and when we awoke… rain!

Thankfully it was relatively light, and there was an open boulangerie just down the road. A coffee and a pastry makes any morning better when you’re walking, and even more so when it’s raining.🌧️🌧️☔️☔️

And so, jackets and pack covers on and happily breakfasted, we set out for Fanjeaux. 

The path was fairly flat to begin.

But pretty soon we were undulating up and down, more up than down it seemed, but with expansive and stunning rural views.

Five kilometres further on we entered the hillside town of Montreal.

On the very top of the hill was this enormous church. Most of the churches we have passed so far have been closed, but testing this door we found it open and in we went.

It was amazingly decorated and a lovely place to meditate (until the cleaning roster team arrived and there was much banging, crashing and loud whispering!!).

We continued through the old town, through an intriguing passage

which led to a small courtyard and the ancient village well.

This partly exposed wall reveals a long and layered past.

What’s not to like about this leafy alleyway?

And then we were out the other side and the path once more meandering across the fields.

Along with grapes and grain, sunflowers seem to be a major crop here. They are a friendly company to walk beside.

Fanjeaux in the distance. Another hill to climb (and no doubt there will be many more in the days ahead). For defensive purposes in past years all these villages were build on hilltops.

The climb was worth it. Fanjeaux is a beautiful little village. The church sits atop the highest point and the (newly renovated 6 bed) pilgrim gite stands beside it (complete with clothes line drying pilgrim gear!).

What to do now? The clothes are washed and drying and supermarket for dinner supplies doesn't open for another hour. Oh, a concert has just started in the courtyard garden next door, why not pause a while and savour??

We’ve just finished another pasta dinner in our gite, shared with Andy. Time for another early night in preparation for a slightly longer stage tomorrow with more rain predicted. Again - thanks for following along. It’s lovely to have your company and comments. 

Bon chemin and blessings to all. 

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1. Carcassonne to Arzens

This morning we set out. But first things first - breakfast. Eric and Alba joined us in the street at 7.30am and we went in search of a coffee and boulangerie. 

Success!!

It was another special time together and we felt blessed on our way by Alba and Eric’s company and good wishes. And then it really was time to go - they to their bus home to Barcelona, and we on our first stage. 

We walked towards the Cathedral and the stone was beautiful in the morning light.

We would have liked to go in to get a stamp in our pilgrim passports and sit quietly for a few minutes, but alas the door was firmly shut. So we said our prayers outside for those who are particularly on our minds as we begin our pilgrimage. 

Leaving the cathedral, we wended our way through the town to the Pont Vieux and the river Aude, and turned right onto the path. 

At an overpass across a major road, we got our first glimpse of the Pyrenees. Not so far to go! The cars passing underneath tooted us, in what we took to be encouragement, and along the way today several people wished us a good pilgrimage. There was a lovely sense of the hospitality and support of the locals. 

Gradually the outskirts of the urban area gave way to vineyards with large clusters of ripening grapes. 

And speaking of hospitality, this house marked the way with a little milestone complete with sculpture, shell and offering of water. 

Some of the old marker stones provided a welcome perch on the way into Alearic. 

The sunflowers are nearly at the end of flowering, but make a magnificent and cheerful sight still. 

And then it started to rain. Not much at first, and we thought we could wait it out under a quiet conifer. But it persisted and in the end we broke out our pack covers and rain jackets. 

We found the municipal gite without difficulty in the small town of Arzens. Contacting the person who could let us in was more of a challenge. When we did make contact, thanks to the owner of the pub who let us use his phone, the elderly hospitalleros could not have been kinder. They came very quickly, showed us around and made us welcome. They’re all volunteers and it is amazing to think of their commitment to enabling a journey like ours. 

Andy from Switzerland arrived not long after us, and we’ve just shared a delicious, simple meal of pasta with sardines, peas and goats cheese. 

And now, weary but happy, it’s time for bed! 

It’s been a great first day on the way.

😴💤😴💤😴💤

Carcassonne

After ten hours on the overnight bus from St Malo it was a great delight to disembark this morning and see Sarah’s smiling face in the crowd. We did it - managed to reconnect in Toulouse bus interchange after a week in totally different parts of the world. To celebrate we went immediately in search of a cafe au lait, which we found in the nearby Gare de Matabiau. There we are, as happy as Larry, sipping coffee and sharing the remains of the Far Breton tart that mum kindly loaded into my pack before I left St Malo.

After that, we jumped on another bus for the hour long trip to Carcassonne.

The old city of Carcassonne is another famous mediaeval walled citadel. It was one of the strongholds of the Cathar sect in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, and was eventually forced to surrender by the papal army and the king of France (very potted history!). 

The larger surrounding town where we are staying, known as Le Bastide Saint-Louis, seemed initially a little tired and run down but the more we walked around the more familiar and lively it became. Here are some snapshots of a few of the (mostly) quirky things that caught our eye:

Not sure if the quirky thing is the door or Sarah here, maybe both!!

Reeds dancing in the Aude River (taken from the ancient Pont Vieux).

The citadel is surrounded by three kilometres of ramparts and 52 towers. These walls hold a long history of being besieged, destroyed and rebuilt. 

Inside the old city.

High class wall art in the style of an illuminated manuscript (spelling Carcassonne) on the path to the citadel.

An old font or early toilet!!

Gum boot art!

Standard drain pipes!!

There is a vast and creative array of gargoyles on the cathedral and basilicas here, most looking fierce or tortured!!

Part of the famous Canal du Midi, designed in 17th century to link the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea.

 

The Gothic cathedral of St Michel, which is technically the starting point for our pilgrimage.

On our second morning here the local markets set up in the central square where we had our petit déjeuner.

Today also marks the beginning of the feria de Carcassonne, with dancing in the streets!! The feria has a decidedly southern Spanish feel. This region was connected to Spain in the mediaeval past.

And speaking of Spanish, it has been a real delight to catch up with Alba and Eric (from Barcelona) who endured a cancelled bus and delayed train on their way to Carcassonne to meet us today. We first met Alba when we walked the Camino Primitivo in 2022 and have kept in touch ever since. It was wonderful to share a meal and conversation with them this evening. 

Tomorrow they cross the Pyrenees on their return to Barcelona and we begin our walk on the chemin du Piémont Pyrénéen. Are we ready? Here’s hoping!!

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PS. Thank you for following along and for your comments. We appreciate your company.