We get a car for a week!

My workout bench while John works out
in the circuit part of the park

The week starts slow and easy - blogging, workouts
and classes at Centre Cultural.

 Two exciting things happen this week:
#1 - we get a new cooker!  I can roast now,
my favorite way of cooking.
#2...On Wednesday, we get a car!!!

We take the KeolisAude bus to Carcassonne to get our car from Hertz.

Having a car will allow us to explore the area and get us used to the roads

for the drive to Barcelona in April.

The canal in Carcassonne

The Renault in it's parking space by the gite

On Thursday, we drive around the immediate area to Couiza
and Rennes le Chateau

Rennes le Chateau is the place that inspired
Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code

In the courtyard of the church
dedicated to St Mary Magdalene

View of Esperaza
from Rennes le Chateau

Friday, we venture a little farther to Alet les Bains,
and then Limoux  for "lupper" (not lunch, not supper)

Alet le Bains from the road
...very enticing to the photographically minded

Alet was once a walled Roman city
It has preserved it's Abbey's ruins
from the 12th century

-now on to Limoux-

Limoux

We bought some food and had "lupper"
by the River Aude in Limoux

Saturday, Walk to Antugnac for Toques et Clochers

A wine celebration is happening in Antugnac
an easy hike from Esperaza
It's just over the hill beyond this vineyard...

Here we are...
Lots of local Blanquette to taste

This Fete is visited by worldwide chefs and restaurateaurs

I'm ready with glass and chips



Parade of the Cathars

The Toques include themselves

Blanquette abounds

Moules et Blanquette
(what's left of the mussels, anyway...)

A great day tasting Blanquette
The area says it is the original sparkling wine...
Champagne copied them (?)

Sunday,  we drive to Narbonne

vinyards and castles,

then Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur in Narbonne

On D613 towards Narbonne

Chateau Beauregard

A Roman road in Narbonne

Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur

Archway of the cathedral
from the 7th century - amazing

Griffin, anyone?

More gargoyles and griffins

and then we go home...

Parked by our "cathedral"



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NEXT WEEK -

we take the car back...but learn to use the cooker