Adieu to the South of France…

My 6 weeks in the tiny village of Lagrasse will come to an end tomorrow. It has certainly been a time of quiet contemplation, lots of reading of good books, streaming of lots of movies and TV shows, long walks, some really good food, and many glasses of great wine accompanied by homemade foie gras on slices of fresh baguette.

Below are photos of some of the amazing paintings, portraits, and decorative designs that have been found on the ceiling beams of many of the 13th and 14th-century houses that make up the village of Lagrasse.

I did not find Lagrasse to be a particularly welcoming village for visitors. Day visitors were ok, they fill the many restaurants that line Le Promenade and spend their euros at the few shops. Few residents nod and say bonjour as they pass you on the cobblestone streets, but most don’t acknowledge your presence. I even had one woman at the Saturday Farmer’s Market the first week I was here, push me out of line where I was queuing to make a purchase and tell me to go back where I belonged! And yes, she was French but said those words in English.

Not all of the 600 residents are thrilled with the number of English and American expats who are moving into their village, purchasing their 13th-century houses, and, like everywhere this happens, driving up prices. I was here 6 weeks and can say I did not make one new friend – a truly unusual occurrence based on my many years of travel history.

But thankfully, the temperatures moderated, the fires have all been contained, and my good friend Cathy flew in from her home in Braga, Portugal, for a week of fun and exploration.

I met her in Carcassonne for two days of touring this town known for its walled Medieval City sitting high on a hill overlooking the modern town, where the Canal du Midi runs through its center. We took a slow cruise on the Canal, had a delicious dinner in the Old City, I was thrilled to find mussels and frites for lunch, and even found several colorful and strange renditions of King Kong scattered around town.

Cathy rented a car, and they were kind enough to upgrade us to a lovely, small Peugeot SUV. We made Lagrasse our base with Cathy staying in one of the other studios at The Opale. We toured the village, dined at several of the outstanding restaurants, and spent one lovely afternoon touring the famous Abbey Saint-Marie, which is the main draw of this village. We met a monk wearing a French beret who greeted us, and one who heard us talking and stopped to chat. He was visiting from his monastery in Orange County, CA!

The next morning, we drove to Narbonne for lunch to meet another American woman blogger whom I had ‘met’ online.

Narbonne is a town of about 50,000 and sits on the Canal du Robine and butts up to the Mediterranean Sea. It is famous for the Halles du Narbonne (a huge, covered fresh food, fish, and meat market). In the middle of the square is the Gothic Cathédrale Saint-Just et Saint-Pasteur, which was begun in the 13th century. Also in the square is the Grand Palais des Archevêques (Archbishop’s Palace) houses archaeology and art museums. Underneath is the Horreum, an underground labyrinth of ancient warehouses left over from the town’s days as a Roman port. It was here that Cathy and I learned we both had a great affection for gargoyles, which medieval churches always have in vast numbers!!

Our last outing was to Pérpignan. We decided to take the long way, over the mountains, on extremely winding, one-lane roads with gorgeous vistas and lots of grape vines!

Pérpignan is quite an interesting city. It has a large expat community because of its warm weather, low cost of living, and also because the beautiful beaches along the Mediterranean coast are minutes away.

Pérpignan sits on the border of Spain, with Barcelona only a 30-minute drive away. Catalan influences abound. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca during the 13th century, and over the years has become a lovely combination of French and Catalan Spanish traditions, which can be found in the food, architecture, and language.

Cathy flew back to Portugal, and I am starting to pack. I am getting ready for my day-long train trip to Paris. Once there, I will overnight before catching my 9-hour flight to Charlotte, NC, on my way to Wilmington, NC. I will spend my first 2 weeks stateside with friends and seeing my youngest son, his lovely wife, and my youngest grandson.

I will be taking a blogging break of at least a month or more. Time catching up with family and friends, doctor appointments, and shopping are at the top of my to-do list while in the States. Then it’s off once again to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for at least the next 3 months while I house and pet sit for several old friends. My next post will once again be from South of the Border!

Adios! Until next time……