2024 France/Spain Tour.

And the sad news, we have now dropped wheels back into France. Heading to Carcasonne, then northwards to Poitiers.

The journey back from Cadaques to Roses was eventful, idiotic Spanish bikers with a death wish, to a large aggregate HGV, which I was directly behind, meets Vanhool tourist bus on a bend, took around half hour for one to manoeuvre past the other. Then the idiotic French cyclists who ended up between myself and the HGV, they were trying to overtake the truck on cycles on a very twisty mountain road.

Was fun 👍
 
runnach said:
And the sad news, we have now dropped wheels back into France. Heading to Carcasonne,
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Been to Carcasonne twice parked in the bus/motorhome parking within 200 mtrs of entrance to old town.
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Visited Carcassone in 2022 .... stayed on an ACSI site about 10Km East in Trebes and went in on our motorbike. I wrote a fairly scathing account of the place in my diary! (as below) However we did find one very nice restaurant Le Dongon, where we have a superb shared platter.

Diary entry

"Quite a hill to climb up to the gatehouse, and at the top a large moto park! Ggrrrr! In through the wall into my idea of hell! Crap shops full of plastic medieval helments tabards swords and crossbows, candle shops, bon-bon shops, gelato parlours, dubious local art shops and general tat shops. Not to mention loads of high priced mediocre restaurants spilling all over the pavements. The old city is a big area and it’s full of’ ‘undreds of these cultural establishments! And it was full of school kids on coach trips. Don’t quote me but the place was rebuilt in the 1700’s after having been condemned for demolition, but the locals rebelled and some chap re-built it. ...Prat!

Looks good from a distance, but by heavens (very tame) it is Tacky!
 
Thanks for the info gents, I was in transit and read your posts after parking on the aire, which is a short cycle to the walled city.

I can’t make any comments about the walled town yet. We will now rest and start fresh tomorrow

From Roses to here is a fair jaunt, now back to crazy peage and inflated fuel costs here, now we are back in France, Spain less expensive for fuel, food and, I’ve spent less than a tenner on motorways costs.
👍
 
It was a huge relief to read the negative comment about Carcassonne. I drove the Pyrenees from east to west, visiting all the major Cathar fortresses via the Michelin white roads, but omitted Carcassonne because of it's (then) reputation for theft from motohomes. It's beginning to look like I might have made the right decision and that I've no need to return. Unless you tell me I was wrong ..... 🤔
 
HurricaneSmith said:
Unless you tell me I was wrong ..... 🤔
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when we visited 8 yr ago the MH / Bus parking was all we knew of and had heard of thefts it was huge area several buses an at least 20 MH lot of people sitting out so didn't feel any threat of theft. As for the Fort thinking back perhaps the shop's were tacky but the building was really something I was glad I didn't miss.
 
Here now, and just ordered lunch. I can see past the shops, it is the history architecture that drive us to visit these these ancient places.

Being a Saturday, the place is heaving, hooohumm. We’re not far from BVF Lagrasse, or next stop tomorrow, or today?
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If you ever find yourself at Carcasonne and then want to head over to LaGrasse, DO NOT TAKE THE D42 road. Think Bealach Na Ba, but longer, at least 25 mile, no passing places, good parts had ditch to both side, scary parts ditch to one or other side, with long drops to the other side. I never got higher than 3rd gear. Fortunately, I met one car coming towards us, fortunately the bend he appeared from was wide enough for me to pass when the gent reversed back.

This minute I did a AA route planner, Carcasonne to LaGrasse, D3 recommended route, Madame is on a final written warning for getting it wrong 😑

Oh, entering a couple of small villages, including here, the village name signs are upside down, I’ll need to find out what this is about????
 
Carcassone is more atmospheric at night when a lot of the tat shops are shut and the tour buses have left. It's scale is awe inspiring, but the rebuild that took place is not authentic to the period,resulting in a Disneyfication effect.
Montsegur,Queribus, Peyrepertuse and nearby Lastours all knock it into a cocked hat by the sheer audacity of their location.
I have very fond memories of visiting Carcasonne on the first Ryan Air flight there in the early nineties. My mate and I took our bikes and despite drinking copiously every night,(beginning with a free champagne reception at the airport) cycled many miles over the surrounding area. Discovering Lastours on one ride turned me in to a Cathar fan and I'm still visiting the many lesser chateau to this day. The upside down village signs are connected with the recent French farmers protests.
 
HurricaneSmith said:
It was a huge relief to read the negative comment about Carcassonne. I drove the Pyrenees from east to west, visiting all the major Cathar fortresses via the Michelin white roads, but omitted Carcassonne because of it's (then) reputation for theft from motorhomes. It's beginning to look like I might have made the right decision and that I've no need to return. Unless you tell me I was wrong ..... 🤔
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You were wrong! I've been there twice, first with my late wife then with my current partner. Very impressive and well worth the visit.
 
I said to Bea today, tge visit experience would be better in the evening, which is what we did when visiting Mont St Michael. Much more time and space to enjoy the visit. The aire we not long left is 24hr, we had to be off by 17.00hrs or pay for another evening , and we felt we came, we saw, we left to visit a BVF. The whole area is Beautiful, and has so much to offer.
 
Years ago on our first motorhome trips overseas there used to be a fantastic park up alongside the canal at Trebes. If you went to the far end it was the easiest thing to park up for a night or two and walk across the lock gates to eat at the Moulin de Trebes (in those days a superb restaurant, maybe still is). Slightly more difficult crossing the locks to get back to the van after a carafe or two! Then a nice bike ride to Carcassne which we loved. Now our son in laws dad (retired Edinburgh builder) lives in quite a nice place in Carcassone complete with swimming pool and importantly a large drive for our van. When we visit these days we rarely go into the town as I find it far too touristy with all the “plastic tat” shops. Architecturally it is a great place but spoilt for us.
 
runnach said:
Here now, and just ordered lunch. I can see past the shops, it is the history architecture that drive us to visit these these ancient places.

Being a Saturday, the place is heaving, hooohumm. We’re not far from BVF Lagrasse, or next stop tomorrow, or today?
View attachment 72996View attachment 72997View attachment 72998View attachment 72999
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Terry I love these photos of the great organs. My Dad and my brother were both cathedral organists and I always took photos of the churches we visited when travelling, especially with superb organs and they much appreciated it when I sent the photos. Sadly they have both passed away within the past couple of years and these days I have nobody to send my piccies to!!
 
tonybvi said:
Terry I love these photos of the great organs. My Dad and my brother were both cathedral organists and I always took photos of the churches we visited when travelling, especially with superb organs and they much appreciated it when I sent the photos. Sadly they have both passed away within the past couple of years and these days I have nobody to send my piccies to!!
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Tony, don’t mention “organs” . I’ve just been chastised by an admin for posting an image of a T towel with a cock on it!!! 😳
 
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