France

France

Lagrasse, France

With only one day left in the Minervois wine region of France, where else can we go? Based on Monsieur’s recommendation, we choose Lagrasse. First, we putz around in the morning, drinking coffee, reading our Kindles, blowing our noses, waiting for Monsieur to come and return our damage deposit. (We haven’t done any damage). Then, […]

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France

Carcassone, cassoulet, and a corkscrew

Today’s destination is Carcassonne, about a 35-minute drive from our personal paradise. A completely walled city in the Aude department, Carcassonne is one of those places that has changed hands many times, since the Romans planted stakes in 100 BC. After some driving around through the newer part of the city looking for parking, we […]

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France

Getting to know the Cathars in Minerve

Today’s destination is Minerve, a tiny historic town in the heart of wine country known for the massacre inflicted by Simon de Montfort during the 1210 crusades against the Cathars. It takes some time and switchbacks to wind slowly up the valley. Eventually, we see the big blue “P” for parking and pull into a […]

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France

Market day in Valras-Plage, France

Fully fortified with a morning’s worth of strong coffee, we make our way to Valras-Plage, but not until after the daily pounce from neighbors who are here to tell us, yet again, that we can’t park HERE. (There seems to be no clear system of what’s acceptable for the placement of hapless tourist rental cars.) […]

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France

Villa Pouzols-Minervois: We like our new home

Nobody has ever heard of this place, including us. But now we are here in the Languedoc and happy to be. A short hop from Orly Airport to Toulouse and we are united with Jim and Jane, who have been sick in Portugal and are ready for a rest. A short negotiation at the Hertz […]

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family, France

Flayosc, Villecroze, & Tourtour

Up at 9 for coffee and the weather is beautiful. Word has it there is a market in Flayosc, so we go — Mike, Liz, Patty M, Jim and Jane G. There is no market. But we find street-side paella and buy enough for lunch for all. We stop at a fruit market for salad […]

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