Vive le France! Part 2

The view from our back window

With a beautiful cloud-streaked, blue sky and perfect weather we set out from Villemagne-l'Argentière (I neglected to state the name of the little town we were staying in) for a day hike in Les Gorges d'Héric. Who knew there would be rocky, mountainous landscape dotted with fluffy deciduous trees and a snaking river within a 20 minute drive from our little bungalow.

On the "hiking" path walking through the gorge. Lizzy eating icecream.

We "hiked" up the paved walkway and found secluded still water pools. A perfect place to stop for a picnic of Camembert cheese, baguette, wine, and the most delicious grapes. After our delicious meal we kept hiking in search of the "bar" that was supposedly 1.5 kilometers up the hill only to figure out later that the "1.5 kilometers" actually meant the altitude increase, not distance.

Us and the Foleys on our picnic rock.

We then stopped off at a little town on the way back to our even smaller town where there was an impromptu flea market. I bought a very French curtain for only €2! We sat outside of what turned out to be a casino and had coffee in a beautiful plaza. For dinner we ended up going to the restaurant that was right out the front door of our bungalow. It hadn't been open the previous day because the owner was having "personal problems"(?) But some of the lights were on so we knocked and we were told he was in fact open for business. We were the only ones in there all night, and he (the owner) the only employee. The meal was good, but sadly not as good as the duck meal we had made ourselves the previous night. But hey, we had to eat at at least one real French place.

View from the front window

Our last and final day meant driving back to Spain. But we took a detour through Carcassone to see its famous walled city.

The walled city of Carcassonne

Entrance to the walled city where they still have horse and carriage squeezing through the throngs

It was like stepping back into time, well, except for the hordes of tourists and anachronistic shops that have overtaken the interior.

Hey, that grandma and I have the same color shirt! No that was not planned.

I just loved this building

I am a castle junky (i.e. if there's a castle anywhere in the vicinity I will want to do whatever it takes to see it). But alas, there wasn't time to go into the actual castle. So I had to make do with viewing the outside and speculating on the wonders it held within (maybe that's better because I can imagine jousting and secret passages when in reality it's probably just crowns behind a glass partition and wax figurines or something).

The Castle, housing who knows what treasures within!

Our corner table at the little medieval cafe

Ok, so maybe the cafe was not so medieval.

We wandered a bit and found a nice little cafe to sit for a coffee. Then we ran across the church stationed within the city walls. It was like God ordained our timing as we stepped in to some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. The sound of a trio of vocalists filled the church with song, the harmonious music rebounding and resonating within the stone sanctuary. I just sat there an listened, soaking in their beautiful voices. I don't know if I've ever felt so moved.

Sadly the trio stopped their singing and we left the Church, walked back out to our car, and snakes our way back to Spain. I have to admit that the coffee is actually better in Spain. We made a pit stop at rest stop station for some decent coffee and a game of Foosball which Micah and I won (haha! Take that Foleys).

The Foleys listening to the three vocalists