Journal Entry: Montsegur, Foix and Roquefixade

I am back late! I had a fantastic day. I returned to my room at L’Abbaye to find the cleaning lady had changed out my towels and made my bed! How nice is that? And to think this place had bad reviews on tripadvisor. It is grand for €18 a night!

 

View from Hostel Room

So I went to Le Trouvere for dinner. I had cassoulet. Yum! I had a whole pitcher of wine too, but was not as tipsy (see: drunk) as the other night. I think I drank too fast the other night. I was thirsty I figured out what their [the waiters] shirts said too. I asked Jan what “Pompiers” was because I kept seeing it. The waiters at Le Trouvere had shirts that said “Pompiers: Service Extinction de la Soif.” Which I think means something like, they’re firemen, and will serve you drinks to get rid of your thirst. 

I think wine must have anti-inflammatory properties, because my knees were hurting but not now!

And why were my knees hurting you ask? Because I climbed not only Montségur, but also Foix’s two towers and Roquefixade! 

 

Montségur from the Village

So I got to Montségur early. I went to the bathroom in the village. The Italians have been by. There were no toilet seats. [Hahah!] They didn’t open until 10a but I hiked up to where they sell tickets. I sat down because it’s quite a walk even to there. A few minutes later a German couple came by with a dog. She asked me something in French, about it being closed. I pointed out the obvious and I think she was annoyed by that LOL. [Annoyed that I suck at languages.] So I told her I didn’t know if you could go on up or not. There was no sign saying it was closed. So about a minute later, some Australians came down. They said you could go up without paying if you got there before 10a.

We went on up. The climb was much easier than before. The view amazing. Beautiful. I sat up there for a while contemplating things. (Life. Death. Rebirth. [redacted] Etc. Petty stuff really). That and admiring the scenery.

 

View from the Top

Beautiful!

A series of small walls...

The Memorial at the bottom of the mountain

A closer picture of the memorial

Montségur from the Parking Lot

On the way back down, I stopped at the guard house and paid for a ticket. I didn’t have to, but I want to support the site. 

 

Ticket Office

I then went to the village, and looked around the museum. Didn’t see anything I wanted to buy. I went to a trinket shop and bought two stamps. That was all she had. I used them to mail Andy and Jan a postcard from the village. I also bought a sticker. “OC”

Then I went to Foix. On the way I saw a sign for another chateau, Roquefixade. I thought I might go by there after Foix. 

I climbed both towers that are open to the public.  They were having a contemporary art exhibit in them. It was weird. The oldest tower, I think it may be Roman is not open to the public. It’s probably empty inside, and maybe unstable. I say it’s Roman because in the tour of Carcassonne’s towers, they said the Romans liked to use a layer of bricks to level a wall, and that tower had the same style as the Roman wall at Carcassonne. It’s on a hill by a River, great place to build. 

Towers at Foix

After Foix I was starving, and they, being like the Italians and Spanish, shut down the town in the afternoon, so there was nowhere to eat. So I went to the McDonalds near the highway. I think V. and I must have eaten there, as it looked familiar. 

After eating I was feeling awesome, so instead of going back to Carcassonne, I went to Roquefixade. Amazing drive! Words certainly don’t do it justice. Pictures neither.

I looked at the chateau and thought it didn’t look that high. Heh. About halfway up my knees started hurting and it was hot, with no shade. But finally there was shade. And on the way up, I saw the Germans with the dog from this morning. I said “bonjour” and the man said, I think, “une autre chateau” – another fortress! His dog barked at me. It was cute. 

 

The French don't care if you fall off the mountain

Beautiful!

Part of a wall

More walls

Then I made it up. While I was up there, two German girls with their dog “Baloo” came up. I had asked them if you could drive closer to the bottom [of the fortress while down below]. Baloo reminded me of Buffy. He was running around, about to fall off the cliff. Crazy dog. The chateau is all ruins. A few walls left standing. I thought I could see Montségur from there. Some castle could be seen anyway. Sorta south-east I think. 

Baloo the dog

Which chateau?

I made it back down in one piece. I saw Baloo had hurt his back paw tho. Poor puppy! 

I made it back to Carcassonne fine too. I’m tired. Bed. I need to pack in the morning. And get gas in the rental car too. Good night!