France, part one

FRANCE - PART ONE

STAYING IN NYER.

After a gap of over two years, it was time to visit Brenda & Mannes, our friends in France. I had first met them when my brother & I were exploring the Basque region of South West France. It's a long story, but the four of us spent a VERY enjoyable evening in a ski lodge (out of season) at Chalet Iraty. They were doing the ENTIRE GR10, at over 800KM, no mean feat in your youth, but this wiry couple were doing it at around 60 years old - with two DOGS in tow!!! Anyway, they invited us to stay with them if we returned to France. We did, and a firm friendship was forged.
With us unable to get a flight to Perpignan airport (which is only 1/2 an hour from where Brenda lives), we had to fly to Carcassonne. That meant a 2 hour drive each way for Brenda and Mannes, our friends in France, but they were more than happy to do this. Instead of whizzing back home, they dropped Sue & I in Carcassonne and left us there for a couple of hours to explore - something I've wanted to do ever since the first time I saw the walled city a few years ago,
So - we were dropped outside the impressive gates, and off we set to explore.

A few pictures of the outer walls, before we paid our dues, and set off up onto the ramparts. It's very like York, in a way, but a lot more impressive. All these high walls didn't stop Carcassonne being besieged and surrendered many times. It got its name, because after it was relieved once, the bells rang out and the people all shouted 'carca-sonne' (the bells are ringing).

The close proximity of the houses and narrow streets would be a nightmare if there was a fire.

VERY 'touristy'.

This is what we came to do and see, the battlements and towers.

In the central courtyard, some very fancy herringbone brickwork.

The central courtyard.

The outer walls, from the battlements.

The view across the city - that sky doesn't look too promising, does it?

There were some really nice houses inside the walls.

....with some lovely gardens.

Sue, enjoying a stroll around the walls.

Inside, there were several displays and demonstrations.
Some of the stone artefacts were superb.

There were also many shops - this one selling every flavour of biscuit you could think of.
I wondered, how do they rotate their stock????

We found it a bit expensive to eat out - not that we did in Carcassonne.

An ingenious table around a tree trunk.

After that, we were picked up and taken to Brenda's house in Nyer.
Here's a map of just how remote it is.
The road to the village goes ONLY to the village - then it's the Pyrenees.

(Click on picture for a larger version, or type 'Nyer, France' into Google earth).

Anyway, we parked at Brenda's house, and set off up the other side of the valley to a deserted village called En - more of which later. Here's Mannes and Brenda walking through the remains of the village.

And there is the old chapel. What a position, eh?

Me, Brenda & Mannes.

The new bell, again, more about this in a later email.

I was given the key to unlock the substantial chapel door.

Before long, we made our way back, with the sunset now done, moonrise came next.
The camera can't capture just how beautiful this was. The light from the moon was quite bright.
We got home just in time for dinner.

Brenda is a vegetarian, but she always makes sure we get our meat. Her house is FULL of those gadgets that usually only get used once, then put under the cupboard to gather dust. Not at 'Les Samoyedes' (the name of the house). Eating is fun and a pleasure, and she uses her full 'artillery' of cooking gadgets to feed her guests.
Tonight, it was bangers and chops on a tabletop hotplate, with a stir fry accompaniment in a tabletop wok, and meat on a grill.

Dinner often goes on for hours. It's not unusual to sit down to eat at 6:30, and not leave the table until 11:00PM. Lots of chat, food and drink, plus humour makes the hours fly by.
Mannes shows just how to pour the perfect beer.

BIG HEAD!!

Cheers Mannes. (We were on the 'wine course' by now).

There are always several courses at a French meal.
This one ended with some lovely local cheeses, plus some English 'after eight' mints.

And that was day one, done. We'd really enjoyed it, and tomorrow we'd got two walks planned. One above the house and around the plateau, the other just Sue and I up the Nyer gorge, hoping to see bats - not in the belfry, but in some tunnels further up the gorge.

Part Two

click HERE

France - PART EIGHT - Grottes de Grande Canalettes

FRANCE - FINAL PART

THE CAVES

GROTTES DE GRAN CANELETTES

After visiting Fort Liberia, it was time to enter the bowels of the earth - the Grotte de Grande Canelettes.

This cave system is incredible, but what's even more impressive is the sympathetic way they have opened it up to the public.

It's the closest I've ever been to actually BEING a spelunker (caver).

This is what you see when you go through the doors - a wonderland of soft lights and tunnels.
To give you an idea of size - that's Sue, framed in the doorway ahead.

The variety and quality of the formations really is mind-blowing.
There's no other word for it.

The way round is in two parts. On each route, the stairs are gently lit with LED lighting - green for in, and blue for out.
They are SO well positioned, that it almost looks as though they belong there.

Wherever you look, floor, walls or ceiling, there's an amazing rock formation of some kind. Some are HUGE, and some are so delicate, you marvel at them being made out of rock.
This 'stalactite chandelier' was just one of the exhibits.

This part of the cave was just 'mites and 'tites all over the place - incredible!

The lighting is done to give maximum effect, and boy - does IT deliver.

In some places, there is a mix of magnetic fields and air draughts that have been affecting the process of solidification for millions of years. This tiny, delicate formation is called 'the horse' (Le Chevaux).
Fine strands of rock, almost hair-like in their make up, have been blown and drawn over the eons to form this beautiful thing. One touch could snap it off.
Nature really is fantastic, isn't it?

In the low light of the cave, with a hand held camera, it was almost impossible to remain still enough for a long exposure and sharp picture, but this was the best I could do under the circumstances.
You can at least see the fine 'hairs' made of rock.
The long stalactites around it are called 'straw stalactites' (for obvious reasons).

Where the roof of the cave was at a gradient, 'curtain stalactites' formed in large numbers. A picture really can NOT do justice to these. With the light behind them, it was like looking through fine bone chine, and the colours are FABULOUS.

After the visit, Mannes came to the caves and whisked

us back to Brenda's house for the 'last supper'.
As usual, we started with aperitifs (and a beer).

Then, it was time for the star of the show - Rose de Pyrenees.
We cut it into small pieces, and flash cooked it on a hot plate

that Brenda put in the middle of the table.
Being a veggie, Brenda didn't take any of the meat - but Mannes ate with gusto!

Food of the Gods - I kid you not, the flavour and texture was amazing.

CHEERS!

The main course was a lovely tuna bake with all the trimmings.

Then, it was time to say goodnight to Starry and Robi,
curled up on their own sofa for the night.

Next day, Brenda & Mannes took us back to Carcassonne and the plane home.
As usual, they had MADE the holiday, and we are, as always, eternally grateful to them.

Thanks, Brenda & Mannes xx

France - part seven - Olette carnival and Fort Liberia.

PART SEVEN

OLETTE CARNIVAL & 

FORT LIBERIA

 We decided to visit Fort Liberia, as Sue had seen the outside of it, but not seen inside it. First, however, Mannes told us that today was special, as it was the 'carnival of the animals' at Olette. This meant that we could buy what is reputed to be the BEST veal in the world. It's free range, feeds on milk and herbs, and is supposed to be superb to eat. You can't get it all the time, but Mannes said he knew it would be on sale today at the fayre, so off we went.
This was the fayre - not a huge event, very low key, and with some real characters selling all sorts of stuff.

Veg' and home made pastries featured quite a lot.

Also, pickles of all descriptions.

This happy chappy was selling only one thing - can you guess by his mode of transport?

COW BELLS (of all shapes and sizes).

WHO would want to buy this stuff though?
Everything on this woman's stall was made from old bottle tops!

Baskets........

....boxes.......

...even chairs (just HOW could that be comfortable????)

There were some impressive horns on show too.

But THIS was what we were looking for - the Rosee de Pyrenees.
Veal from the Catalan region of the Pyrenees - grazed on the mountain grass and herbs,
to produce the sweetest meat imaginable.

Amongst all the bells, bottle top furniture, and other paraphernalia was this little stall, selling the prize meat we sought.

We chose three thick pieces of the veal we wanted, paid our twenty six Euros, and then she asked if we'd like to try some. Of course, we said yes. There was a small griddle plate to the right of the stall, and she threw three small pieces onto it, for literally SECONDS each side, before passing them to each of us in turn.
Sorry if you're a veggie here, but that was the most exquisite taste I've ever had.
We just couldn't WAIT to get home tonight to eat what we'd bought.

After the fayre, Mannes dropped us off at Villefranche, the village below Fort Liberia.
The sun was now hot and strong, and we started to peel layers of clothing off as soon as we left the car and started walking up to the fort.

There it was - perched high above us, the sentinel of the mountains,
watching over Villefranche.

As the path rose, we got some great views up the valley to the town Mannes lives, Vernet le Bains.

The magnificent Canigou. This mountain is the reason Mannes will NOT move house. He can see it from his garden, and loves the view with a passion.
Can't say we blame him!

Soon we reached the fort. Here's Sue, in the courtyard before our breezy tour of the ramparts.
We did try a coffee in the shop - big mistake - it was AWFUL.

Again, super views from the walk around the walls.

A soldiers-eye view.

Inside, there were many steps and stairways. This looks like a long one doesn't it? 

Sue thought so too, but I knew what was to come.

You can see the old bakehouse chimney.

This is a model of how they think it would have looked.
I love the wooden board to protect the baker from the heat of the oven (IF that's what it was for???)

The inner walls - a sort of beauty in this light, we thought.

Looking down to Villefranche.
The Grottes de Grand Canellettes is just up that valley, and we'd be visiting them later.

Now this is what you CALL a staircase - over eight HUNDRED steps in all.
It's mostly under the bedrock, and what a task it must have been to build it, and hollow the rock out.
It was done so the soldiers could move into and out of the fort in safety.

This has been done for the tourists (hello Sue).
A viewing station halfway down the steps.

At the bottom, two huge doors let us out and into the village.
A look back sees the fort perched above us.

We decided we were hungry, and when I saw this sign 'creperie', I knew I had found a suitable place, as Sue is VERY partial to crepes. We walked in, and were IMMEDIATELY taken by the atmosphere. It was friendly, VERY French, and extremely inviting. Everyone there seemed to be having a good time.
P'arlais vous Anglais? - NON!
Oh well, time to check just how good (or bad) my French is.

Once we got inside, we were told there'd be a wait for food - of COURSE there would, it was a popular place. No problem - we'd have a glass of the 'vin rouge de maison'.

We asked for 'un picher', thinking it would be smaller than a bottle......WRONG!

Looks like my French is good enough to get a great feed!
This was Sue's 'plat de jour'

And this was my duck, with a fabulous courgette bake
(and, of course, lots of French bread).

Happy man.

Then, after the meal, I asked a guy on the next table if he knew how big (or small) the crepes were. He wasn't sure, so we decided to order one between us (bear in mind we had the veal to eat later).
When it came, it was ENORMOUS, with peaches, calvados and a great dollop of ice cream!
We just halved it - and went straight to food heaven :-)

After eating, and feeling VERY satisfied, we made for the caves......pictures in the next posting, but as a taster.......

FINAL PART

CLICK  HERE