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November
7, 2008 St. Laurent des Arbres to Carcassonne
The Tucson crew left early in the morning for
their train to Paris. The owners of Après la Sieste, Chloe and
Jacques, were leaving with their daughter for India in the morning
also. So Jeff and I got our stuff together for the journey south.
We got to Carcassonne in time for lunch, at Café St Germain.
Jeff had a nice stuffed tomato and salad starter. I got the
cassoulet de la maison. This, as we found out later, is inferior
to the artisanel versions of the dish. It was hot and homey
nonetheless. We wanted to save the castle for later, so we walked
about Carcassonne city.
While it was light, we thought we'd find our péniche.
We followed the google map. We really thought it was leading
us to nowhere. We were in the middle of large field/meadow,
no water in sight. Then, there it was, the Canal Midi.
Pascal was cleaning up outside and not ready for
us, so we headed to the Carcassonne Castle. I have to say, it
is truly amazing site. It does not look real. Remember your
thoughts of a castle as a child, not pictures but with the imagination.
That is Carcassonne.
We cruised around the ramparts. Walked around
inside. It is a whole city inside. Unfortunately, that city
is now centered around the tourist trade: restaurants, hotels,
and lots of crap stores. We stopped for some hot chocolate (French
style).
It was late enough to head back to the Canal Midi
for a rest.
So the Canal Midi is an engineering marvel of
its day (opened in 1681) to connect the Med with the Atlantic.
Today it for pleasure cruises during the fine weather. There
are some 90 locks, bridges, dams and a tunnel that make up the
canal. Our péniche, the Mirage, was docked for the winter at
the Écluse (lock) de Herminis. Each lock has a house with a
person who during the season has to be there to help with the
boats. It seems like a pleasant way to spend a holiday.
We weren't terrible hungry for a multi-course,
so we asked Pascal about a pizza joint. He sent us to their
Domino's equivalent - Pizza à Botte; however, instead of Hawaiin,
you have foie gras and duck confit. We opted for the veggie,
as we were feeling veggie deprived these days. The night spent
of the boat couldn't have been quieter.
November
8, 2008 Carcassonne
The next morning we confessed to Pascal our feeling
that Carcassonne in all its grandeur and beauty somehow felt
like Disneyland. We weren't the first. He sent us on a road
trip to Saissac and the Montagne Noire (black mountain). It
was really lovely. In the distance above the fog layer are the
snow capped peaks of the Pyrenees.
An old ruins with a great view. Few tourists,
no tschokes.
We lunched at the Restaurant de la Montagne Noire
near the castle in Saissac. Nothing spectacular, but we sat
in front of a roaring fire and the service was friendly. It
reminded Jeff of a hunting lodge with a big fireplace and a
pinball machine. Jeff got the boucher plat and I had a huge
salad. After coffee and dessert, we made our way to the reservoir,
Lac Ferréol, that serves the Canal Midi. This drive took us
through really beautiful mountains.
Upon our return, the day was still so lovely,
Jeff grabbed one of the boat bikes and took a trip to the Carcassonne
train station.
Pascal had hyped up a local farm that made all
its own sausage and the duck for their cassoulet, truly artisanel.
They were closed though, so the second choice was L'Eclurie.
L'Eclurie is a former stable with tables in the stall (no hay
or horses remain I might add). I had a fish/potato soup with
a whole bunch of stuff to add on the plate beside (remoulade,
gruyere, croutons). It was really good all by itself. Then I
had a whole fish (don't remember which kind), perfect, with
olive oil, capers, tomatoes. The "farm" cheeses were unremarkable.
Jeff had a foie gras that was great. He had to get the cassoulet.
It was scorching hot and good. And dessert was a chocolate moelleux.
We had a local wine from Minervois. The service was bad. They
forgot our cheese and brought dessert. Then when we asked what
the "farm" cheeses were, bleu et camembert. That's it. Food
was fine, but that one's off the list.
Carcassonne to
St. Remy
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