Sète

Yesterday we arrived in the lovely port town of Sète at the start (or end) of the Canal du Midi. It's a nice little town for walking around and for sampling the very fresh seafood. The tourists seem to have found the town with the least amount of rain (France is getting more than it's fair summer share this year) and thus the place is heaving. Still, the boat trip around the harbour this afternoon was interesting and we've all enjoyed our short time here. 


Tomorrow we are off to Menton to see the Percivals. We're not sure Narelle, Mark and Luke know what they are in for!

Canal du Midi

Market Day

Sete Harbour

Sete

Lazing about in Esperaza

In order to have lots of energy reserves for our big trip on Tuesday we've been lazing around Esperaza for a few days. Dad and Andy returned the hire car, though not before I took a photo so Dad can prove he can drive a left-hand drive. The sun shone for the markets today and Mum and Dad made many trips out to buy bits'n'pieces and chat to the stall holders.

This afternoon was obviously devoted to watching Cadel win the Tour de France. The local cafe (pub) was the venue, and has been a regular haunt for Dad and Andy in the last week, and we hung our little Aussie flag in support of our fellow Aussie cyclist. We're not sure that the locals were that interested in watching it but the owner put it on anyway. Andy was happy to see Cavendish win the green jersey. Smiles all round at our house.

Yes I managed!

Wandering around the markets

Cafe du Pont

Carcassonne Revisited

Back in 2003 Andy and I enjoyed a very quiet, almost romantic, weekend in Carcassonne. Today we returned to a the town and we barely recognised it. Crowds, shops and tourist traps abound. It was a very nice day though and well worth the trip, even if it took twice as long to get home due to a car accident and roadworks. Well done to Dad for getting out of Carcassonne, a one-way nightmare.

We wandered through the drizzle around the old, double walled city enjoying the vague feeling of being in another world. After the rain went away the people arrived. Lunch was lovely. Dad and Andy sampled the local 'cassoulet'. A delicacy I wouldn't say, but it certainly is unique. Millie was a trooper and hung on until 2.45pm before sleep overtook her very tired little body.

Finally we had drinks on the main square in the new old-town (below the old city) paying appropriately extortionate 'on-the-main-square' prices, but the atmosphere was worth it.

Le Cite

Inside the city walls

Enjoying blanquette and beer

Carcassonne

Arques, Snails and Frog legs

We've been so very busy despite the rainy weather. Yesterday afternoon, after Nicole and Samantha left us, we took a drive east to Arques and checked out it's pretty cool, restored Chateau. This morning we headed west through the sunflower fields and hills to Puivert and onto Lake Montbel. Very nice but extraordinarily windy. This didn't stop Millie from enjoying the swings though.

Before home we went to a local restaurant and subjected Mum and Dad to some very  French delicacies... snails and frog legs. Mum really struggled but Dad hooked right in. I'm not sure the snails did much for him but he found the frog legs rather tasty. Yum yum yum. Enjoy the photos!

l'escargot

Frog legs

Pa enjoying the French delicacy

Chateau d'Arques

Millie on a big-girl swing

Le Tour de France

Despite our best efforts we did not manage to catch The Tour as it passed by our area. On Sunday the stage started in Limoux, just 18km up the road, and we thought we were onto a good thing. However the highway was closed from Saturday night and there didn't seem to be much in the way of public transport either. It ended up raining so catching online was the best we could do. Andy was very happy that Cavendish won the stage though. We did visit the start point on Friday and got a pic next to the sign. Does that count???

Grillade Geante

The wonderful festival committee in Esperaza put on a BBQ (Giant Grill) Saturday night. It was set up in one of the town squares and consisted of varied and abundant alcohol and some pretty nice food. It was really special to be a part of something quite local and the French sure know how to party. Andy and I left Mum, Dad, Nic and Sam to it and took Millie home to bed at 10.30 - much to the dismay of the local older generation who thought perhaps we weren't enjoying ourselves. Needless to say there were some hefty headaches in our house Sunday morning after a boozy day at the soccer and a boozy night on the square. I'm sure there were other houses in town a bit like ours. 

Certainly is a giant grill

What fun this staying-up-late business is

Enough to be going on with

Say 'camembert'

Tournoi du Foot

Andy and Dad wandered up to the stadium to check out the regional 7-a-side football (soccer) tournament. They were quietly watching when they were accosted by the antics of the warm-up of the Esperaza team. Their warm-up consisted of a combination of sports drinks (wine and beer), performance enhancing drugs (fags) and general silliness. Their star player didn't actually make it onto the pitch due to a bar-related injury. The team held their own going down 2-1 in the quarter final where the party decamped to the President's house. Dad came home to get us to join the revelry. We had a lovely time at their house and Millie particularly enjoyed a swim in the pool.

Esperaza team (north of the railway line)

Le foot

Loving a swim

Jigalong Reunion

We've had a big weekend starting with the arrival of Nicole and Samantha on Friday afternoon for a little Jigalong reunion in the south of France. We enjoyed some lovely food and a little sightseeing while they were here and they immersed themselves in the Esperaza Festival in style.

Gare d'Esperaza

Outside chez nous

Enjoying the views and sunshine

Fun in the sunflowers with Millie

Bastille Day - 14th July

During our visit of Alet-les-bains we chanced upon a Bastille Day Parade. Tres jolie! We had a lovely day touring around the country side, chatting to fellow Aussies in a very out-of-the-way village and collecting rocks (at least that was Millie's objective for the day).

Bastille Day Parade

Dad in Alet-les-bains

Barnsby-Wilsons

View of the Aude Valley

Pays du Cathare

We embarked on a big loop through the Cathar Country today to see the incredible Chateaus that are perched on top of craggy mountains. We missed the first one (lost??? I think not) but Queribus and Peyrepertuse did not disappoint. After a scenic picnic on the side of the road we took in the views of the two chateaus then headed home on a rather windy, tight road. There was a little confusion on a bridge somewhere with someone thinking that both she and I could fit on it (wrong!) but we managed to get out of that without a scratch on the hire car.
Check out Peyrepertuse Chateau and Queribus Chateau for a bit more info.

We'll get us there don't worry

Notre pique-nique

Le Chateau de Queribus

Le Chateau de Peyrepertuse

Grand-Mère et Grand-Père arrivent

Welcome to Grandma and Pa who arrived yesterday after a very long haul from Perth to Toulouse. They looked like they really needed to go to bed but had to endure an hour and a half in the car first. Luckily the views of sunflower fields and the beautiful French country side kept them enthralled. Still, them and Millie were in bed by 8pm.
We had a nice leisurely walk around the village this morning showing the local sights then after a lunch a rather more hot and sweaty trip up the hill to Rennes-le-Chateau. The views of the Aude Valley are sensational and the village itself quite interesting. We've a big trip planned tomorrow to wear everyone out.

Loving my Grandma

Loving my Pa

Loving my Hoot

At Rennes-le-Chateau

Exploring Esperaza

We've had a lovely week staying around the village enjoying the weather, especially now that I can walk again. There are more tourists these days but the locals seem to be avoiding the heat. Andy and Millie enjoyed finding rocks and skimming them in the river - serious business you know. We found a rather old building near the main square too.

Mum and Dad arrive tomorrow which is very exciting though I do need to navigate a great deal of French motorway first. Should be interesting.

What a tree!

Finding rocks

1783

Esperaza centre

Fête du jeu

Our neighbouring town Couiza celebrated the first day of school holidays with a youth festival today. We took the bus and enjoyed the full on argument the bus driver was having with a fellow traveller who we think didn't have enough money to ride. It could well be that this was just their everyday communication style but I'm of the thinking that if the driver didn't have another job to do they would have taken the issue outside.

It was a noisy 5 minute journey but well worth it as the park was full of tents aimed at different age groups, including a beer tent! After an ice-cream (Andy had a beer of course) Millie led the way and found much to amuse herself for 2 hours; games, toys, other kids. Success!

Fête du jeu

Puzzles

Tuckered out

Cooking