Canal du Midi - again

The man-made harbour at Castelnaudary.

The set of four locks at Castelnaudary.

A lock downstream from Castelnaudary.

Heading towards Castelnaudary.

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Pyrennes

View across the Pyrennes into Spain.

Cows grazing in the late afternoon shade of the Pyrennean peaks.

One of a few paragliders near the Col de Lers.

A mountain lake.

Mas d'Azil

The exit of the cave just outside Mas d'Azil in the French Pryrennes. The road, approx 1km, goes right through the cave.

A dragon's nest with an egg in the grotto.

The entrance (closest to the village). John Calvin is supposed to have worked here a little while before heading off to Geneva.

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A church with a very interesting cemetery; just outside Rieubach, a village close to Mas d'Azil.

Montolieu

The medieval bridge at Montolieu - a small village with over a dozen bookshops. Lots of French books, but we bought a wonderful atlas of history in Europe [see here].

View of Montolieu from the hills overlooking the village.

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Canal du Midi

The port of Le Segala along the Canal du Midi. Close by is the village of L'Bastide d'Anjou where we enjoyed out first cassoulet.

The Canal du Midi was built in the 1600's to form a waterway for trade between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

A typical view along the Canal du Midi.

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Views from the ramparts of the Carcasonne 'cite'

Cemetery with some large mausoleums.

Roofs of houses around the 'cite'.

Carcasonne Cathedral.

Basilica of St. Nazaire in Carcasonne 'cite'

Stained glass windows at the front of the nave.

Organ.

Gargoyle at the entrance.

Carcasonne

Kelly walking on the ramparts.

View of the main wall from the ramparts.

Sundial on a wall in the 'cite'.

Entrance into the fortress.

Little restaurant in the 'cite'.

Slits in the wall.

The ramparts.

The small bricks in the wall are from Romans times.

Mirepoix, Langedouc, France

Monday is market day in Mirepoix; Kelly buying vegies.

Ceiling of the church in Mirepoix.

One of the streets in Mirepoix.

One of the newer buildings in Mirepoix.

Examples of the many Medieval buildings in Mirepoix.

Barsa, Belpech, Aude, France

Our 'Gite' at Barsa, close to Belpech. We are in the closest and higher section; kitchen/dining/lounge at the ground floor, bedrooms and bathroom on the middle floor, and a loft bedroom and another bathroom on the top floor.

Kelly entering the 'front' door into the middle floor.

View from our bedroom.

View from the road leading to the property.

A building on the property awaiting renovation.

Sonthofen

Andrea, Norbert and Kelly outside the mill restaurant close to Sonthofen.

The cheese factory at Diepolz.

The church at Diepolz - the farming museum.

Views from the mountains above Sonthofen.

From the windows at Norbert and Andrea in Sonthofen.