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Slide Notes
Tuesday 1 September
Breakfast in Place Monge. Walked past Pantheon, Notre Dame and Pompidou Centre. Stopped for coffee near Canal St Martin.
Continued towards Montmartre where we enjoyed the view over rooftops of Paris from Sacre Couer, and then walked through during mass. Gorgeous depiction of Jesus on the ceiling - the highest point in Paris.
Wandered down the backstreets of Montmartre. Delicious lunch at Cafe Prospect - a menu of hard boiled eggs and dijonnaise with salad, followed by duck and potatoes, and a Leffe beer.
Walked to Moulin Rouge, almost getting trapped in a toilet on the way. Onto Opera Garnier. L’Opera was one of those places that becomes increasingly opulent the further in you go. The Grand Foyer and view from the verandah is magnificent. A rehearsal (with harpsichord!) was in progress.
Back to Hotel St Christophe past the Louvre and along the quay on the true left bank.
Had a rest, followed by a drink at L’Artes Cafe and dinner at a Thai restaurant.
Breakfast in Place Monge. Walked past Pantheon, Notre Dame and Pompidou Centre. Stopped for coffee near Canal St Martin.
Continued towards Montmartre where we enjoyed the view over rooftops of Paris from Sacre Couer, and then walked through during mass. Gorgeous depiction of Jesus on the ceiling - the highest point in Paris.
Wandered down the backstreets of Montmartre. Delicious lunch at Cafe Prospect - a menu of hard boiled eggs and dijonnaise with salad, followed by duck and potatoes, and a Leffe beer.
Walked to Moulin Rouge, almost getting trapped in a toilet on the way. Onto Opera Garnier. L’Opera was one of those places that becomes increasingly opulent the further in you go. The Grand Foyer and view from the verandah is magnificent. A rehearsal (with harpsichord!) was in progress.
Back to Hotel St Christophe past the Louvre and along the quay on the true left bank.
Had a rest, followed by a drink at L’Artes Cafe and dinner at a Thai restaurant.
One September in the south of France...
Published on Jun 26, 2016
An illustrated diary from travels to Paris and Languedoc-Roussillon in September 2015
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Opera Garnier, Paris
Tuesday 1 September
Breakfast in Place Monge. Walked past Pantheon, Notre Dame and Pompidou Centre. Stopped for coffee near Canal St Martin.
Continued towards Montmartre where we enjoyed the view over rooftops of Paris from Sacre Couer, and then walked through during mass. Gorgeous depiction of Jesus on the ceiling - the highest point in Paris.
Wandered down the backstreets of Montmartre. Delicious lunch at Cafe Prospect - a menu of hard boiled eggs and dijonnaise with salad, followed by duck and potatoes, and a Leffe beer.
Walked to Moulin Rouge, almost getting trapped in a toilet on the way. Onto Opera Garnier. L’Opera was one of those places that becomes increasingly opulent the further in you go. The Grand Foyer and view from the verandah is magnificent. A rehearsal (with harpsichord!) was in progress.
Back to Hotel St Christophe past the Louvre and along the quay on the true left bank.
Had a rest, followed by a drink at L’Artes Cafe and dinner at a Thai restaurant.
Breakfast in Place Monge. Walked past Pantheon, Notre Dame and Pompidou Centre. Stopped for coffee near Canal St Martin.
Continued towards Montmartre where we enjoyed the view over rooftops of Paris from Sacre Couer, and then walked through during mass. Gorgeous depiction of Jesus on the ceiling - the highest point in Paris.
Wandered down the backstreets of Montmartre. Delicious lunch at Cafe Prospect - a menu of hard boiled eggs and dijonnaise with salad, followed by duck and potatoes, and a Leffe beer.
Walked to Moulin Rouge, almost getting trapped in a toilet on the way. Onto Opera Garnier. L’Opera was one of those places that becomes increasingly opulent the further in you go. The Grand Foyer and view from the verandah is magnificent. A rehearsal (with harpsichord!) was in progress.
Back to Hotel St Christophe past the Louvre and along the quay on the true left bank.
Had a rest, followed by a drink at L’Artes Cafe and dinner at a Thai restaurant.
Toulouse
Wednesday 2 September
Le petit dejeuner with the best, freshly-squeezed orange juice. Walked through Paris's Jardin du Plants to Gare D’Austerlitz. Very disappointed that my suitcase wheels malfunctioned rendering them unusable.
Lovely 6.5 hour train ride to Toulouse. The countryside in Centrale was plain, but pleasant, and the huge cathedral in Orleans was impressive when viewed from the train. Lots of wind turbines. In Limousin, the countryside was far more green, and became more interesting, with the odd chateau passing by here and there. Further south, in Midi-Pyrenees, the countryside was dry and rocky, with lovely villages and some castles to look at.
At Toulouse, we couldn’t check in immediately, so had to leave our luggage at Matabiau and acquaint ourselves with the city. This included a trip to the main square and to St Sernin Basilica. Tapas dinner at La Gourmandine.
Le petit dejeuner with the best, freshly-squeezed orange juice. Walked through Paris's Jardin du Plants to Gare D’Austerlitz. Very disappointed that my suitcase wheels malfunctioned rendering them unusable.
Lovely 6.5 hour train ride to Toulouse. The countryside in Centrale was plain, but pleasant, and the huge cathedral in Orleans was impressive when viewed from the train. Lots of wind turbines. In Limousin, the countryside was far more green, and became more interesting, with the odd chateau passing by here and there. Further south, in Midi-Pyrenees, the countryside was dry and rocky, with lovely villages and some castles to look at.
At Toulouse, we couldn’t check in immediately, so had to leave our luggage at Matabiau and acquaint ourselves with the city. This included a trip to the main square and to St Sernin Basilica. Tapas dinner at La Gourmandine.
Toulouse
Thursday 3 September
After Le Petit Dejeuner, we walked to Capitole and had a look inside. The Rough Guide said there’s “not much to see” but we thought it had been worth a look!
We then went to Musée des Augustins, a fabulous sculpture museum (mainly romanesque and gothic) housed in a medieval cloister. We enjoyed this very much. This museum has the world’s best collection of romanesque sculpture, much of it as capitols.
Delicious ‘menu’ lunch of quiche and salad at a lovely GF cafe, followed by a trip to Hotel d’Assezat and Fondation Bemberg, a collection of paintings and decorative arts housed in one of the city’s beautiful historic mansions and displayed as would have been done so by private merchants. The collection included works from Cranach to to Toulouse-Lautrec and Modigliani.
We wandered back to the apartment grabbing a couple of bottles from Nicolas, the French wine chain. We enjoyed these on our apartment terrace for a few hours before heading to dinner at La Bon Vive on Place Wilson. Our host Yann recommended this to us for its regional specialities. We enjoyed the local aperitif (like a citrus spritzer) and dinner was fantastic. I enjoyed the canard wok and Nicholas had cassoulet.
Very much enjoying Toulouse. The ‘Pink City’ has a lovely warm feel and glowing red bricks. It feels quite different to Paris.
After Le Petit Dejeuner, we walked to Capitole and had a look inside. The Rough Guide said there’s “not much to see” but we thought it had been worth a look!
We then went to Musée des Augustins, a fabulous sculpture museum (mainly romanesque and gothic) housed in a medieval cloister. We enjoyed this very much. This museum has the world’s best collection of romanesque sculpture, much of it as capitols.
Delicious ‘menu’ lunch of quiche and salad at a lovely GF cafe, followed by a trip to Hotel d’Assezat and Fondation Bemberg, a collection of paintings and decorative arts housed in one of the city’s beautiful historic mansions and displayed as would have been done so by private merchants. The collection included works from Cranach to to Toulouse-Lautrec and Modigliani.
We wandered back to the apartment grabbing a couple of bottles from Nicolas, the French wine chain. We enjoyed these on our apartment terrace for a few hours before heading to dinner at La Bon Vive on Place Wilson. Our host Yann recommended this to us for its regional specialities. We enjoyed the local aperitif (like a citrus spritzer) and dinner was fantastic. I enjoyed the canard wok and Nicholas had cassoulet.
Very much enjoying Toulouse. The ‘Pink City’ has a lovely warm feel and glowing red bricks. It feels quite different to Paris.
St Sernin, Toulouse
Friday 4 September
We spent the morning planning our next few days and doing laundry. In the late morning, we visited St Etienne Cathedral, a large and disconcerting mish-mash of romanesque and gothic architecture, with no attempt made to harmonise different architectural styles. Eglise des Jacobins was more beautiful, particularly the amazing palm-tree vaulted ceiling. This church was the birthplace of the Benedictine monks.
We had a delicious menu lunch at Le Troquet: a chicken salad for me and rabbit for Nicholas. The maitredee was frightening - no time to even allow me to try speaking French! After lunch we wandered through Notre-Dame du Taur, back to the Basilica of St Sernin, and over the Garonne. We shared a bottle of Rose on the patio and dined at an Italian restaurant.
We spent the morning planning our next few days and doing laundry. In the late morning, we visited St Etienne Cathedral, a large and disconcerting mish-mash of romanesque and gothic architecture, with no attempt made to harmonise different architectural styles. Eglise des Jacobins was more beautiful, particularly the amazing palm-tree vaulted ceiling. This church was the birthplace of the Benedictine monks.
We had a delicious menu lunch at Le Troquet: a chicken salad for me and rabbit for Nicholas. The maitredee was frightening - no time to even allow me to try speaking French! After lunch we wandered through Notre-Dame du Taur, back to the Basilica of St Sernin, and over the Garonne. We shared a bottle of Rose on the patio and dined at an Italian restaurant.
Mirepoix
Saturday 5 September
Our first task was to collect our rental car from Matabiau. I then had to negotiate our way out of the complex of narrow streets and wild drivers in Toulouse, in a manual transmission on the other side of the road. We didn’t have a particular route out of the city that we were aiming for: the mission was simply to get out! It took us two hours to get to Castelnaudary, which normally would be a 62km drive down the motorway. Instead we were taking wrong turns (to be expected) and winding up and down country roads and through charming French villages, with their tiny streets and energetic motorists. By the time we reached Castelnaudary, we had worked up a sufficient appetite for a lunch of the town speciality: cassoulet!
After this enormous meal of duck fat and sausage gruel complemented with a salad and enormous banoffee sundae, we went to Mirepoix, a bastide town famous for its pretty and well-preserved Renaissance square. We continued to Montferrier, a village about 720m up in the pre-Pyrenees, where Michele welcomed us to our mountain hideaway and it’s beautiful spacious garden. Nicholas made spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.
Our first task was to collect our rental car from Matabiau. I then had to negotiate our way out of the complex of narrow streets and wild drivers in Toulouse, in a manual transmission on the other side of the road. We didn’t have a particular route out of the city that we were aiming for: the mission was simply to get out! It took us two hours to get to Castelnaudary, which normally would be a 62km drive down the motorway. Instead we were taking wrong turns (to be expected) and winding up and down country roads and through charming French villages, with their tiny streets and energetic motorists. By the time we reached Castelnaudary, we had worked up a sufficient appetite for a lunch of the town speciality: cassoulet!
After this enormous meal of duck fat and sausage gruel complemented with a salad and enormous banoffee sundae, we went to Mirepoix, a bastide town famous for its pretty and well-preserved Renaissance square. We continued to Montferrier, a village about 720m up in the pre-Pyrenees, where Michele welcomed us to our mountain hideaway and it’s beautiful spacious garden. Nicholas made spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.
Roquefixade
Sunday 6 September
We decided to do the 8km circular walk described in my Walks in the Cathar Region (Mattingly, 2005) around Chateau de Roquefixade - less than 20km from our gite at Montferrier. We spent a good couple of hours rambling through meadows and beech forests. The deciduous forest and meadows are very different to the New Zealand bush. There were also pretty funguses to admire. The climax was the spectacular approach to the chateau ruins and its marvellous view over the Ariege mountains and 13th-century village of Roquefixade. It was a beautiful day, with few others about, and perfect for enjoying a picnic in front of the ruins of the chateau.
We finished our walk around 14:00 and went to Montsegur, the most iconic of Cathar castles, rich with a turbulent and gruesome history. It was a steep ascent of 250m up the rocky tor from the road to Montsegur. We joined a free tour in French (which last an hour!) and then spent some time exploring by ourselves. Amazing panorama over the Cathar regions, but with many more sightseers than Roquefixade.
For dinner we tried our hand barbecuing sausages on the charcoal barbeque in the garden. They took hours to cook…. and then got singed! All the same, I think it was a great excuse to enjoy our beautiful garden in Montferrier and the pre-Pyrenean meadows.
We decided to do the 8km circular walk described in my Walks in the Cathar Region (Mattingly, 2005) around Chateau de Roquefixade - less than 20km from our gite at Montferrier. We spent a good couple of hours rambling through meadows and beech forests. The deciduous forest and meadows are very different to the New Zealand bush. There were also pretty funguses to admire. The climax was the spectacular approach to the chateau ruins and its marvellous view over the Ariege mountains and 13th-century village of Roquefixade. It was a beautiful day, with few others about, and perfect for enjoying a picnic in front of the ruins of the chateau.
We finished our walk around 14:00 and went to Montsegur, the most iconic of Cathar castles, rich with a turbulent and gruesome history. It was a steep ascent of 250m up the rocky tor from the road to Montsegur. We joined a free tour in French (which last an hour!) and then spent some time exploring by ourselves. Amazing panorama over the Cathar regions, but with many more sightseers than Roquefixade.
For dinner we tried our hand barbecuing sausages on the charcoal barbeque in the garden. They took hours to cook…. and then got singed! All the same, I think it was a great excuse to enjoy our beautiful garden in Montferrier and the pre-Pyrenean meadows.
Vals, Ariege
Monday 7 September
Another gorgeous warm day, which we spent touring Ariege. First stop was the gorgeous village of Camon, followed by a photo stop at Lagarde. Visited the ancient church at Vals with its curious subterranean entrance. Went south to medieval Foix where we had lunch in the Place de St Vincent. Admired the chateau but didn’t go in.
Continued along the D117 to St-Girons and St-Lizier, the latter of which had a beautiful walled old city and impressive abbey and cloister. From here we went up over the steep Col de la Core (1,395m), right under the sheer Pyrenees and 5km from the border with Spain. On the other side we stopped in the pretty village of Seix and then went east through the lush Arac gorge (I particularly enjoyed this) and over the Col de Port. We arrived back in Montferrier around 19:00. I made a chicken salad for dinner.
Another gorgeous warm day, which we spent touring Ariege. First stop was the gorgeous village of Camon, followed by a photo stop at Lagarde. Visited the ancient church at Vals with its curious subterranean entrance. Went south to medieval Foix where we had lunch in the Place de St Vincent. Admired the chateau but didn’t go in.
Continued along the D117 to St-Girons and St-Lizier, the latter of which had a beautiful walled old city and impressive abbey and cloister. From here we went up over the steep Col de la Core (1,395m), right under the sheer Pyrenees and 5km from the border with Spain. On the other side we stopped in the pretty village of Seix and then went east through the lush Arac gorge (I particularly enjoyed this) and over the Col de Port. We arrived back in Montferrier around 19:00. I made a chicken salad for dinner.
Montferrier
Tuesday 8 September
After exploring Montferrier village for half an hour or thereabouts we made our way east. We had intended on visiting the museum in Montsegur village; this didn’t open until the afternoon but we enjoyed looking around the town all the same.
Drove east from Montsegur through an impressive gorge, and stopped to marvel at the Fontaine de Fontestorbes, an subterranean reservoir that provides a regularly-fluctuating discharge of water. It was very interesting.
From about noon, we spent an hour at the expansive Chateau de Puivert, which included a restored keep that could be explored. By this time the day was getting hot, and the weather improving as we travelled east into Languedoc-Roussillon. We had a fantastic lunch in Quillan: salad then chicken fillet with roquefort sauce. At 15:00 we followed the D117 southeast through the Defile de Pierre-Lys, one of the spectacular rocky gorges of the Aude, where in a number of places where the road had to be cut into the gorge leaving nice rock overhangs. We spent about 90 minutes exploring the ruins of Chateau de Puilaurens, occupying a dramatic site in the southernmost part of Cathar country.
Our lodging for the night was a fantastic gite in Belvianes-et-Cavirac. It had all the latest mod cons in a house which, as the owner informed us, was anywhere between 300 and 1,000 years old.
After exploring Montferrier village for half an hour or thereabouts we made our way east. We had intended on visiting the museum in Montsegur village; this didn’t open until the afternoon but we enjoyed looking around the town all the same.
Drove east from Montsegur through an impressive gorge, and stopped to marvel at the Fontaine de Fontestorbes, an subterranean reservoir that provides a regularly-fluctuating discharge of water. It was very interesting.
From about noon, we spent an hour at the expansive Chateau de Puivert, which included a restored keep that could be explored. By this time the day was getting hot, and the weather improving as we travelled east into Languedoc-Roussillon. We had a fantastic lunch in Quillan: salad then chicken fillet with roquefort sauce. At 15:00 we followed the D117 southeast through the Defile de Pierre-Lys, one of the spectacular rocky gorges of the Aude, where in a number of places where the road had to be cut into the gorge leaving nice rock overhangs. We spent about 90 minutes exploring the ruins of Chateau de Puilaurens, occupying a dramatic site in the southernmost part of Cathar country.
Our lodging for the night was a fantastic gite in Belvianes-et-Cavirac. It had all the latest mod cons in a house which, as the owner informed us, was anywhere between 300 and 1,000 years old.
Carcassonne
Wednesday 9 September
We left at 9:30 and headed straight for Carcassonne. La Cite, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the ultimate restoration project, one that includes the revamp of a medieval citadel and its double encirclement of ramparts. The actual history of Carcassonne can be traced back 2,500 years.
We spent over two hours exploring the chateau (€8.50), walking the ramparts, and admiring the views from the many towers. At 14:30 we had a delicious menu lunch, after which we had a brief look at the cathedral. I was particularly taken with the Gothic rose windows.
After this we had had enough of Carcassonne for one day, so headed for Caunes-Minervois. Our gite here was superb, and the day was so sunny and warm that I had an early evening dip in the pool. We received an extremely warm welcome from hosts Nicole and Lars, who invited us over for a drink. We spent a good couple of hours with them talking about places we’ve all traveled and wonderful things to see and do in Caunes.
We left at 9:30 and headed straight for Carcassonne. La Cite, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the ultimate restoration project, one that includes the revamp of a medieval citadel and its double encirclement of ramparts. The actual history of Carcassonne can be traced back 2,500 years.
We spent over two hours exploring the chateau (€8.50), walking the ramparts, and admiring the views from the many towers. At 14:30 we had a delicious menu lunch, after which we had a brief look at the cathedral. I was particularly taken with the Gothic rose windows.
After this we had had enough of Carcassonne for one day, so headed for Caunes-Minervois. Our gite here was superb, and the day was so sunny and warm that I had an early evening dip in the pool. We received an extremely warm welcome from hosts Nicole and Lars, who invited us over for a drink. We spent a good couple of hours with them talking about places we’ve all traveled and wonderful things to see and do in Caunes.
Caunes-Minervois
Thursday 10 September
Our first mission was to go to the local market in the Place del Europe, where we bought a selection of produce (the apricots were the best I’ve ever tasted) and meats: sausages, chorizo and duck (that latter which was cheaper than chicken). We also went to the bakery.
After la petit dejeuner, we explored the abbey in Caunes-Minervois. The red marble found inside is quarried in the region, yet it is the exterior that is considered a particularly fine and well-preserved example of early Romanesque architecture.
In the early afternoon, we tried to go wine tasting at a local chateau. This was unsuccessful, as the proprietor told us that he was unhappy with his recent wines and wasn’t offering tastings anymore. We then tried to find Jens’ and Mariel’s accommodation. This also was unsuccessful, so we went back to our gite and realised that they must be staying just 10 minutes walk up the road at the Au Pont Romain (“the Roman Bridge”). We decided to walk and see whether they were there; they were taken by surprise when we walked in the door, as they had just arrived not five minutes earlier!
We decided to all enjoy a BBQ dinner together at their place so Jens, Nicholas and I went to the local store to buy food while Mariel unpacked and got the children organised. So wonderful to see Jens and Mariel again, and to meet their daughters Mila and Erin.
Walked home in the dark; Caunes-Minervois is extremely dark and starry after nightfall! The Big Dipper was conspicuous above L’Argent Double.
Our first mission was to go to the local market in the Place del Europe, where we bought a selection of produce (the apricots were the best I’ve ever tasted) and meats: sausages, chorizo and duck (that latter which was cheaper than chicken). We also went to the bakery.
After la petit dejeuner, we explored the abbey in Caunes-Minervois. The red marble found inside is quarried in the region, yet it is the exterior that is considered a particularly fine and well-preserved example of early Romanesque architecture.
In the early afternoon, we tried to go wine tasting at a local chateau. This was unsuccessful, as the proprietor told us that he was unhappy with his recent wines and wasn’t offering tastings anymore. We then tried to find Jens’ and Mariel’s accommodation. This also was unsuccessful, so we went back to our gite and realised that they must be staying just 10 minutes walk up the road at the Au Pont Romain (“the Roman Bridge”). We decided to walk and see whether they were there; they were taken by surprise when we walked in the door, as they had just arrived not five minutes earlier!
We decided to all enjoy a BBQ dinner together at their place so Jens, Nicholas and I went to the local store to buy food while Mariel unpacked and got the children organised. So wonderful to see Jens and Mariel again, and to meet their daughters Mila and Erin.
Walked home in the dark; Caunes-Minervois is extremely dark and starry after nightfall! The Big Dipper was conspicuous above L’Argent Double.
Minerve
Friday 11 September
A very lazy start to the day. Our friends came over around 11.00; it was a gorgeous morning so we took coffee in the gazzeebo. They decided against coming to Minerve with us since it had been a big day for Mila and Erin the day before.
Minerve was gorgeous: an historic and picturesque village, spectacularly situated on a rock outcrop overlooking the Cesse Gorge. There were also two fantastic natural bridges: at 250m and 150m long, both were large enough to fit a highway. We spontaneously took the opportunity to sample a few local wines, and ended up spending €8.90 for two excellent bottles.
We all dined at La Grande Fontaine.
A very lazy start to the day. Our friends came over around 11.00; it was a gorgeous morning so we took coffee in the gazzeebo. They decided against coming to Minerve with us since it had been a big day for Mila and Erin the day before.
Minerve was gorgeous: an historic and picturesque village, spectacularly situated on a rock outcrop overlooking the Cesse Gorge. There were also two fantastic natural bridges: at 250m and 150m long, both were large enough to fit a highway. We spontaneously took the opportunity to sample a few local wines, and ended up spending €8.90 for two excellent bottles.
We all dined at La Grande Fontaine.
Cabrespine
Saturday 12 September
A very humid day.
Our hosts informed us that Caunes-Minervois market days were Thursday, Saturday, and Tuesday. But both we and Jens and Mariel were left puzzled when we looked for the market separately and found no sign of it anywhere!
In the afternoon we head for Cabrespine, one of the largest caves in Europe. Just as we were leaving Caunes, a massive thunderstorm opened up, with forked lightning straight in front of us. Torrential rain followed, but soon after arriving Cabrespine the storm moved on; it was like a whole new day!
The cavern was huge. Essentially it’s one chamber, but at over 250m deep it really is quite impressive. Beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, as well as amazing formations that looked like sea foam, anemones and star fish. Such beauty was cheapened by the sound-and-light shows, the first of which used Orff’s O Fortuna! as it’s soundtrack!
We re-grouped with our friends that evening and cooked the sausages and duck for dinner. Nicholas and I were about to head home at 10.00pm when another thunderstorm came through. It lasted for 75 minutes, with at least one flash of sheet lightning every five seconds. It didn’t rain until the end when the storm came close overhead and sounded like gunfire… at which point the downpours came through the roof of Jen’s and Mariel’s porch!
A very humid day.
Our hosts informed us that Caunes-Minervois market days were Thursday, Saturday, and Tuesday. But both we and Jens and Mariel were left puzzled when we looked for the market separately and found no sign of it anywhere!
In the afternoon we head for Cabrespine, one of the largest caves in Europe. Just as we were leaving Caunes, a massive thunderstorm opened up, with forked lightning straight in front of us. Torrential rain followed, but soon after arriving Cabrespine the storm moved on; it was like a whole new day!
The cavern was huge. Essentially it’s one chamber, but at over 250m deep it really is quite impressive. Beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, as well as amazing formations that looked like sea foam, anemones and star fish. Such beauty was cheapened by the sound-and-light shows, the first of which used Orff’s O Fortuna! as it’s soundtrack!
We re-grouped with our friends that evening and cooked the sausages and duck for dinner. Nicholas and I were about to head home at 10.00pm when another thunderstorm came through. It lasted for 75 minutes, with at least one flash of sheet lightning every five seconds. It didn’t rain until the end when the storm came close overhead and sounded like gunfire… at which point the downpours came through the roof of Jen’s and Mariel’s porch!
Carcassonne
Sunday 13 September
Today we went to Carcassonne. Jens and Mariel took the girls through the Chateau, while Nicholas and I explored the medieval town. We walked around the lise between the two lines of curtain wall, and also had a coffee in the square. After our friends were done we had a quick look in the cathedral (gorgeous stained glass!) and some lunch at an informal cafe.
For dinner, we went to La Cantine Du Cure in Caunes-Minervois, with a cheap selection of tapas plates and good selection of cheap wines. It was beautiful. All seating was outside at picnic tables, and it had really family-friendly and rustic atmosphere. We finished just as the lightning again illuminated the sky.
Today we went to Carcassonne. Jens and Mariel took the girls through the Chateau, while Nicholas and I explored the medieval town. We walked around the lise between the two lines of curtain wall, and also had a coffee in the square. After our friends were done we had a quick look in the cathedral (gorgeous stained glass!) and some lunch at an informal cafe.
For dinner, we went to La Cantine Du Cure in Caunes-Minervois, with a cheap selection of tapas plates and good selection of cheap wines. It was beautiful. All seating was outside at picnic tables, and it had really family-friendly and rustic atmosphere. We finished just as the lightning again illuminated the sky.
Caunes-Minervois
Monday 14 September
Our friends came over for coffee a bit before lunchtime, and we swapped stories about our building and development projects (they’re soon to start building a nice three-storey family home in Amersfoort). We then had to say goodbye, which understandably was sad; they were to continue to a seaside town near Béziers while we had a couple more nights in Caunes. (Photo taken in front of La Cerisaie, our lodging gite in Caunes.)
After lunch we went to Chateaux des Lastours, an agglomeration of four small Cathar castles: Cabaret, Surdespine, Tour Régine and Quertinheux. The ruins were really fun to explore, and access included going through a grotto. We spent a good 2.5 hours exploring and afterwards went to the panoramic lookout.
We had a simple dinner of sausages and salad; but I had to go on quite a trek to find wine. Eventually I was saved by the very old woman at the shop in Place de la Republique!
Our friends came over for coffee a bit before lunchtime, and we swapped stories about our building and development projects (they’re soon to start building a nice three-storey family home in Amersfoort). We then had to say goodbye, which understandably was sad; they were to continue to a seaside town near Béziers while we had a couple more nights in Caunes. (Photo taken in front of La Cerisaie, our lodging gite in Caunes.)
After lunch we went to Chateaux des Lastours, an agglomeration of four small Cathar castles: Cabaret, Surdespine, Tour Régine and Quertinheux. The ruins were really fun to explore, and access included going through a grotto. We spent a good 2.5 hours exploring and afterwards went to the panoramic lookout.
We had a simple dinner of sausages and salad; but I had to go on quite a trek to find wine. Eventually I was saved by the very old woman at the shop in Place de la Republique!
Caunes-Minervois
Tuesday 15 September
Our last full day in Caunes.
We went to the market in the morning, and stocked up on fruit and produce and a selection of cheeses. The cheesemonger was wonderful, talking to all customers as he happily sorted their cheese needs. We also got talking to some nice Australians.
In the afternoon we explored the nearby countryside: first the very fine church and sanctuary at Notre Dame du Cros, and then on to Feline Minervois (“Cat” Minervois) just to see what was there. We also went up the L’Argent Double gorge as far as Citou. In the late afternoon we explored the historic area of Caunes - lots of characterful “impasse”. We stopped in at the pub where I accidentally confused the publican with my poor French.
Dinner at the local pizza restaurant, L’Argent Double. My pizza had aubergine. Amazing flavours.
Our last full day in Caunes.
We went to the market in the morning, and stocked up on fruit and produce and a selection of cheeses. The cheesemonger was wonderful, talking to all customers as he happily sorted their cheese needs. We also got talking to some nice Australians.
In the afternoon we explored the nearby countryside: first the very fine church and sanctuary at Notre Dame du Cros, and then on to Feline Minervois (“Cat” Minervois) just to see what was there. We also went up the L’Argent Double gorge as far as Citou. In the late afternoon we explored the historic area of Caunes - lots of characterful “impasse”. We stopped in at the pub where I accidentally confused the publican with my poor French.
Dinner at the local pizza restaurant, L’Argent Double. My pizza had aubergine. Amazing flavours.
Narbonne
Wednesday 16 September
We left Caunes and headed through the countryside to Narbonne. On the outskirts of Narbonne we were nearly taken out by a crazy who, on the roundabout, overtook on the right and then cut us off as we were exiting while he almost spun out of control.
Walked through the cavernous cathedral then went through the excellent archaeological museum, where I was particularly taken with the Roman artefacts and mosaic floors.
Had lunch in the main square. We ordered the ‘formula’ or ‘menu’ (set menu of the day) but unfortunately they ran out of my dessert but then seemed unwilling to “unformulate” the menu on the bill. At the last moment they seemed to rustle up my choice of dessert, but it was too late - we had to go to Béziers airport to collect Jo. We got a bit lost around Béziers, so arrived at the airport just in time for Jo to appear in the arrivals hall.
Was wonderful to see Jo. We then whipped down the E15/E80 tollway (‘La Languedocienne’) at 130kmph, the only time we drove on a French motorway. We got stuck at the tollgate on exit, which wouldn’t accept overseas credit card... thank goodness for our Nicholas and his French language skills! We navigated our way to St Estève, a satellite town of Perpignan, in Roussillon. Our accommodation was good but the town was strange: a rather characterless, functional 1960s commuter town.
We left Caunes and headed through the countryside to Narbonne. On the outskirts of Narbonne we were nearly taken out by a crazy who, on the roundabout, overtook on the right and then cut us off as we were exiting while he almost spun out of control.
Walked through the cavernous cathedral then went through the excellent archaeological museum, where I was particularly taken with the Roman artefacts and mosaic floors.
Had lunch in the main square. We ordered the ‘formula’ or ‘menu’ (set menu of the day) but unfortunately they ran out of my dessert but then seemed unwilling to “unformulate” the menu on the bill. At the last moment they seemed to rustle up my choice of dessert, but it was too late - we had to go to Béziers airport to collect Jo. We got a bit lost around Béziers, so arrived at the airport just in time for Jo to appear in the arrivals hall.
Was wonderful to see Jo. We then whipped down the E15/E80 tollway (‘La Languedocienne’) at 130kmph, the only time we drove on a French motorway. We got stuck at the tollgate on exit, which wouldn’t accept overseas credit card... thank goodness for our Nicholas and his French language skills! We navigated our way to St Estève, a satellite town of Perpignan, in Roussillon. Our accommodation was good but the town was strange: a rather characterless, functional 1960s commuter town.
Peyrepertuse
Thursday 17 September
This was a wonderful day as we were able to see two Cathar castles that I’d really wanted to see. The scenery became increasingly rugged and beautiful as we made our way up the Agly and Maury valleys. At Maury, Chateau de Queribus soared above us, perched 700m straight up on a rocky outcrop. It was magnificent.
We went on to Peyrepertuse, the largest of the Cathar castles, indeed a citadel spread over different levels. I loved scrambling about the ruins. The three of us had a picnic up there. The view from Chapel San Jordi was incredible, and one could see Queribus on the horizon and the Mediterranean in the distance. On the way down we almost stood on a snake… I think the snake was irritated!
It was a hot day so we snacked on ice creams before heading onto Queribus. When we arrived, they appeared to be packing up from shooting a film set in medieval times (there was horse dung on the track and everything!). But Queribus was fantastic, and different to Peyrepertuse in that it really is one keep with a few lower fortifications. The view from Queribus was amazing. There was also a secret passage - pitch black and leading to a chamber at the bottom of the fortress! We loved it.
This was a wonderful day as we were able to see two Cathar castles that I’d really wanted to see. The scenery became increasingly rugged and beautiful as we made our way up the Agly and Maury valleys. At Maury, Chateau de Queribus soared above us, perched 700m straight up on a rocky outcrop. It was magnificent.
We went on to Peyrepertuse, the largest of the Cathar castles, indeed a citadel spread over different levels. I loved scrambling about the ruins. The three of us had a picnic up there. The view from Chapel San Jordi was incredible, and one could see Queribus on the horizon and the Mediterranean in the distance. On the way down we almost stood on a snake… I think the snake was irritated!
It was a hot day so we snacked on ice creams before heading onto Queribus. When we arrived, they appeared to be packing up from shooting a film set in medieval times (there was horse dung on the track and everything!). But Queribus was fantastic, and different to Peyrepertuse in that it really is one keep with a few lower fortifications. The view from Queribus was amazing. There was also a secret passage - pitch black and leading to a chamber at the bottom of the fortress! We loved it.
Peyrepertuse
Thursday 17 September
This was a wonderful day as we were able to see two Cathar castles that I’d really wanted to see. The scenery became increasingly rugged and beautiful as we made our way up the Agly and Maury valleys. At Maury, Chateau de Queribus soared above us, perched 700m straight up on a rocky outcrop. It was magnificent.
We went on to Peyrepertuse, the largest of the Cathar castles, indeed a citadel spread over different levels. I loved scrambling about the ruins. The three of us had a picnic up there. The view from Chapel San Jordi was incredible, and one could see Queribus on the horizon and the Mediterranean in the distance. On the way down we almost stood on a snake… I think the snake was irritated!
It was a hot day so we snacked on ice creams before heading onto Queribus. When we arrived, there appeared to be a crew shooting a film set in medieval times... there was horse dung on the track and everything! But Queribus was fantastic, and different to Peyrepertuse in that it really is one keep with a few lower fortifications. The view from Queribus was amazing. There was also a secret passage - pitch black and leading to a chamber at the bottom of the fortress! We loved it.
This was a wonderful day as we were able to see two Cathar castles that I’d really wanted to see. The scenery became increasingly rugged and beautiful as we made our way up the Agly and Maury valleys. At Maury, Chateau de Queribus soared above us, perched 700m straight up on a rocky outcrop. It was magnificent.
We went on to Peyrepertuse, the largest of the Cathar castles, indeed a citadel spread over different levels. I loved scrambling about the ruins. The three of us had a picnic up there. The view from Chapel San Jordi was incredible, and one could see Queribus on the horizon and the Mediterranean in the distance. On the way down we almost stood on a snake… I think the snake was irritated!
It was a hot day so we snacked on ice creams before heading onto Queribus. When we arrived, there appeared to be a crew shooting a film set in medieval times... there was horse dung on the track and everything! But Queribus was fantastic, and different to Peyrepertuse in that it really is one keep with a few lower fortifications. The view from Queribus was amazing. There was also a secret passage - pitch black and leading to a chamber at the bottom of the fortress! We loved it.
Collioure
Friday 18 September
First stop was the outrageously-gorgeous fishing village of Collioure. After admiring the coast from above the town, we walked down into the boutiquey village with its brightly-painted houses. I ordered a Collioure Salad for lunch, complete with fresh anchovies (I usually don’t eat seafood). It was delectable.
After lunch we went further down the coast, stopping at Banyuls-sur-Mer. Jo and I both swam, so that was my first swim ever in the Mediterranean Sea! I had fish swimming around me and exfoliating my skin. We went all the way down to Cap Cerbère and over the border to Portbou, a strange, ominous and uninviting border town. We turned around without even getting out of the car and headed back for the safety of France.
We had cheese on the deck that evening - the wonderful varietals that we’d bought in Caunes!
First stop was the outrageously-gorgeous fishing village of Collioure. After admiring the coast from above the town, we walked down into the boutiquey village with its brightly-painted houses. I ordered a Collioure Salad for lunch, complete with fresh anchovies (I usually don’t eat seafood). It was delectable.
After lunch we went further down the coast, stopping at Banyuls-sur-Mer. Jo and I both swam, so that was my first swim ever in the Mediterranean Sea! I had fish swimming around me and exfoliating my skin. We went all the way down to Cap Cerbère and over the border to Portbou, a strange, ominous and uninviting border town. We turned around without even getting out of the car and headed back for the safety of France.
We had cheese on the deck that evening - the wonderful varietals that we’d bought in Caunes!
Collioure
Saturday 19 September
Emerging with sore heads from the night before, we decided to return to Collioure. We first had a walk around St Estève and I even did a few chin-ups in the park. We then had a quick look at Perpignan, including its large, boxish cathedral. An interesting folk band was playing near the town gates.
We tried a different restaurant for lunch in Collioure, during which time the day became overcast. After lunch we took a walk around the seafront, I had a swim, and we looked inside Collioure cathedral. We made our way back to St Estève.
A couple of days before Jo had discovered the raclette maker, so we had raclette for dinner!
Emerging with sore heads from the night before, we decided to return to Collioure. We first had a walk around St Estève and I even did a few chin-ups in the park. We then had a quick look at Perpignan, including its large, boxish cathedral. An interesting folk band was playing near the town gates.
We tried a different restaurant for lunch in Collioure, during which time the day became overcast. After lunch we took a walk around the seafront, I had a swim, and we looked inside Collioure cathedral. We made our way back to St Estève.
A couple of days before Jo had discovered the raclette maker, so we had raclette for dinner!
Languedoc Coast, Sète
Sunday 20 September
We cleaned up and said farewell to Nathalie, our host. We took the D900/D6009 north and had lunch al fresco in the charming village of Nissan-lez-Enserune. We dropped Jo at Béziers airport. It was a shame to see her go but delightful that she could come and spend time with us.
Continued along the coast through Sète and around Montpellier.
We’d booked an Air B&B in Caissargues, a satellite town of Nîmes. We were greeted by some fifteen young women enjoying a pool party. Our host Jean-Claude arrived back later that evening and invited us down for an aperitif. Well, there were plates of cheese, serrano ham, and a couple of bottles of wine! Meanwhile, Jean-Claude was disgruntled that the girls had used up every towel in the house! Our accommodation was amazing: modern and so well appointed e.g. complimentary umbrellas at the door.
We cleaned up and said farewell to Nathalie, our host. We took the D900/D6009 north and had lunch al fresco in the charming village of Nissan-lez-Enserune. We dropped Jo at Béziers airport. It was a shame to see her go but delightful that she could come and spend time with us.
Continued along the coast through Sète and around Montpellier.
We’d booked an Air B&B in Caissargues, a satellite town of Nîmes. We were greeted by some fifteen young women enjoying a pool party. Our host Jean-Claude arrived back later that evening and invited us down for an aperitif. Well, there were plates of cheese, serrano ham, and a couple of bottles of wine! Meanwhile, Jean-Claude was disgruntled that the girls had used up every towel in the house! Our accommodation was amazing: modern and so well appointed e.g. complimentary umbrellas at the door.
Les Arenes, Nȋmes
Monday 21 September
Our reason for visiting Nîmes was to soak up the Roman history. Our first stop was Les Arenes. While not the biggest Roman arena, it is the most well-preserved. With a capacity of >15,000, Les Arenes is still used for events today (Jean-Claude went to the bullfighting the night before). Besides being impressive in itself, it is also offers great views over the roofs and church spires of Nîmes.
We also went to the Square House. The exterior is stunning but there’s nothing to see inside.
It was a hot afternoon, so we went back down to the coast and spent the afternoon on the wide, warm beaches of La Grand Travers, where the crazy ziggurat towers of La Grande-Motte could be seen to the east. It wasn’t until later that we learned La Grand Travers was well known as the ‘boys beach’ of the French coast, where spritely men get entangled with each other in the sand dunes!
Our reason for visiting Nîmes was to soak up the Roman history. Our first stop was Les Arenes. While not the biggest Roman arena, it is the most well-preserved. With a capacity of >15,000, Les Arenes is still used for events today (Jean-Claude went to the bullfighting the night before). Besides being impressive in itself, it is also offers great views over the roofs and church spires of Nîmes.
We also went to the Square House. The exterior is stunning but there’s nothing to see inside.
It was a hot afternoon, so we went back down to the coast and spent the afternoon on the wide, warm beaches of La Grand Travers, where the crazy ziggurat towers of La Grande-Motte could be seen to the east. It wasn’t until later that we learned La Grand Travers was well known as the ‘boys beach’ of the French coast, where spritely men get entangled with each other in the sand dunes!
Pont du Gard
Tuesday 22 September
This was our day for visiting Pont du Gard, the awesome Roman bridge on the Nîmes aqueduct. It was truly spectacular. The museum gives a nice idea about the technological sophistication of the Romans: the Nîmes aqueduct drops by just 17m over its 50km journey. Later that day we visited Le Castellum Aquae, where the water came off the aqueduct and was distributed into Nîmes urban plumbing systems.
We also visited the Augusteum that afternoon, a beautiful Roman water garden. There were a number of Roman temples there too, such as the Temple de Diane and La Tour Magne. The view from La Tour Magne over the leafy boulevards of Nîmes was impressive.
That evening Jean-Claude impressed us with his wine cellar and a farewell digestif!
This was our day for visiting Pont du Gard, the awesome Roman bridge on the Nîmes aqueduct. It was truly spectacular. The museum gives a nice idea about the technological sophistication of the Romans: the Nîmes aqueduct drops by just 17m over its 50km journey. Later that day we visited Le Castellum Aquae, where the water came off the aqueduct and was distributed into Nîmes urban plumbing systems.
We also visited the Augusteum that afternoon, a beautiful Roman water garden. There were a number of Roman temples there too, such as the Temple de Diane and La Tour Magne. The view from La Tour Magne over the leafy boulevards of Nîmes was impressive.
That evening Jean-Claude impressed us with his wine cellar and a farewell digestif!
Montpellier
Wednesday 23 September -
We got ourselves to Montpellier before lunch and dropped off the car. I was thankful for this in some ways as some of the driving was challenging, particularly the tiny streets of rural villages but also the busyness of cities like Nȋmes.
Our host Charlie was extremely obliging and guided us around his hometown. We went to Musée Fabre (€7.00), with its extensive collections, lunch at a pub, to Arc de Triomphe and the Jardin des Plantes. We finished up back in Place de la Comédie, with its cosmopolitan and Parisienne feel.
We went to a local Greek restaurant for dinner but the food wasn’t memorable.
We got ourselves to Montpellier before lunch and dropped off the car. I was thankful for this in some ways as some of the driving was challenging, particularly the tiny streets of rural villages but also the busyness of cities like Nȋmes.
Our host Charlie was extremely obliging and guided us around his hometown. We went to Musée Fabre (€7.00), with its extensive collections, lunch at a pub, to Arc de Triomphe and the Jardin des Plantes. We finished up back in Place de la Comédie, with its cosmopolitan and Parisienne feel.
We went to a local Greek restaurant for dinner but the food wasn’t memorable.
Paris
Thursday 24 September
Today we took the TGV to Paris, ending our time in Languedoc-Roussillon. Charlie made sure we hopped on the right train and then we were off. It took maybe 20 minutes for the train to get to Nȋmes but after that we were off, completing the next 700km to Gare des Lyon, Paris, in under three hours. We were in Paris for lunch. We made our way to our apartment on Rue Montmorency in the 3rd arrondissement.
We spent the rest of the day walking, from our apartment on Rambuteau to the river, up the Champs Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe and back.
Today we took the TGV to Paris, ending our time in Languedoc-Roussillon. Charlie made sure we hopped on the right train and then we were off. It took maybe 20 minutes for the train to get to Nȋmes but after that we were off, completing the next 700km to Gare des Lyon, Paris, in under three hours. We were in Paris for lunch. We made our way to our apartment on Rue Montmorency in the 3rd arrondissement.
We spent the rest of the day walking, from our apartment on Rambuteau to the river, up the Champs Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe and back.
Tour Eiffel, Paris
Friday 25 September
We walked along the Seine to the Tour Eiffel. After a short wait of 10 minutes to climb the stairs (€7.00) we were on our way. And it was incredible. It’s not just the views over Paris, from Pantheon and Notre Dame round to La Defense and Maison Radio; Tour Eiffel’s architectural beauty cannot be overstated.
We had lunch at a cafe very close to the tower.
Our afternoon activity that afternoon was Musée D’Orsay ((€11.00) with its world-class collection of works by impressionist masters. We also had a look at some of the furniture - made a nice break from looking at paintings!
That night, we made our way to Gare de Lyon to meet Irina, who came over from Bern to spend the weekend with us.
We walked along the Seine to the Tour Eiffel. After a short wait of 10 minutes to climb the stairs (€7.00) we were on our way. And it was incredible. It’s not just the views over Paris, from Pantheon and Notre Dame round to La Defense and Maison Radio; Tour Eiffel’s architectural beauty cannot be overstated.
We had lunch at a cafe very close to the tower.
Our afternoon activity that afternoon was Musée D’Orsay ((€11.00) with its world-class collection of works by impressionist masters. We also had a look at some of the furniture - made a nice break from looking at paintings!
That night, we made our way to Gare de Lyon to meet Irina, who came over from Bern to spend the weekend with us.
Pompidou Centre, Paris
Saturday 26 September
Nicholas and I spent a couple of hours in the morning visiting the Pompidou Centre (€14.00). I hadn’t quite appreciated what a huge, wonderful collection of contemporary art is housed here. I loved the Chagalls. There is also a rooftop sculpture garden, with views of Sacré Coeur and Tour Eiffel.
We re-grouped for lunch (at Le Petit Marcel?) on bustling Rambuteau and, in the late afternoon, went to Notre Dame. There were many tourists but nonetheless it is magnificent.
Nicholas and I spent a couple of hours in the morning visiting the Pompidou Centre (€14.00). I hadn’t quite appreciated what a huge, wonderful collection of contemporary art is housed here. I loved the Chagalls. There is also a rooftop sculpture garden, with views of Sacré Coeur and Tour Eiffel.
We re-grouped for lunch (at Le Petit Marcel?) on bustling Rambuteau and, in the late afternoon, went to Notre Dame. There were many tourists but nonetheless it is magnificent.
Versailles
Sunday 27 September
Despite the glorious day, our trip to Versailles was not a success. To start with, we got on the wrong train. On arriving at Versailles on fine Sunday, everyone else had also decided that it would be a great day at the palace too. So it took over an hour to get into the palace. The rooms were so full of visitors that it was difficult to fully appreciate the history and furnishings; it also made it uncomfortably warm.
The downstairs apartments were nice and the gardens are spectacular - but here again you could spend a whole day exploring those. We saw Anish Kapoor’s vagina statue, which had recently been vandalised due to its representation of form (as if people don’t have anything better to do with their time).
On reflection the day was too ambitious that didn’t give us the quality time together that we deserved; so, at the end of the day it was a difficult farewell to Irina.
Despite the glorious day, our trip to Versailles was not a success. To start with, we got on the wrong train. On arriving at Versailles on fine Sunday, everyone else had also decided that it would be a great day at the palace too. So it took over an hour to get into the palace. The rooms were so full of visitors that it was difficult to fully appreciate the history and furnishings; it also made it uncomfortably warm.
The downstairs apartments were nice and the gardens are spectacular - but here again you could spend a whole day exploring those. We saw Anish Kapoor’s vagina statue, which had recently been vandalised due to its representation of form (as if people don’t have anything better to do with their time).
On reflection the day was too ambitious that didn’t give us the quality time together that we deserved; so, at the end of the day it was a difficult farewell to Irina.
La Seine, Paris
Monday 28 September
Today was much more relaxing. I went for a morning walk around the first and second arrondissements. In the afternoon, Nicholas and I wandered down to Pont Neuf to take a one-hour river cruise (€10.00) that I had booked the night before. For me, this was one of the ‘surprise highlights’ of the trip. It was another stunning day, and offered a different perspective of Paris. It was wonderful just relaxing on deck looking at the monuments of Paris pass by, from Notre Dame down to Tour Eiffel, and under the numerous unique bridges.
Had a lovely dinner that night (Le Troisième Chinon?), following which we went down to Notre Dame to see the cathedral illuminated at night. It was gorgeous, and we met some friendly french tourists from Gascony who helped us to find the zero milestone! We almost didn’t get back into our apartment as the curtain was stuck in the door.
Today was much more relaxing. I went for a morning walk around the first and second arrondissements. In the afternoon, Nicholas and I wandered down to Pont Neuf to take a one-hour river cruise (€10.00) that I had booked the night before. For me, this was one of the ‘surprise highlights’ of the trip. It was another stunning day, and offered a different perspective of Paris. It was wonderful just relaxing on deck looking at the monuments of Paris pass by, from Notre Dame down to Tour Eiffel, and under the numerous unique bridges.
Had a lovely dinner that night (Le Troisième Chinon?), following which we went down to Notre Dame to see the cathedral illuminated at night. It was gorgeous, and we met some friendly french tourists from Gascony who helped us to find the zero milestone! We almost didn’t get back into our apartment as the curtain was stuck in the door.
London
Tuesday 29 September - London
We went to London for the day to have lunch with our friend Olivia and her son Barnaby. The UK border staff Gare du Nord were so unwelcoming - it was clear they wanted to make sure we weren’t staying in the UK. The train was fun, and now goes all the way to beautiful St Pancras station.
Olivia met us and we made our way by tube to Elephant and Castle. She has a lovely apartment off Walworth Road, with great views to the Palaces of Westminster that are not-so-slowly being built out. I note that London has one of the ugliest and least coherent urban skylines of any city I’ve yet visited.
Deliberately, Nicholas and I didn’t have any ‘big ticket items’ or ‘must sees’ while in London; the point was to see friends. We went for lunch at the nearby The Electric Elephant Cafe in cute Crampton Street. This was a nice area but the food wasn’t anything to write home about; then again, we’ve been spoiled in France! From there we took a double-decker bus to London Bridge, had a look around The Shard and the Borough Market. We walked along the south bank past Shakespeare’s Globe to the National Theatre and crossed Waterloo Bridge to Somerset House. This is a beautiful building which has been home to the navy, and Olivia volunteers here. We then wandered to Temple church and the Knights Templar complex, a lovely, leafy, ‘yesteryear’ sanctuary in busy, modern London. By this time we were cutting it fine to get back to St Pancras, so ended up taking one of London’s iconic taxis. Tube, bus,and taxi - we did them all!
We went to London for the day to have lunch with our friend Olivia and her son Barnaby. The UK border staff Gare du Nord were so unwelcoming - it was clear they wanted to make sure we weren’t staying in the UK. The train was fun, and now goes all the way to beautiful St Pancras station.
Olivia met us and we made our way by tube to Elephant and Castle. She has a lovely apartment off Walworth Road, with great views to the Palaces of Westminster that are not-so-slowly being built out. I note that London has one of the ugliest and least coherent urban skylines of any city I’ve yet visited.
Deliberately, Nicholas and I didn’t have any ‘big ticket items’ or ‘must sees’ while in London; the point was to see friends. We went for lunch at the nearby The Electric Elephant Cafe in cute Crampton Street. This was a nice area but the food wasn’t anything to write home about; then again, we’ve been spoiled in France! From there we took a double-decker bus to London Bridge, had a look around The Shard and the Borough Market. We walked along the south bank past Shakespeare’s Globe to the National Theatre and crossed Waterloo Bridge to Somerset House. This is a beautiful building which has been home to the navy, and Olivia volunteers here. We then wandered to Temple church and the Knights Templar complex, a lovely, leafy, ‘yesteryear’ sanctuary in busy, modern London. By this time we were cutting it fine to get back to St Pancras, so ended up taking one of London’s iconic taxis. Tube, bus,and taxi - we did them all!
Chartres
Wednesday 30 September
Our last full day in France. Nicholas went shopping while I decided to go to Chartres to see its quintessential Gothic cathedral, as this had been on my French ‘bucket list’. I arrived in time for the midday stained-glass tour with expert Malcolm Miller. It was a privilege to get this glimpse into just a few of Chartres incredible windows. It was another glorious day, but not many tourists were here. Nicholas and I re-grouped that evening after I got home about 17:00.
We had dinner with our Wellington friends Sankar and Meenakshi. Sankar has been working with OECD for the past year. It was wonderful to see how they’re doing and to see some faces from back home. The cooked the most gorgeous curries for us, and after sufficient gorging on wine and curry, we went for a walk to the Seine and to see the Tour Eiffel lit up at night. This was really special, and the tower was fully decked out with a light show to celebrate Paris Fashion Week.
Our last full day in France. Nicholas went shopping while I decided to go to Chartres to see its quintessential Gothic cathedral, as this had been on my French ‘bucket list’. I arrived in time for the midday stained-glass tour with expert Malcolm Miller. It was a privilege to get this glimpse into just a few of Chartres incredible windows. It was another glorious day, but not many tourists were here. Nicholas and I re-grouped that evening after I got home about 17:00.
We had dinner with our Wellington friends Sankar and Meenakshi. Sankar has been working with OECD for the past year. It was wonderful to see how they’re doing and to see some faces from back home. The cooked the most gorgeous curries for us, and after sufficient gorging on wine and curry, we went for a walk to the Seine and to see the Tour Eiffel lit up at night. This was really special, and the tower was fully decked out with a light show to celebrate Paris Fashion Week.
Jardin des Tuileries, Paris
Thursday 1 October
It was another clear, warm and brilliant day and our last day in France started the same way our month began: with a walk to Montmartre. We didn’t go to the church, though - we went to buy souvenirs, including a Paris metro map mat for Samantha!
Went to the smaller Musée de l’Orangerie at Sankar’s suggestion the night before. This museum, in Jardin des Tuileries, was designed for Monet’s huge water lilies canvases that wrap around the oval galleries.
Final dinner at La Tour du Temple, back in the 3rd arrondissement. Took the metro from République to Gard du Nord, and RER from there to Charles de Gaulles Airport. It wasn’t until after 11.00pm that our plane took off on the long trip home that included an eight-hour delay in Hong Kong. At least we were upgraded to Premium Economy for the 12-hour leg over the Pacific back to Auckland!
It was another clear, warm and brilliant day and our last day in France started the same way our month began: with a walk to Montmartre. We didn’t go to the church, though - we went to buy souvenirs, including a Paris metro map mat for Samantha!
Went to the smaller Musée de l’Orangerie at Sankar’s suggestion the night before. This museum, in Jardin des Tuileries, was designed for Monet’s huge water lilies canvases that wrap around the oval galleries.
Final dinner at La Tour du Temple, back in the 3rd arrondissement. Took the metro from République to Gard du Nord, and RER from there to Charles de Gaulles Airport. It wasn’t until after 11.00pm that our plane took off on the long trip home that included an eight-hour delay in Hong Kong. At least we were upgraded to Premium Economy for the 12-hour leg over the Pacific back to Auckland!
