We spent the first three days of our trip (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) in
and nearby the medieval city of Carcassonne. All went well with a
complicated arrival. We arrived in Paris on time and made the connection to
Toulouse with time to spare. Our luggage, which had been checked through
to Toulouse from Newark, was waiting for us in Toulouse. Hertz did
have an automatic waiting for us at Toulouse Airport. Unfortunately it was
a Chrysler station wagon - too big for narrow mountain roads - but the attendant
was able to find us a smaller car (Mercedes E) without changing the price JP and I headed southeast on the A61 for the hour's drive to Carcassonne.
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View of the [restored] walled medieval city of Carcassonne from a rest stop on the A61 |
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JP at the main gate to Carcassonne |
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We spent three nights at a monastery - Notre-Dame De L'Abbaye The room was the size of a walk-in closet and the bath was the size of an airplane lavatory...but it was immaculately clean...it was right next to the medieval city...it had a great (free) parking lot...and it only cost 50 euros a night (including breakfast).
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Our room opened out onto the cloister. We couldn't have asked for a more peaceful view. |
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Rooms on the other side of the hall had a view of Carcassone, but they also got the lights and the noise. |
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We walked the outer ramparts (and the inner ramparts) many times both day and night. |
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Sections of Carcassonne date back to Ancient Roman times. This is a restoration of a Roman guard tower. |
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