Holiday - Lastours & Minerve

We decided we would take a look at Lastours.  The site is composed of four castles which are set in the Montagne Noire.  When looking through all the blurb about it I never actually took in the fact that they sit on a high promontory and how you would get there.

When we reached the car park I looked up, said to Peter maybe we should put on our walking boots!  We paid our admission fee and followed the ramp to the stairs and then we started to climb.  We went up and up, then reached a rocky footpath, which went up and up, round and up, round and up.  Heart racing, sweat trickling, I stopped to admire the view (read try and get my breathe here).  We walked on and up until we got to the first castle.  Check the link above for the historical info.  Once at the first castle it didn't seem too bad getting to the others.  The only problem is meeting with others coming down, some of the pathways aren't too wide and its a long way down if you slip.

our car is down there

Over the valley at Belvedere you are able to view the castles and can also see all the paths leading from one to the other.

no words needed here

Our next visit was slightly more sedate.  The old cite of Minerve.

Again check link above for historical facts.  We had a wonderful scenic drive on the way back (read white knuckle here as Peter couldn't see round the bends due to driving a UK car, so he was in the gutter, me out there with my fingers crossed)

a flat bit

We did spot a wild boar on the side of the road (one of several over the course of the 2 weeks).  Took a few wrong turns, the French insist of having their road signs right on the turn rather than slightly before to give you chance to react.  They also still insist on pulling straight out of right turns onto main roads, I think they have a death wish!!!!  We lived to tell the tale, but maybe have a few more grey hairs.

So the next stop on the holiday will be Carcassone old cite and then finally Caunes Minervois