....and desert....for 60 Euros!

People who followed a religious practice which the Roman Catholic church believed to be heretical are referred to as Cathers (CAT-tars).  I think they must have been medieval hippies.  They didn't like the feudal system or the role the Church had in society.  Of course the church couldn't take this sitting down. During the Inquisition, the Cathers we're persecuted. There is a trail that follows the Aude river that is associated with the Cathers. Along this route are castles from the 12th century that is connected to this religious group. Best I can tell, some of the Fathers were Lord's who owned these castles and during the Inquisition, they were attacked and the Lord's list their holdings. This castle is in Argues just west of Couiza. The spiral stone stairs between the four floors in the tower are original...The iron railing was added when it was restored. Amazing these stairs are cut by hand and set stop one another...and they still function....who needs engine...

I'm the heart of the city...what was the Roman city...stands the Colosseum...or Arena, as referred to today.  Built by the Romans in the 1st or 2nd century AD, the arena still is used commercially for concerts and bull fights. What do cool. You walk down these narrow streets full of contemporary shops and as you turn the corner, there stands a nearly 2000 year old structure. (First Picture)

(Blogger lost the post associated with the pictures...so again) South of the city of Carcassonne is the small town of Couiza. Just south of Couiza is the Rennes-le-Chateau built on top of a hill. It is associated with the Dan Brown book about alledged, secret Roman Catholic events. The church is a bit strange with the devil holding the baptisamal fountain.  Over the door reads..."Terrible Ici"...(picture in previous post) I'm 1909 a priest came to the small church and without any visible means he purchased land adjacent to the church and began to build the chateau. When he was defrocked...no big deal, he just went next door to his chateau. The myth is that this priest found evidence of Jesus traveling to France and having a family with Magdeline.  Using this info, he blackmailed the church.

Damn Mobile Blogger...it keeps losing my posts....tomorrow! OK...next morning...Let's try this again. Carcassonne is a city the lies between Touloues and where we are staying. Just outside the city is the medieval ruins of Carcassonnne that date back to the Romans. If you google Carcassonne you will get better info than I can provide. In the 12th century it was further fortified with a second wall. In the last of the pictures below you see the higher medieval wall on the right, and a smaller wall on the left with a gravel area between.  The wall on the left is the newer wall...the rampart. Since it is built on a hill, the picture is deceiving. The rampart is probably 30 to 4o feet high...and then the medieval fortress stands behind that...so the gravel walking area is 40 feet above the city below. I'm the early 20th century, a forward thinking gentleman began to restore the medieval fortress and inner city. There are a few private residence, but it mostly it consists of res...