Trip miles 3,271
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| The narrow entrance through the rock |
Leaving Mirepoix we stopped at Vals, a small hamlet on
the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. Its ancient church is both perched
on and under a granite cliff. Climbing up through a narrow cleft we entered the
original subterranean Roman sanctuary.
From the 11th century onwards it had been used as a
church. It was simple inside with ancient wooden pews and carved wooden chests
lining the stone walls. 12th century frescoes of angels with eyes in their
wings decorated the ceiling.
Climbing up a winding wooden staircase we opened a
door out onto a panoramic view of the countryside and the towering Pyrannees from
the pretty 14th century bell tower.
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| Eglise Rupestre de Vals built into the rock |
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| Château de Foix |
We stopped at the last French town of Foix, before the N20
road ran south to Andorra. Less touristy and more provincial it has a medieval
centre around an impressive 10th century Chateau, perched high above the wide
River Aude.
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| Views of Plantaural and Ariège mountains from the Château |
A dusty plaque marked a riverside house where the
departement’s resistance leader, a woman, was assassinated by the Gestapo in
1942. It was one of an increasing number of memorials to resistance fighters.
The French and Spanish Basque communities have a proud history of fierce
independence so it’s perhaps not unsurprising that although so far from Paris
this corner of France was busy with counterspy and sabotage activity by brave
men and women.
Travelling further back in time we reached hilltop Saint
Lizier, a Gallo-Roman town and one of France’s early Bishophrics. Today it is a quiet and elegant maze of tall
rose covered town houses winding their way around a 12th century cathedral.
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| The ancient town sits above the Salat river |
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| Saint Lizier cloisters |
We wandered through the large and peaceful cloisters and admired the unusual addition of a second, wooden storey. The Bishop’s Palace at the very top of the town afforded a view across to the mountains which were now a constant feature of our journey, the natural boundary between France and Spain.
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| Saint Lizier at the foot of the Ariège Pyrenees |
Wanting to trial Bertha at altitude we spent a day
driving west through L’Ariege and into the Comminges. Planning for a future trip, Simon was keen to see how
she performed on the long inclines and we reached the pass of Col de
Portet-d’Aspet at 1,069 meters easily. Many lycra-clad cyclists were making
their slow way up the hairpin bends to the memorial of Italian cyclist Fabio
Casartelli who died making the descent during the 1995 Tour de France.
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| Views of the Pyrenees from Col de Portet-d’Aspet |
I was hopeful of spotting an Izard goat, particular to
this part of the Pyranees and able to change the colour of its coat with the
season. How fashionable! Unfortunately none were about that day so we made the
fast and steep descent toward to the River Garonne, stopping for half an hour
to rest Bertha’s hard-working brakes and waving to cyclists flashing
downhill past us on the twisting road.
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| The Vallée de Luchon |
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| Cathédrale Notre-Dame |
St Bertrand-de-Comminges is a landmark stop on the
pilgrimage route. Settled by Roman general Pompey its ruins include bathhouses,
an amphitheatre, temple, basilica and marketplace. It is allegedly the place of
King Herod’s exile. Its 11th century cathedral towers over the fortified
medieval town and has a fully enclosed chancel, carved in wood and decorated
with allegorical as well as religious icons from where the Latin mass is sung
and celebrated without any distraction from the congregation. An interesting
concept.
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| St Bertrand-de-Comminges from the road below |
We wandered the pretty streets reflecting on just how
much it costs you to be a pilgrim these days. The church was the only one in
France we had paid to enter and the advertised room rates in the pretty bijou
hotels were equivalent to central London’s. Meals were plentiful but set
lunches started at 22 euros.
It seems there is not much poverty expected in
piety today!
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| Farming on the pilgrim route in Haute-Garonne |
