Au revoir Paris

We left a damp and cold Paris on Friday morning to catch the train from Gare d'Austerlitz and spend about 8 hours travelling to Carcassonne. Was a good time to catch up on some reading and a bit of research. Carcassonne was much warmer and sunnier when we arrived and after checking into the hotel, wandered around before dinner. Even saw a boat going through the lock on the canal.

The hotel we stayed at in Carcassonne was the 'Hotel Bristol' reminded me of one of those genteel but slightly run down British old folks homes. Some guests even wore socks and sandals. I think we were the youngest residents. Okay for one night but I wouldn't want to live there. It was just across the road from the canal so we had a short walk along the towpath and it was lovely. Old fashioned and new canal boats lining the banks, people strolling and energetic cyclists obviously on weekend trips shared the path.

We head back there for a couple of days before we go to Barcelona so we plan to visit the old city. Thought a bike ride along the canal might be a good idea but with the way I wobble along I'd probably end up in the water, perhaps a leisurely stroll or a boat ride might be better.
We spent the night in Carcassonne and drove, well Chris drove and I supervised (very well  I must say). He didn't miss one roundabout and didn't stray to the wrong side of the road once. It was a lovely drive down to a small village called Quillan. We had no trouble following the directions and Chris even stopped the car in the very narrow street, unloaded and then reversed back the one way street and across the little stone bridge (very French driving indeed).

While in Carcassonne we roamed around the local market. Fruit and veg seem so cheap and everything we've bought (fruit, pastries, cheese, foie gras) at any market has been wonderful. Today we grabbed some large, juicy nectarines. Not sure about the oysters though - huge trays and nothing to keep them cold. Maybe they sell quickly. We're looking forward to the local market here on Wednesday.
Have explored Quillan a bit this afternoon. Tiny, narrow streets and timbered, shuttered windows in stone houses, hanging baskets of bright flowers and a fast flowing river with old stone bridges.  We are down near the Pyrenees and hope to do a couple of walks in the surrounding hills.  Locals call them that, I'd call them mountains.