Our trip - Part IV

Michel and Giselle generously proposed to take us all sightseeing the next day. He mentioned three of the best sites in the region and we agreed to see all of them (unfortunately, he neglected to mention that they were each about an hour from his home in different directions!).

We started at the cave of Limousis – a cool series of cave rooms filled with unique stalagmite and stalactite formations. The highlight was the last room with a huge crystalline stalactite structure presented in a light and sound show complete with Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon) in the background. After a nice picnic outside the caves and an opportunity for the kids to climb on the rocks a bit (a recurrent theme of the vacation) we got back in the cars. After about an hour, we stopped off to admire a view of three ruined Cathar castles side by side on one hill (the Cathars were a splinter Christian group that was wiped out in the crusades). Then, back in the cars. I’m fairly sure that we drove up every hill and down every valley of the Corbieres mountains. After about 2 hours, we stopped off to admire the view of a very old abbey and bridge (we had intended to visit, but by then, it was too late in the day). We continued driving towards the castle that Michel wanted to show us. He got a little lost along the way, so 2 hours later, we finally parked the car about half way up the mountain of the Chateau of Peyrepertuse. We climbed the rest of the way on foot to this impressively huge, somewhat less ruined, 11th century castle. We were in luck that there happened to be a falcon show taking place that afternoon. A team of hunting bird trainers (dressed in medieval garb) demonstrated the skills of falcons, owls, vultures, and other birds of prey. The birds were released to fly out over the valley and then returned almost on command to the falconner’s hand.

When we finally got back to Douzens, Lydia and Giselle took all the kids home, while the rest of us went to a privately arranged wine tasting of the wine we had sampled at dinner the previous evening. Knowing we would have to carry it back home on the train, we only bought one bottle (although the wine was excellent), and Jean-Marie gave us a gift of a second bottle. We went back to the house for a repeat of the previous night’s huge meal (this time wild asparagus soufflé and lamb). After dinner, Abe offered to wash the dishes for Giselle. Clearly a man had offering to help with the dishes was not a common occurence in this household and Abe had to be rather insistent. By the time he was done, though, she had to admit, it was pretty nice to have his help – they had shared their culture with us, we shared ours with them! When we left the next morning, Michel gave us another gift of wine – this time the cooperative’s wine in a 5 liter plastic jug (so much for traveling light!). We left amidst invitations to return anytime we are in the region, and thoroughly impressed with the hospitality and kindness of the Dousse family.