Tag Archives: Albigensian Crusade

Cordes-sur-Ciel: Dramatic and Timeless

Posted on 31/08/2019 by

I’d forgotten what a long way up it is. Seventeen years had obliterated our memory of the steep hike up to the cité of Cordes-sur-Ciel perched on its hilltop, which was long considered inaccessible. But we weren’t going to wimp … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Puylaroque: Tranquil Village with a Turbulent History

Posted on 19/02/2017 by

The panorama from the viewpoint at Puylaroque is magnificent. Beneath the rocky outcrop on which the village stands, the plains of southwest France roll away towards the Pyrénées. On a clear day, you can see the mountains, but that is … Continue reading →

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Every Château Tells a Story: #6 Le Château de Penne

Posted on 14/04/2015 by

  Circumstances have prevented me from posting for a few days, but now I’m resuming with my series about the region’s châteaux. Le château de Penne commands a strategic position 120 metres above the River Aveyron on a rocky outcrop. … Continue reading →

Posted in Châteaux, History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Every Château has a Story #3: Le Château de Caylus

Posted on 12/12/2014 by

  Very little remains of this château, except for a square tower in surprisingly good condition and parts of the original ramparts. And yet, in its heyday, le château de Caylus had dominion over a large swathe of the surrounding … Continue reading →

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Unconquered Citadel: Puycelsi

Posted on 14/09/2012 by

Overlooking the Vère valley, the fortified hilltop village of Puycelsi is l’un des plus beaux villages de France (one of the most beautiful villages in France). The green sea of la fôret de Grésigne laps at the base of its … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments