Train to Spain!

Took the train from Foix into Vic, where we stayed the night at a Seminary.

Foix - last day in France

Exploring the Château in Foix. Then we will have lunch and catch the 15:05 train to La-Tour-de-Carol-Enveitg where we will switch to a commuter train into the town of Vic

Day 7 - Espéraza to Bélesta

Day 7 - woke in Espéraza today, after a wonderful dinner of crepes in this village the night before. Tom and I had the crepe with sausage, cheese, and potatoes which came with a spicy mustard that I could eat for days. This type of savory crepe is a dark brown, made with buckwheat. With full bellies we climb the creaky wooden spiral staircase to sleep on the top floor of this quaint hotel. With our windows open we were serenaded on the hour (and two minutes after the hour) by bells across the lane. In the morning vendors were setting up for market day and after breakfast, I went out to shop. Picked up two dresses and a small piece of pottery. 

We leave this village and have an hour drive to the next part of our hike.

Our hike starts in Camurac and we walk 7.87mi with 403ft elevation gain before we stop for lunch. After lunch we drive to the parking lot of Montségur Château. Way up high is the castle and the only way to reach it is to climb. It’s a tough climb 331ft climb in 0.55 miles with slippery rock and rocky terrain. The views at the top are spectacular. 

We stay in Bélesta tonight. Tomorrow we head to Foix for a castle tour and say our goodbyes to the family we have made here.

Day 6

We start the day near Château Peyrepetuese with a slight climb, soon leveling off we contour the hillside.

We arrive in an open grove and stop for a small snack. We are surrounded by blackberry bushes with limbs stretching outward in all directions.Lower down are what looks like blueberries but they’re not. Leaving the outcropping, bouquets of lavender line the single track and I carry a few sprigs in my chest pocket.

The single track continues into a wooded section which is lovely. I hang back and walk alone listening to the breeze rushing through the trees and birds singling happily. The trail descends and then emerges out of the woods where we have a view of the gorge we will be walking toward.

We break for lunch on a rocky cliff side overlooking Saint Paul de Fenouillet where we later will stop for wine tasting on our way to our hotel in Espéraza.

Trail is obnoxiously rocky, ankles and feet aching for smoother terrain. This rock is black and the heat radiates upward. Fortunately the exposure on this part is short. Red winged grasshoppers springing in front of me guiding the way.

Day 5 - segment 2&3

Day 5 - Segment 1 pics.

Day 5 - the details

Day 5 Padern to Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse. 

Today can be divided into three segments.

Segment 1: Padern to Cucugnan 7.25mi with 1720ft of climbing.  On this trail we encountered a château, a prieuaé ruine, views to the east of Mediterranean Sea and views to the west of Château Peyrepetuese. It was less windy today (at least on on this segment). With the castle in view we climb weaving our way up and along the ridge. At one point the trail was thick with rosemary and we paused to pick some. After summiting we descend into Cucugnan and are greeted with a steep climb to enter the town. 

Lunch was wonderful. Tom, Elena & I each ordered hamburgers and fries :) and it was absolutely fabulous!

Segment 2: Cucugnan to Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse 2.5mi with elevation gain of 408ft 

After lunch, 7 of us continue on to Duilhac where we will get into the van to drive up the hill to Château Peyrepetuese. This walk is through a valley and lined with grapevines. The grapes are ready for harvest and we see some workers tending to the vines. Also along the trail are fig trees, quince and wild berries which we sample as we walk. The wind found us again in this trail. And the slight smell of a wildfire had us concerned. We listened to the sound of a fire truck screaming by and watched water bombers making their way to dump water on the fire. Still, no smoke so no threat to us. 

Segment 3: Another 1.25 miles and 250ft elevation gain exploring the Château de Peyrepetuese 

After looking at it for most of the day, we finally get to explore Château Peyrepetuese. Little did we know we would be in for a steep ascent to get to the castle. Once inside there was still more climbing to get to the keep on the very top. I’ll admit, i was scared as the wind was strong and gusty. But Lu, our guide, encouraged me and I decided to go. As I made the final climb, into the keep, I clung on the rope handrail and each time I pulled on it, I felt water landing on my head. Turning the corner I saw the culprits ... Sally (another of our guides) and few of the fellow hikers on the trip. The view was literally breathtaking as the wind whipped my hair wildly and the looking down from this height made me gasp. 

On the return van trip we listened the music. Liz & I sang loudly to “You’re so vain” as the rest of the passengers were probably wishing they took the other van. :) 

Pics to follow.

Day 4: Villerouge-Termenès to Cucugnan

We started the day with an AHmazing rainbow. And as beautiful as it was, what do rainbows signify? Yup rain. Tom & I decide not to dig out our rain jackets mostly because we are being minimal - not even carrying a day pack! Perhaps it’s a 24 years of marriage thing - we have a backpack and neither one of us wants the other to have to carry it, so we go without. 

Today we walked about 11 miles in two segments. The first segment I’ll nickname “the rainy segment” where we walked from Villerouge-Termenès to Palaira. It’s here in Palaira we have lunch. Today we are on our own so we each prepared our lunches by going to the tiny grocery store the night before. One couple brought a duck pate, a few of us brought sausage  / salami and regional cheese, lots of bread. We had sammiches of cheese, salami, tomato and lettuce with a side of grapes and plums.

We skip a hilly segment and start again at Tuchan where we walk 8k into Padern. This segment I call the “windy segment.” We walk in vineyards and then in terrain that resembled Yosemite. The wind is intense. We worry when we see one emergency vehicle after another scream out in the road below. There’s a fire nearby and the winds are pushing towards us. We feel like the winds are gusting at 50-70 mph at times. The ridge line before our final descent is particularly worrying as we cling the side and clutch our hats and belongings strongly. When we get to the town of Padern, we enthusiastically hop in the vans to this rather sleepy village of Cucugnan. We sleep here 2 nights. Tomorrow we might visit the twin castles of Peryrepertuse and Quéribus...but if the winds are so intense we might had a beach day in the “med.” We will see. 


Pics coming ...super slow WiFi