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Driving away from Albi, we saw a road sign pointing to Lautrec, and decided to detour. * |
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Advertising sign of the kind that used to be seen throughout France, but now surviving only in backwaters. * |
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Then off through another tree-lined road. * |
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Lynn at last found the field of poppies that she had been looking for all the way through France. * |
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We stopped to look at a ruined castle at Saissac, but did not visit. * |
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After checking into our hotel, we went to have a first look at the old Cité of Carcassonne. * |
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Then a nice dinner at Mère Carcas. * |
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We were up quite early the next morning to try to beat the crowds into the Cité. We had to park below and walk up past the walls. † |
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The lists between the outer an inner walls. * |
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The main entrance to the Cité. † |
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We visited the cathedral ... * |
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with its fine rose window ... * |
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and other stained glass. * |
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Tomb in the cathedral. † |
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We wandered around the town ... * |
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until we reached the fortress. * |
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The fortress was much restored by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century, and there is still some controversy about how authentic it is. It does look a bit Disney. * |
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The towers along the curtain wall were joined by wooden walkways which could be destroyed if an enemy gained control of one of the towers. * |
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View of Carcassonne's modern town from the fortress walls. * |
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Some of the fortress rooms had collections of statues and carvings from around the area, including this sweet Madonna and Child. † |
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Frieze of Saracens fighting crusaders. * |
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And so to lunch. Under umbrellas again, and with a view of some of the fortress's towers. * |
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We drove down to be across the river from the Cité, to get a better view. After some problems with the GPS taking us around in circles, we arrived. * |
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Then another dinner, umbrellas folded this time, but still under the fortress towers. * |
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Night coming on around 9 pm. † |