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Typical
Local Highway in France
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 We start our day tour of
the Bastide towns (Fortified cities) Scroll down to see the rest and click on the picture to see a larger version. Use the back-arrow on your browser and not the back button on the bottom of the picture. |
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Tough
walk up the backside of the hill
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 Bruniquel is one of the
more popular of the Bastide cities in this area, with an active Chateau
at the top of the town. |
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View
of the Chateau
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 The top of the hill
extends to the north and we get a better view of the Chateau and the
valley below |
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Chateau
Bruniquel
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 From a higher viewpointVideo with sound from the Cicadas (turn up the volume) Bruniquel1.MOV |
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Panorama
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 A combined view of the
area around Bruniquel |
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Bruniquel
from below
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 We look up from the road
below |
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Joan
of Arc
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 One of the many Joan of
Arc statues in the churches of France.She is the patron saint of France. |
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Castelnau
de Montmiral
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 A smaller but very
beautiful fortified city near Gaillac |
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Castelnau
de Montmiral
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 Main Square and Hotel de
Ville (city hall) |
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Castelnau
de Montmiral
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 View back in the other
direction |
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Castelnau
de Montmiral Church
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 The famous gilded wooden
cross, supposed to contain a relic from the true cross |
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Castelnau
de Montmiral Church
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 Ceiling of the church
showing the blue color of the dye produced in this area of France |
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Butterfly
and Lavendar
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 This unusual butterfly
caught our eye. The head is at the top and the tail is at the bottom,
although it looks the other way. |
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Castelnau
wall
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 We can see some of the
fortified wall of the old town |
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Penne
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 A smaller Bastide with a mainly destroyed fortification built
into a rock. |
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Puycelsi
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 One of the prettiest of
the hill townsLooks like a postcard, doesn't it? |
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Purcelsi
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 on the way up into the
town |
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Puycelsi
Church
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 Another Joan of Arc
Statue in a church |
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Puycelsi
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 The pottery shop |
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Puycelsi
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 Another example of the
flower filled streets in these towns. |
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Puycelsi
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 We stop for a quick drink |
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Puycelsi
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 The small cafe, but don't
ask for any food in the middle of the day! |
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Puycelsi
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 View from the wall out
into the valley |
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