Paris – Everything but the Siren

29-30 October 2019

Sleeping soundly in Toulouse. Message from SNCF, definitely NOT something I want to wake to find. I believe France is the only country in the world with a mobile APP monitoring strikes. It has come in handy, but sudden cancellations and changes mean an unpleasant wake up call. What? Our train is not departing our station? Then where is it going?

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Toulouse, France

28 October 2019

Le Pont Neuf

I like Toulouse. I can’t be much more enthusiastic than that. It is well-located for visiting some great sites in this southern part of France, like marvelous Carcassonne. It is on the road to Andorra. I has some nice parks, pathways along the historic Canal du Midi and River Garonne, big churches and bigger streets and squares.

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Carcassonne, France

26 October 2019

Ancient fortress of La Citė of Carcassonne

Just 60 miles southeast of Toulouse is the picturesque hilltop village of Carcassonne. I love old fortified cities and Carcassonne is absolutely one of the best!

Carcassonne has dominated this hilltop since the New Stone Age which began about 12,000 years ago when the first farming of domestic crops and a domestication of animals began. Also referred to as the Neolithic period, the era lasted in Europe until about 1700 BC.

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Bayonne and Biarritz, France

17-18 October 2019

It is a pleasant, slightly misty, train ride through southwestern France. We arrive in Bayonne, a smallish city situated where the rivers Nive from the south and the wider Adour from the Atlantic meet. Just above the train station are the remains of the historic citadel, our hotel is just across the street. We have entered Basque country and look forward to local cuisine.

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