France 2007 - Northwards through Languedoc

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Northwards through Languedoc to the Causses
Leaving Collioure we drove north along the coast road to the sprawling seaside resorts around Argeles-s-Mer then inland north of Perpignan and west on a busier main road through more Cathar country to Quillan and headed north to Carcassonne, but as it was late in the afternoon continued to a free overnight aire at Trèbes on the Canal du Midi, along with several other motorhomes and an English narrowboat on the canal (who didn't even manage a brief hello - I was intrigued to ask how they had crossed from Engand!)
Aire at Trèbes (now closed in 2009) We made a mistake visiting the walled Cité de Carcassonne early the next morning, before the crowds but instead the streets were busy with dustcarts and delivery vans so it lost its charm somewhat! Also the motorhome parking area was €10 - expensive for the short time we stayed there (but we could have stayed overnight for the same fee as several motorhomes had done.) We later drove past free parking places a short distance away.	Carcassonne Cité walls
From Carcassonne the road northwest took us around the Montagne Noire passing an impressive ruined Cathar chateau at Saissac, to the pretty Bassin de St Ferréol, a reservoir and 700metre long dam built from 1667 to 1672 to supply water via a 27km long channel to the Canal du Midi, then to Revel, a town laid out in a grid pattern with a large École Militaire now being renovated, and stayed at the small but very tidy Camping Municipal overnight. From there we drove through the old town of Sorèze to Castres, a larger town set on the Agout river and in to the Sidobre region of dense forests, rock formations, dark lakes and granite quarries, with a modern visitor centre with outdoor sculptures, an art gallery and granite picnic places.	Typical French road near Revel
Lac du Merle Sidobre	Maison du Sidobre - visitor centre
After a long detour on a minor road to look at a mostly inaccessible lake with just a small "leisure resort" at La Salvetat-sur-Agout, we continued along winding roads across very hilly countryside to the slate grey mountain town of Lacaune, claiming to be France's centre for charcuterie. From there we negotiated more long climbing roads to Belmont-s-Rance and into the Parc Naturel Regional des Grands Causses, an area of high plateaus stopping at the aire at Camarès for the night. Continuing our meanderings through ever rockier and rougher terrain we passed an ancient abbey at Sylvanès with signs to a Russian church nearby then on to Le Caylar alongside the A75 autoroute, where there is an amazing carved tree in the village centre. The carving was done by Michel Chevray in 1987 from a single massive dead elm tree in the village square.	View near the Monts de Lacaune
Le Caylar carved tree details At last the sun had returned for a couple of days so we enjoyed a lunchtime picnic stop before visiting the ancient walled Templar town of La Couvertoirade an attractive but rather touristy place where overnight parking is allowed but there were no services.	Carved elm tree at Le Caylar Parked up on the Causse de Larzac
La Couvertoirade Templar town La Couvertoirade entrance	La Couvertoirade Orchids by roadside
After admiring the profusion of wild flowers along the roadside we continued across the rather desolate Causse de Larzac to more severe rocky countryside with steep cliffs and caves. We drove through Roquefort-s-Soulzon, famous for its cheese made from ewe's milk, and over a very steep hill to the next valley and a another free overnight stop at the smaller and less restored Templar town of St Jean-d'Alcas with an ancient dovecote but little else. Ancient dovecote at St Jean d'Alcas St Jean d'Alcas another Templar town
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