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Day 1. Arrive at Toulouse airport and travel the little village of Camon where we stay in the Château - Abbey now converted by our English hosts into a remarkable guest house. Dinner is in the delightful salon this evening. Our June departure will stay in a 3 star hotel in Mirepoix. (Drive 1.5 hours approx). Day 2. We drive south through the town of Lavelanet to the village and castle of Montségur. This is the site of the Cathars’ great stronghold which was to prove such a thorn in the side of the French royal forces. We set off on our morning walk through woods and along open ridges to lunch. After our first picnic we continue our walk down into the valley from where we continue by road to the small town of Couiza and the imposing C16 Château des Ducs de Joyeuse, our home for the next two nights (morning 2hrs afternoon 3 hrs). Day 3. We leave the château and climb to the village of Rennes-le-Château, long renowned in romantic imagination as the resting place of the true grail. Our walk leads across the farmland and through open scrub to the valley of Bugarach from where we return to our hotel by road. (morning 3.5hrs afternoon 3 hrs) Day 4. Starting from the end of the previous day’s walk we make our way past great rock outcrops and through vineyards over a ridge and down into the wooded valleys of the Pyrenées Orientales. We continue to the great castle of Puylaurens from where we make the short drive to Gincla and our delightful rustic hotel with its excellent restaurant (morning 3hrs afternoon 3 hrs). Day 5. We visit the castle at Puylaurens before heading off through the wooded foothills of the Pyrenees to reach the clearing by the rocky spur of Estable. After our picnic lunch we descend once again to the valley and return to our hotel (morning 3hrs afternoon 2 hrs). Day 6. We walk eastwards and leave the higher mountains behind as we make our way across the garrigue of southern France. The scents of box and rosemary, lavender and thyme accompany us as we walk through dramatic scenery to the extraordinary castle of Peyrepetuse, standing high above us on a lonely ridge, the last Cathar stronghold to fall to the French forces. We continue to the village of Duilhac where we spend the night in a simple hotel (morning 3.5hrs afternoon 2.5 hrs). Day 7. Our final day’s walking leads from our village across to the another spectacularly sited fortification, Quéribus, from where we continue our descent back into the valley. In the afternoon we are picked up by our vehicles and taken to the tiny village of Fontjoncouse, home to another small hotel with a remarkable restaurant that boasts two Michelin stars. (morning 2.5hrs afternoon 2 hrs). Day 8. We return to Toulouse airport by road. (Drive 1.5 hours approx). The altitude varies from about sea level to over 3500ft. Good accommodation and excellent food throughout.
Maximum number of walkers: 16. Average hours walked per day: 6. Average miles walked per day: 13.
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