Day 7. En route north, stopped at La Palme, a village between Leucate and Port-la-Nouvelle and within the Narbonnais Natural Park,.It is between the vineyards to one side and the lagoon, salt-flats and the sea to the other side. Nice place to pause - medieval gateways, winding streets, and, just outside, the small traditional stone dwellings called the Capitelles des Carrieres, shelters originally used by workers at the old quarry. Then, on to Narbonne, where we stayed at the Hôtel Le Mosaïque (3 nites);;. The hotel boasts a pool and an excellent French/Argentine restaurant, so we were very happy. No parking but lots of public parking near the river, just a few blocks away.
Day 8 Loved Narbonne - great mix of food and history - the market (one of the best in France), the Archbishops Palace, Cathedral, Archaeology Museum, Le Musée d’Art et d’Histoire and a ride along the canal was our day. Satisfied us both. Took the Little Train to get a sense of the town and then walked and walked.
Day 9. Walked (long walk) to Narbo, which documents Roman culture and describes Narbonne (Narbo)b and its place as a crossroads for the Empire. Then to the Roman Horreum (Granary), an underground warehouse that dates back to the 1st century BC. Enjoyed a guided tour exploring the subterranean warehouse system built by the Romans and imagining g days gone by.
Day 10 Drove north to the Chateau d’Olmet (3 nites), a small manor house (not really a chateau) high up on the hill near Lodeve. This is one we would not recommend - rooms were fine but breakfast was simply ok and the dinner was dreadful - and it is too far from town to have dinner elsewhere. En route stopped at the Musee de Ephebe, overlooking the harbor in Cap d’Agde. Interesting underwater archaeology museum consisting of of modern galleries around a traditional farmhouse.The prize is the l’Éphèbe d’Agde, a late-Hellenistic bronze statue of a young man, possibly Alexander the Great.Beautiful.
Day 11. So enjoyed Agde we went back to visit the Cathedral, which looks like a menacing fortress, but contains a beautiful marble altar from the 17th century. Then to the Musée Agathois which focuses on daily life over time with reconstructions of traditional homes and shops, and scale models explaining how the port grew after it was established by the Phoenecians. Outside Agde is the Château Laurens (which we booking on the website) , a sumptuous villa on the banks of the Canal du Midi. It was the property of Emmanuel Laurens, a wealthy traveller, collector, music lover and patron of the arts who turned his villa into a total work of art combining architecture, decoration, furniture and lifestyle. Fabulous. Superb lunch at the Cote Mas in Montagnac, with wine tasting in the cave and lunch overlooking the vineyard.
Day 12 I did say that my husband likes churches and such so, today, we went to
The Benedictine Priory of Saint-Michel de Grandmont in in Soumont, close to Lodève,, with a beautifully preserved cloister and out-buildings, set in a pine forest with neolithic stones. Lovely, easy walk through the woods. Then, a visit to Lodeve, where we saw the sculpture to the war dead (I think it is then most photographed monument to the dead in France) - very emotional, visited the cathedral (of course)n and then the Musee Fleury, which we enjoyed. A full day,
Day 13. back to Montpellier, car intact.