The City of Carcasonne, France {Part IV of VII}

Just about an hour away from Toulouse is the medieval city of Carcassonne - a well-preserved, 12th century fortified French city. Complete with drawbridges, towers with conical spires, cobbled streets, and encircled by a 3km long defensive wall, the city of Carcassonne provides the perfect setting for a fairy tale.



Some of the main sites within the ancient walled city include the castle (La Château Comtal), the basilica (La Basilique St. Nazaire), and a square (La Place Marcou). Sitting on top of a hill, the fortress offers a fantastic view over the countryside.

Almost demolished in 1849 by the French government, the city was saved by the community and in fact, restored 4 years later and preserved as a historical monument eversince. In 1997, the city of Carcassonne was inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.





Above: Restaurants and shops surround the square, La Place Marcou.


Above: The castle, La Château Comtal.






Above & Below: La Basilique St. Nazaire


Above: The bridge, Pont Vieux over the Aude river outside the city.


Above: View of the medieval city of Carcassonne on a hill from afar.

Toulouse, France {Part III of VII}

Some describe Toulouse as ‘la ville en rose’- the city in pink - thanks to the mostly red brick buildings radiating a warm, pink blush as sunlight hits. One of the major cities in the Southwest of France, Toulouse is also a stopover place for pilgrims doing the ‘Walk of Saint James’ on route across the Pyrenees into Spain.

Place du Capitole, the centre of this pink city, is dominated by the imposing Capitole Building that houses the Town Hall and the Theatre du Capitole. Around this main square, lots of smaller lanes lead you to discover Toulouse’s churches, museums and charming little cafes and shops.

Beyond its ‘rosy’ image preserved by its historical centre, Toulouse is also a high tech city home to the Airbus Headquarters and one other interesting attraction, the Space City. I didn’t managed to go check that out but I’m sure it’s worth a visit!


Above: The fountain of poet, Pierre Goudouli in Wilson Square.



Above & Below: Place du Capitole



Above: Church of Notre-Dame de la Dalbade




Above: Pont Neuf or 'new bridge' over the Garonne River.



Above: Just like how Provence is famous for its lavender, Toulouse is famous for its violets! You can find all things violet here, from soap to candy.

My obsession with duck dishes continues...

Lourdes, France {Part II of VII}

Similar to the town of Fátima in Portugal, the small town of Lourdes, located at the foothills of the Pyrenees, is widely known to be a major pilgrimage site. Lourdes is famous for its Marian apparitions to a little girl named Bernadette Soubirous.

The story goes that on 11th February 1858, ‘a lady in white’ appeared to Bernadette at a grotto while she was out gathering firewood. The apparitions took place for a total of 18 times, the most significant ones being the 9th apparition, when the lady miraculously revealed a source of water underground, and the 16th apparition, when the lady finally revealed her identity as the “Immaculate Conception”. These revelations eventually convinced the sceptical authorities that Bernadette’s visions and claims were indisputable.

Following the series of apparitions, the destiny of Lourdes changed forever with the building of a Sanctuary dedicated to ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’ at that site as per her wishes. Each year, whether it’s for spiritual renewal or for the hope of a recovery from illness, millions of pilgrims and tourists flock to Lourdes, which is believed to have the most number of hotels in France after Paris!





Religious reasons aside, Lourdes is actually a really pretty town surrounded by lush greenery and the river Gave de Pau running through it! I stayed at the Hotel La Solitude and was given a room with a balcony that offers a gorgeous panorama of the river as well as the Castle of Lourdes.



Also, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes was just a short walk from the hotel, with what seemed like endless rows of souvenir shops along the way.




Above: The colourful mosaic-decorated walls outside the Basilica.







Above: Mass being held at the grotto where the apparitions occurred.




Above: The house of Bernadette's father which originally belonged to the Mayor of Lourdes.


Above: The taps through which the miraculous spring water flows from a source near the grotto. Believed by many to have healing effects, visitors are welcomed to collect the water for drinking or bathing.


Above: Night view of the Basilicas from the spacious esplanade.



Above: The grotto stays open at night offering a quiet & peaceful moment for prayers.