Rural France is a peaceful destination. We explored this region mostly on foot for 8-days and the one highlight of this trip were the castles.
Château de Foix
Foix is a charming small town situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees in south west France, and only a short train ride from Toulouse. Château de Foix is a Medieval castle that is a beautiful backdrop for the narrow cafe-lined streets. The castle visit is simply superb with access to both the interior and exterior of the castle. Outside we found live exhibits where characters dressed in period garb gave blacksmith demonstrations and offered crossbow lessons.
Château de Montségur
Way up high is the castle and the only way to reach it is to climb. It’s a tough climb 331ft climb in 0.55 miles with slippery rock and rocky terrain. The views at the top are spectacular.
Château de Peyrepertuse
After looking at it for most of the day, we finally get to explore Château Peyrepetuese. Little did we know we would be in for a steep ascent to get to the castle. Once inside there was still more climbing to get to the keep on the very top. I’ll admit, I was scared as the wind was strong and gusty. Summoning my courage and tightly gripping the cable hand rail, I ascended. The view was literally breathtaking as the wind whipped my hair wildly and the looking down from this height made me gasp. We had planned to also see Château de Quéribus on this trip but it was closed due to wind.
Château Comtal
La Cité de Carcassonne is a walled-city located on the bank of the River Aude. If you are in the area, the castle is a must see. Allocate some time here because there is a lot to explore.
