Sun and Snow

Well, we have visited some cool castles in the region of Cathars and knights and tales of lost treasures but this one has to be the biggest set in the most stunning of locations. This is Peyrepertuse. Said to be one of the 'sons' of Carcassonne it dates from around the tenth century. It's a great spot for a picnic and we were lucky to see the falconers arrive here with their birds of prey.


May day, also known as Beltane and Roodmas day was celebrated by having a picnic in the Forêt de Bouconne. The little clearing has often been visited by Oli and I and was a perfect setting. Beltane is a traditional celtic pagan festival to celebrate the beginning of summer and is a time of fertility and growth. In celtic times this festival was celebrated by having huge bonfires caleld 'Bel fires', people would jump over them to bring good fertility to the land. Later people celebrated by 'going-a-maying'. Young couples would run off to the woods at night and the young lasses would gather hawthorn blossoms and morning dew. Now this festival is often seen being celebrated in England by the dancing around the maypole, a fertiltiy symbol decorated with ribbons. It's a time of growing energy and the joining of masculine and feminine energies. The woods are full of energy at this time of year and after a week of heavy rain we were blessed with sunshine that filtered down through the fresh spring leaves!















The following day I was up with the dawn chorus for another trip to the mountains. This time with Joël and the mountain club that he belongs to. We treked up to the summit of a peak called 'Girantes' at about 2000m. It's situated near Aulus-les-Bains about 2 hoours from Toulouse. The road to get there and back is very picturesque passing huge waterfalls and winding up into the Pyrennees through mounatin passes or 'cols'. ( Col de Agnes)
At first our going was along a nice path but soon we were making steps in the snow and zig-zagging up a really steep climb to the summit! The view was fantastic, across the snow capped peaks towards Spain. The descent was rather tricky in places.....the path being obscured by a blanket of snow it was easy to step down from a covered rock into knee deep snow! I'd liken it to trying to walk home after too much to drink!!! We were all over the place, slipping and sliding...luckily we could all just laugh at ourselves!! To finish off we passed through a lovely wood on the lower slopes.
It was so satisfying reaching the top after such a climb and the cakes we devoured at the end of the day were a good reward for our efforts! I think I'm getting addicted and can't wait until the next time. I prefer having the snowin a way, it's a good challenge and not too hot!








Until the next time..............