The sunniest and warmest day of the week (so why no photos?) saw us walking down from the remains of a vast gold mine to the iconic site of Lastours, the home of no less than four castles, Cabaret, La Tour Régine, Surdespine and Quertinheux. After our short and downhill walk we were faced with the task of climbing almost vertically up to the castles themselves, a feat that the crusaders failed to achieve. The castle at Cabaret did capitulate eventually but under quite advantageous terms, and reverted to its strong regionalist position soon afterwards.
We drove back to Carcassonne for lunch in an unusual picnic site, a floating dining terrace which cruised the Canal du Midi as we drank in the scenery and the wine. At the end of the ride was a return walk along the towpath to the centre of Carcassonne from where we went back to the old cité.
Drinks on the delightful terrace of the hotel overlooking the famous ramparts was followed by dinner in the splendid setting of La Barbacane where we dined on a barigoule of vegetables followed by leg of lamb and a raspberry dessert.
