Today, Wednesday 11 May, was a day of exploration. We headed north towards Villefranche le Conflents, a medieval village/fort on an earlier spanish/french border. We took the back route up through the mountains north of Ceret, on seemingly endless narrow roads high above the valleys below, and serendipitously came upon the restored Priere de Serrabone, a lovely medieval church with carved marble pillars, and lovely stonework. I can't do it justice in this short paragraph.
Then onwards, via a visit to the village of Eus, one of Frances "plus belle villages", which looks terrific nested against the hillside, but had little to recommend it up close.
Villefranche was impressive, a walled town nestled within a steep gorge, but is going the way of Carcassonne as it is full of retail outlets. We walked through the town, which has an interesting history, both as a fort in the wars over the spanish / french border, and as a prison for wealthy parisennes after the revolution, including some thirty women who were held for thirty years accused of witchcraft. In pouring rain, we took shelter in a cave in the limestone cliffs opposite the village.
We headed home via Prades and the pretty village of Castelnou, then via Thuile to Ceret, and on to Arles sur Tech before arriving at our accommodation in Amelies les Bains close to seven pm.
The highlight of the day was the Priere de Serrabone, stark and severe in many ways, located on a remote mountain top, but confirmation both that serendipity is worth a score of plans, and that artis both timeless and enduring. I was particularly taken with the carving of the archangel Michael slaying a dragon/devil.
Tomorrow we head to Barcelona, hopefully via a museum near Banyule dedicated to the memory of Aristide Maillol, one of my favourite sculptors.
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