TOULOUSE 55ºF - 57ºF - 0 52ºF - 52ºF - ALBI 52ºF - 54ºF - 0 59ºF - 64ºF - CARCASSONNE 52ºF - 63ºF

Welcome to your Europamundo Trip Style!!! The information about the meeting place and start time of your circuit can be found on your voucher.We start our trip in Toulouse and from there we will go to NAJAC. One of the most beautiful villages in France sitting on a rocky promontory and surrounded by forests. First medieval town on our catar route and the first castle we will visit. A few kilometers from Najac towards Albi, we will take the opportunity to visit another impresive place in our route,CORDES-SUR-CIEL where we will stop to enjoy its 14th century Gothic houses and its narrow streets, very well preserved and full of artisan or artist workshops. After these two extraordinary visits, we will arrive in ALBI for lunch we will stroll through the streets around the market and the Cathedral of Ste. Cecile, an authentic brick fortress from the outside, but a Gothic jewel inside. Before arriving in the evening in Carcassonne, we will make a stop at the Belvédère de Montfermier viewpoint to observe one of the greatest icons of the vestiges of the glorious Cathar past in the area; we refer to the 4 towers of LASTOURS that rise above the top of a rocky plinth. Arrival in the fabulous walled city of CARCASSONNE. Check in at the hotel.

CARCASSONNE 52ºF - 63ºF - 0 52ºF - 64ºF

We will start the day with a visit to the city of Carcassonne with our tour guide, a medieval complex that has been perfectly restored; We will visit the interior of Château Comtal, which is a fortress within another one with five towers, a moat and defensive wooden galleries on the walls and we will take a walk through its walls. Next, we will stroll through the walled city where it is also worth visiting the Basilica of St. Nazaire, where the famous stone of the Site stands out, named after the fence of Carcasonne in 1209 by the Crusades. After lunch, we will go to MINERVE, one of the main refuges for Cathars during the Albigensian Crusade. The village has been recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Les plus beaux villages de France. The city keeps many vestiges of the medieval era: the medieval wall, the fortified gates, its fillets, its towers and the vestiges of the castle that defended the citadel in its narrowest part. Today there is only the 13th century north wall. Departure to NARBONNE and walk through the center with our tour leader. Narbone was the capital of the ancient Roman province of Narbonensis. Its fortified cathedral began construction in the 13th century, but has not been completed yet. The city has numerous elegant squares and public buildings. Although it was not a Cathar City, it is a unique place to meet, dine and rest.

0 66ºF - 72ºF - FONTFROIDE - 0 57ºF - 64ºF - PEYREPERTUSE CASTLE - 0 57ºF - 61ºF

Today we will visit valleys and mountains with hills of pine trees and vineyards. We start in the morning with a visit to the Benedictine Abbey of Fontfroide (entrance included), which is the most spectacular of the almost ten that we can find in the region. This Cistercian monument was the precursor of another religious buildings such as the Royal Monastery of Poblet. It has a spectacular rose garden of 2,500 flowers and a very important story on our route: the murder of a monk from Fontfroide, at the beginning of the 13th century, was the trigger for the crusade against the Cathars. After our visit we continue to LAGRASSE (another place known for its abbey) where one of the most charming towns in France is waiting for us. Famous because of its fairs, it was a meeting place for merchants and artists. The streets and shops of the town were trapped by the heritage of its extraordinary past. Overthere we will find all kinds of local products. Free time to taste Occitan cuisine. Leaving behind the fabulous town of Lagrasse and its Pont Vieux, we will go to the Pyrenees-Orientales, the most important area in Cathar Castles. On our way we will see the impressive fortresses of Villerouge-Termenés and Padern to culminate in the stop of the vertigo citadel of the Peyrepertuse Castle (entrance included) where we will visit the interior to check the importance of the strategic enclave of a key place in the border control between the kingdoms of France and Aragon. After a legendary day, we will arrive at the city of LIMOUX, which has a great Cathar legacy and today is very famous for its carnival that they celebrate for three months. Optionally, we can visit one of the wineries where the famous Blanquette de Limoux is produced, which we will taste. Dinner and rest.

0 57ºF - 61ºF - PUIVERT CASTLE - 0 54ºF - 55ºF - MONTSEGUR CASTLE - FOIX 52ºF - 54ºF - TOULOUSE 55ºF - 57ºF

After breakfast, we travel to the Puivert Castle (entrance included). At the top of the hill, this old local cathar, conquest by the crusaders in 1210 dominates the city of Puivert and its lake. We will arrive at the fortified medieval village of CAMON known as the little Carcassonne, it is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. The door of the Clock, the high house, the walls, the abbey-castle or the church of the s. XVI and its treasure are some of the attractions that we will discover. Around midday we will arrive at MIREPOIX, that preserves its medieval appearance from the end of the 13th century,when it was rebuilt. We will walk with our tour guide through this town where we will have lunch. After lunch one of the most incredible moments of our trip will surprise us. The visit to the Montségur Castle (entrance included) Last stronghold of the Cathars, where a couple of hundred believers resisted for nine months the siege of French royalist troops. We are going to have to walk for several minutes so we will ask you to take some water and confortable cloth. On our way to Tolosa, we will stop at FOIX. A town bathed by the Ariege, a tributary of the Garonne. Another beautiful town adorned with its historical Cathar castle that will be the perfect place to finish our fantastic journey, before reaching our final destination. We will arrive in ToulousseEnd of services. Our guide will drop you off at the agreed point.We hope you have enjoyed your circuit with Europamundo.