We took the Sunday morning train from Narbonne to Carcassonne. What a deal, only 5.9€ each and a nice quiet 30 min. Ride. We walked to the abbaye and checked in as pilgrims getting our credientials stamped. The dorm was a tiny bedroom with a bunk bed and a single bed - luckily we were the only pilgrims booked in cause we did’t really want to share such a small space. Bathroom was down the hall. Supper and breakfast included for 26€ each.
Once checked in we headed up the hill into the castle. Lots of tourists but it was fun to see all the different shops selling swords and shields, French tablecloths, gelato and candy stores specialized in nougat. We had coffee in one restaurant and then had some lunch in one of the plazas full of restaurants with tables under many umbrellas. Meal was not very interesting but we had great fun chatting with a couple from England who we were sharing our table with along with 2 pichets of rose.
Dinner at the abbaye was prepared and served by one of the sisters to just 3 of us. We shared mealtime with a gal from Switzerland who had come down south to do some cycling. The sister came back to chat a bit while she was preparing for breakfast. She had walked the chemin st jaques from le puy to St. Jean in 2 week splurts, but she didn’t say when she did it or how old she was. She took great exception to Wendy explaining to the Swiss gal that one could have their packs transferred by the post office in Spain now a days. She told us in no uncertain terms that you must carry everything you need on your back to be a pilgrim. We feel it’s more important to be inclusive to anyone who wants to walk, even if they can’t carry a pack anymore.
The walled city of Carcassonne
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