June 2 in the Pyrénées countryside

It was bound to happen, anyway, after all, in 28 days. It’s now. The weather is overcast and cold. Temperature is currently 55°, with a hiogh forecast of 70° with heavy rain in the afternoon.

Plus, Roger is completely disgusted and wants nothing to to do with Carcassonne and especially with downtown traffic where most of his sites-to-see are located. He discussed this with Delphine’s father, Luc, who comes from Belgium, who says simply: bad driving is the problem of France.

I brought a book on the most beautiful villages in France, there are two not far from the B&B. We leave for Camon.

Short stop in Hounoux for a church. It is a tiny village and apparently not very rich.










Still, there are houses with tired fronts but whose door hardware is first quality, freshly painted shutters. In front of one of those is parked a car with UK license registration. Roger wonders about the owner's popularity among the villagers.

I’m standing by a church (what else) waiting for Roger, when the church bell sounds the hour, ten o’clock, twice. (ah, here he comes) On several occasions during the past week, I heard the full volley of the Angelus, as I heard it when I was a girl. (For young people: three slow rings, a silence, then repeat two more times, then a long peal)

After twists and turns - too bad for the Pech de Mu, probably reachable only by foot - we get to Camon. The photographer seems quite satisfied, he clicks and clicks. The panel with an exclamation point in front of the stairs announces a fairly unique risk: leaning trees.






On a street corner, a rosebush with an ID plate: Lolita Lempicka (I looked it up, she was a French renowned fashion designer).





There's another one. Pierre de Ronsard.




I don't know who's taken on rosebush identification with those elegant plates, I think it's cute and nice. Not far from the stronghold abbey and its a restaurant where, we're told, you have to book months in advance - fine then, see if we're going -will youy just look at this:





That's the way it always is in the Midi-Pyrénées region. We're either at the top or at the foot but it's hills and mountains everywhere.

Life goes on, right? This old ruin is being struck down. The scale-like thing barely seen in the background, holds demolition equipment










Nothing new under the sun. The sign says: For yellow bags exclusively. I don't know what yellow bags are for but apparently, I'm not the only clueless one.





We're now walking under a steady and annoying downpour. Back to the B&B

A little later, we try going for a walk but, of course, the rain starts again, bad enough to send me back to the B&B because of having to keep my implant's processor from getting too wet. Still, I can show you how spectacular the view from Domaine de la petite tour.