Carcassonne seems to have special events every week. This week was la Fête du Pain (the Bread Festival) sponsored by a local professional baking college, Saint Honoré Academy. (Saint Honoré is the patron saint of bakers.) All the events in Carcassonne reminds us of all the special event we used to experience in Reno, Nevada. French people really do take fresh baked bread seriously and we have found that in France, “Bread is king.”
The school set up both wood-fired and electric ovens in event tents on the perimeter of Square Gambetta We could smell freshly baked bread and hear the DJ’s music as we walked the block from our apartment to the Square. A dozen artisan bakers and apprentices were busy baking baguettes, breads, croissants, cakes, bread sculptures, and pies for exhibition and sale to the public. Many of the breads were created using the French twice-baked technique that makes that especially crusty bread that France is well-known for serving.
Fête du PainFête du PainFête du Pain – Baker working the wood fired oven
Tracy and I tried the pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant), a favorite of ours, and watched the bakers perform for the crowds. There was an area for children to decorate cookies and an inflatable “bounce house” with multiple food and craft vendors along the Square to visit as well.
We discovered Jardin du Calvaire (Calvary Garden) located inside one of Carcassonne’s three remaining bastions. The “Big Tower” (also called the Bastion les Moulins [Tower of the Mills]) was built after 1359 and was part of the walls and fortifications that used to surround the Bastide Saint-Louis (Ville Basse) of Carcassonne. Located on the Southwest corner of the city, the bastion was later covered with windmills in 1599 to power mills grinding grain into flour for bakeries that would supply the city with “300 breads everyday for the poor.”
Location of the Jardin du Calvaire within Carcassonne’s Ville Basse
In 1825 a group formed to create the Jardin du Calvaire within the bastion. The leader of the group was Canon Cazaintre who is now buried on the site. The garden’s design was created by architect Jean-François Champagne. Jardin du Calvaire is circled with “Station of the Cross” shrines on its perimeter, has cypress and olive trees and laurels, and impressive sculptures reenacting the crucifixion on Calvary Hill. The crucifixion tableau is shielded by trees and cannot been seen from the regular garden; the sculptures can only be viewed after climbing to the top of the small hill in the garden. There is a small chapel built into the hill that represents the Holy Sepulcher and is illuminated with natural light from the crucifixion scene above.
Chapel within the Jardin du CalvaireWithin the Chapel in the Jardin du Calvaire
This urban garden is very peaceful with many benches along its paths. The restful quiet can make you forget that Jardin du Calvaire is situated alongside the major avenue of Boulevard Barbès.
One of Tracy’s favorite things about the garden are its numerous feral, but friendly cats cruising the garden and serving as unofficial “guardians” for the garden.
We attended the “Rallye Motocycliste Organis Par la Gendarmerie de l’Aude,” the Second Annual Motorcyclist Rally Sponsored by the Gendarmerie of Aude.
The free event in Square Gambetta included fast paced precision drills by motorcycle officers from the Republican Guard unit (presidential escort unit) of Gendarmerie Nationale of France and the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince of Monaco (royal family escort unit), amazing motorcycle stunts by the Republican Guard, music from a French Naval pipes and drums band, and a dramatic helicopter hoist delivery of a gendarme and his canine followed by a canine demonstration. There were also driving safety exhibits, vendor displays, and recruiting by the Gendarmerie Nationale.
In addition to the local dignitaries, Prince Pierre of Monaco attended the event to observe his royal motorcycle escorts perform with the Gendarmerie Nationale Republican Guard.
Tracy and I both had to shake our heads at the French Naval pipe and drum band playing “Scotland the Brave” and the Disney symphony type music to entertain the crowd before the rally began, but especially at the segment when cowboy hat wearing country line dancers joined in and danced to the bagpipes and drums!
Monégasque Carabiniers on white bike and French Gendarmerie on blue bikeGendarmerie Nationale Republican Guard Stunt Team
“You know, every glass of wine here is French wine.” Me sharing the extremely obvious with Tracy.
The Languedoc-Roussillon region in Southwest France, where we are living, is the largest area in France in terms of vineyard acreage. The region is known for its Blanquette de Limoux, the world’s oldest sparkling wine, and many high quality red wines like Corbières, Cotaeux du Languedoc, Côtes du Roussillon, Fitou, Minervois, Saint Chinian, and Costières de Nimes.
Languedoc-Roussillon (Wikimedia Commons)
Languedoc-Roussillon is also known as the “Wine Lake” of France where the majority of inexpensive wines in France are produced. So much wine is produced in Languedoc-Roussillon that France worries the “Wine Lake’s” surplus drives down the export price of French table wine. More than 1/3 of all grapes grown in France are grown in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
The everyday wines are called Vin de France,(previously called “Vin de Table“) the lowest level of the three tiers in the current wine classification system in France. But don’t let the term “lowest level” deceive you, these are flavorful wines that enhance any meal or are enjoyable simply by the glass. Any wine in France is all about its terroir: the environment, climate, soil, geography, and weather that makes up the intangibles that combined with the variety of grapes and the skill of the winemaker creates the final taste of the wine.
Pichet de Vin
The mid-level category of French wines are Indication Géographique Protégée wines (IGP), an intermediate category basically replacing the former Vin de Pays (“country wine”) category. These IGP/Vin de Pays wines are simple varietal French wines that include Vin de Pays d’Oc from Languedoc-Roussillon. Vin de Pays d’Oc is the largest portion of all Vin de Pays wines produced in France.
Vin de Pays
Appellation d’Origine Protégée(AOP) is the highest category of French wine replacing the previously used category of Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wines. We look forward to touring some of the local vineyards in the near future and tasting some of these top-tier AOP wines. Restaurants in Carcassonne offer high quality AOC wine lists in addition to their basic house wines.
AOP Seal (Wikimedia Commons)
Most of Tracy and my wine consumption has been Vin de France and Vin de Pays. These inexpensive reds, white, and rosé wines have proven to be delicious. “Un demi-pichet de vin,” (a half litre carafe of a restaurant’s vin de France) has never been a bad experience. Restaurants carefully choose even the house wine with their reputations in mind. Rosé wines are a respected wine choice and hold a prominent place in many of France’s major wine regions, including Languedoc-Roussillon.
Tracy enjoying “un pichet of vin rouge.”
Shopping for wine is an embarrassment of riches. The wine section in every store offers a huge range of quality, varieties, and price points. It is difficult to narrow down your choices from so many offerings. I was stunned to even see “boxed” vin de France meant for inexpensive table wine. Two of our most recent purchases, a red and a rosé, were both under 2 Euro and they were delicious!
Shelves of WinesShelves of WinesShelves of WinesVaried wines and prices
Tracy and I greatly enjoy our new tradition of a glass of wine with lunch and dinner. And there is nothing like a leisurely afternoon, sitting in the town square of Place Carnot, and lingering with a carafe of wine as Tracy and I just enjoy the view, conversation, and people watching.
Went to the park today with Mom and Dad, wearing my favorite pink sweater. Mom shot video! Check me out at my favorite park in Carcassonne: Kiara at Bellevue Park.
Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur and popular aperitif in France.
Ricard is the number one pastis beverage in the world, its recipe unaltered since its creation by Paul Ricard in 1932. A refreshing apperitif, Ricard is a long-time favorite in France, especially in the southern regions of the country. Over 130 million liters of pastis is sold each year in France, more than two liters per inhabitant. The name “pastis” originally comes from the regional dialect occitan’s word, pastís, meaning “mash-up.”
Ricard Pastis
Pastis’ popularity grew following the French ban on absinth. One reason for the popularity of pastis can be attributable to the demand for anise flavored drinks created by absinthe decades earlier. There is also an old tradition in the Mediterranean of anise-based liquors like Sambuca, Ouzo, Arak, and Mastika.
The principal ingredients of Ricard is star anise, a rare spice that grows in southern Chinese and in the north of Vietnam, licorice from Syria, and aromatic herbs from Provence. Pastis is not absinthe and does not does not contain grand wormwood (artemisia absinthium),the herb from which absinthe gets its name. Absinthe obtains its base flavor from green anise, not the star anise which Ricard uses. Pastis’ flavor comes from licorice root which is not used in absinthe. Also, absinthes are normally bottled at 45 to 74% ABV, while pastis is typically bottled at 40 to 50% ABV. Finally, unlike absinthe, pastis is classified as a liqueur because it contains sugar.
Pastis is normally served with the liqueur presented in one glass and accompanied by carafe of cold water.
The liqueur is diluted with the water according to the drinker’s preference, traditionally about 5 parts water to 1 part Ricard. Diluting the liqueur creates the “French Milk” effect as the water is added. The combination of liqueur and water ‘louches,’ and turns the diluted beverage cloudy and white in appearance. The drink is then consumed cold and is considered a refreshing beverage for hot days. Ice cubes may be added after diluting the pastis.
Pastis before dilution with waterPastis after dilution with water and ‘louching’ starting
While enjoying a cup of cafe kreme (France’s version of cappuccino) we were treated to a concert via the bells of Saint Vincent’s Church just a block away.
The bells of the local Catholic churches ring hourly around here. We often find ourselves counting the chimes to tell the hour of the day. Every once in a while it sounds like the bell ringer (or electronic system used to ring the bells) goes haywire and you get 20 chimes at 1 p.m. It’s taken us a while to realize that the two Catholic churches, Saint Michael’s Cathedral and Saint Vincent’s Church have over 50 bells between them. That’s a lot of church bells.
Thankfully being raised Catholic I love the sound of bells. According the the Catholic Liturgical Calendar [courtesy of CatholicCulture.org] today is the Solemnity of the Ascension, the day when Jesus returned to his Father in Heaven, which would explain the joyous noise we were treated to this morning from this gorgeous Gothic church (see photo below) while we were enjoying our morning coffee.
So regardless of your spiritual beliefs or mine for that matter, here’s a clip of this morning’s impromptu concert. Enjoy!
Carcassonne is filled with historic houses of worship.
1. Basilique Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse de Carcassonne (Basilica of Saint Nazaire and Saint Celsus) Located within the citadel of la Cité de Carcassonne, the “Jewel of the City,” has a harmonious coexistence between the Romanesque and Gothic windows which are the finest in the South of France. The first church was built in the sixth century, under the reign of the Visigoths. The first written record of the church dates from 925. In 1096, Pope Urban II came to Carcassonne and blessed the construction of what would become the Basilica of Saint Nazaire and Saint Celsus. The building was completed in the first half of the twelfth century. The nave and aisles remain in the Romanesque style. Gothic alterations were completed in the fourteenth century. The church was rebuilt many times and eventually lost its cathedral status in 1803 to Saint Michael’s Cathedral in the Bastide. Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse received the title of Basilica in 1898 from Pope Leo XIII.
Basilique Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse de Carcassonne (Basilica of Saint Nazaire and Saint Celsus)Basilique Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse de Carcassonne (Basilica of Saint Nazaire and Saint Celsus)
2.) Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne (Saint Michael’s Cathedral of Carcassonne) The church was designed in the Languedoc Gothic style. Built and rebuilt over the thirteenth, fourteenth, and nineteenth centuries, Saint Michael’s Cathedral originated as a parish church until 1803 when it was elevated as the seat of the Roman Catholic bishop for Carcassonne replacing Saint-Nazaire-et-Saint-Celse as the Cathedral for the diocese and used by the Priestly Order of Saint Peter. The Cathedral is designated as a French National Monument. Rebuilding the church was required after the invasion of the Black Prince and the destruction of the Ville Basse in 1355. There was also a devastating fire in 1849 that ravaged the church. Famous architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, known for his restoration of French historical monuments, led nearly 20 years of extensive restoration to the church.
Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne (Saint Michael’s Cathedral of Carcassonne)Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne (Saint Michael’s Cathedral of Carcassonne)
3.) Eglise Saint-Vincent (Saint Vincent Church) This thirteenth century Roman Catholic church was also designed in the Languedoc Gothic style with an impressive 23.5 meter high vaulted roof. Climbing the 234 steps of the 54 meter high octagonal bell tower will lead past the 47 bells to a view of the Ville Basse and La Cite’. In the fifteenth century, rose windows and stained-glass windows were added to the church.
Eglise Saint-Vincent (Saint Vincent Church)Eglise Saint-Vincent (Saint Vincent Church)
4.) Eglise des Carmes (Church of the Carmelites) The sparse Languedoc Gothic style Roman Catholic church was built at the end of the thirteenth century by the Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. There is also a Carmelite Covent. In 1966, the Carmelite chapel became a parish church and in the 1970s it became an annex parish to Saint Michael and Saint Vincent. The former convent, located on Rue de la Liberté, has been the offices of the diocese since 1981.
Eglise des Carmes (Church of the Carmelites)Eglise des Carmes (Church of the Carmelites)
5.) Chapelle Notre Dame de la Santé (Chapel of Our Lady of Health) This small Roman Catholic chapel was built on the west side of the Pont Vieux (old bridge) with money from the legacy of Jean de Saix in 1527 for the creation of the plague hospital. The chapel’s gothic interior features beautiful ribbed vaults and tiercerons. The chapel was used by patients and families of the former hospital.
Chapelle Notre Dame de la Santé (Chapel of Our Lady of Health)Chapelle Notre Dame de la Santé (Chapel of Our Lady of Health)
6.) Eglise Protestante Unie De Carcassonne – Communion Luthériens et Réformés (Protestant Church – French United Reformed Church) France is about 86% Roman Catholic, 7% Muslim, 2% Protestest, 1% Jewish, with 4% unaffiliated. This is literally the protestant church in Carcassonne. Apparently this church was established in 1562 by the Reformed Church of France after persecution of the Huguenots had subsided. There appears to have been a major renovation was started in 1888 and completed in 1890. Protestant church worshippers are mainly found in southeastern France.
Eglise Protestante Unie De Carcassonne – Communion Luthériens et Réformés (Protestant Church – French United Reformed Church)Eglise Protestante Unie De Carcassonne – Communion Luthériens et Réformés (Protestant Church – French United Reformed Church)
7.) Mosquée Salam à Carcassonne(Salam Mosque in Carcassonne) French of Maghreb origin (having at least one grandparent from the former French colonies of Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia) in France form the largest ethnic group after French of European origin. This Maghreb influence is also reflected in 7% of the population being Muslim.
Mosquée Salam à Carcassonne (Salam Mosque in Carcassonne)Mosquée Salam à Carcassonne (Salam Mosque in Carcassonne)
There is no Jewish Synagogue in Carcassonne. In 1394 Jews, blamed for the Black Death among other imaginary crimes, were expelled from Carcassonne and fled to Provence. After the invasion of France by the Nazis during World War II, a number of Jews returned and found refuge in Carcassonne, then in the unoccupied zone. Today the small Jewish population of Carcassonne has to travel to Toulouse or Montpellier for synagogue.
Pretty much every trip out of the apartment I have my Every Day Carry (EDC) bag, my essentials for every day in our new home of Carcassonne.
This carry bag is a bit different from my current and former law enforcement colleagues, with their EDC gear including their department or LEOSA authorized essentials for making an arrest or resolving a self-defense situation, but the principles of being self-sufficient are the same.
I like a carry bag that I can organize my gear and use winter or summer. A carry bag can be carried over a heavy jacket or a shirt. There is no forgetting a piece of gear being left in the pocket of my other jacket or left on a nightstand, it is all in one place. I like the 5.11 brand for its low-key practicality and toughness. The pockets are secure so there are fewer worries about a pickpocket lifting my wallet or camera and the bag’s ballistic nylon deters access by cutting into the bag. The P.U.S.H. pack doesn’t scream “expensive camera bag,” “military bag,” or “cop bag” and it isn’t an oversized messenger/computer bag.
Alan wearing 5.11 P.U.S.H. pack
There is a “man bag” culture in France and the Mediterranean areas with many local men wearing a shoulder bag “cross chest carry,” a sacs en bandoulière, so my carry bag, while a bit larger than average here, blends well into everyday life without making me looking like a tourist. (Think, “Fanny pack.”)
The P.U.S.H. pack has two side expanding pockets that I make use of for a water bottle and sunglasses case.
5.11 Tactical PUSH (Practical Utility Shoulder Hold-all) Pack5.11 Tactical PUSH (Practical Utility Shoulder Hold-all) Pack with Sunglasses and water bottle
2. Kleen Kanteen Classic 18 ounces water bottle
I carry Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle with 18 ounce capacity. With us walking more in our new home, we never have to scramble for something to drink. Carrying a water bottle eliminates the cost of buying water and the impact of all those empty plastic bottles. The Kleen Kanteen is free of BPAs and has no plastic or epoxy linings that can crack like in aluminum water bottles.
Kleen Kanteen 18oz Classic
3 & 4. Ray Ban Prescription Original Wayfarers Sunglasses and Hazard 4 Sub-Pod Sunglasses Case
With making the decision to be pedestrians most of the time, I end up wearing my sunglasses nearly all the time when I’m outdoors in the daytime. I opted for the darkest polarized lenses available and a nearly “crush-proof” Hazard 4 sunglasses case. I trade out my standard eyeglasses and sunglasses in the case so I always have both with me.
Hazard 4 Sub-Pod Sunglasses CaseRay Ban Prescription Original Wayfarers Sunglasses and Hazard 4 Sub-Pod Sunglasses Case
5. BLU Samba Jr Cellphone
Tracy and I needed phone communication in France immediately upon arrival. We purchased an unlocked cellphone and SIM card with a French telephone number from Cellular Abroad, a National Geographic affiliated company. It’s a “pay-as-you-go” system where you can add time through an English-speaking operator. We wanted to “unplug” for a while from always having smart phones, but wanted a basic phone for emergency “112” calls (French “911”), calls from home, and a local phone number for French government agencies and businesses. After our French bank account is established we will consider whether or not to reactivate our unlocked iPhones with a French provider.
BLU Samba Jr Cellphone
6 & 7. Business Cards and Dog Waste Bags
We have business/calling cards printed with our e-mail for use with new friends and local businesses. The dog waste bags are so we can be good neighbors cleaning up after Kiara (although it seems that, regardless of signs everywhere, few French dog owners follow suit).
There is a Bellroy travel wallet in carry bag’s zippered inner pocket. I wanted to stop wearing my wallet in my back pocket where it is more accessible to pickpockets. It now takes a very concerted effort to obtain my wallet from its location in my carry bag. My travel wallet holds my passport (France wants you to have your Carte d’Identité or passport with you.), currency, driver’s license, credit cards, SNCF and TER (national and regional train systems) discount cards, and French supermarket loyalty cards.
Bellroy Travel Wallet
12 & 13. Moleskine Notebook and Pen
My second most used tools in the bag. I am constantly writing notes to myself, making lists, listing directions, translating French phrases to request assistance, and writing down personal observations. One of those old police habits of always having paper and pen available and making frequent notes.
Moleskine Notebook and Pen
14 & 15. Folding Nylon Shopping Bags and Spare Reading Glasses for Tracy
“Paper or plastic?” is not usually an option here. If you want a bag for your groceries you need to bring one (or several) yourself. Being primarily pedestrians, running back to the apartment to get shopping bags when we suddenly remember that we needed some things for the kitchen is awkward and time-consuming. The thin, folding nylon bags take little space and are always helpful. I also carry an extra spare of Tracy’s reading glasses in my carry bag since she often doesn’t carry a purse or camera bag..
Shopping bags and Tracy’s reading glasses
16. Olympus E-PL2 Mirrorless Digital Camera and Electronic Viewfinder with an Olympus M.Zuiko 14-150 mm Zoom Lens with lens hood and an Olympus M.Zuiko 17 mm “pancake lens” or a Olympus Tough TG820 Waterproof/Shockproof Digital Compact Camera
My most used tools since arriving in France have been my cameras. I alternate between carrying the compact Olympus TG820 when I want something lightweight in my bag all the time or in adverse weather and the Olympus Pen Camera with interchangeable lenses when I want more professional shooting options. When we decided to minimize one area was my photography. I had a larger prosumer Canon DSLR with multiple lenses which I really enjoyed. But two years ago when I carried my Canon outfit to the top of Florence’s cathedral dome, up all 463 steps, I realized that: 1.) I wasn’t getting any younger (that was a “killer” climb even without the heavy gear) and 2.) I wasn’t shooting photos professionally anymore. Today I shoot photos to share events and travels with family and friends. I decided to explore the new smaller and lighter “mirrorless” digital camera systems and return to a more classic “Robert Capa” photojournalism style of shooting images.
The carry bag allows me to “stash” the cameras out of sight in a low-key bag to avoid being targeted for camera theft and to avoid the perception of the stereotypical tourist. I always have at least the compact camera and extra batteries in my carry bag so I hope to never lose a “photo op” because I didn’t want to carry a DSLR camera with me.
Olympus Tough TG820 Waterproof/Shockproof Digital Compact CameraOlympus E-PL2 Mirrorless Digital Camera and Electronic Viewfinder with an Olympus M.Zuiko 14-150 mm Zoom Lens with lens hood and an Olympus M.Zuiko 17 mm “pancake lens”
17. Carabiner
I carry a carabiner on my bag to quickly secure my carry bag if I remove it while eating or having an espresso at an outdoor cafe. Anytime I take my carry bag off, the shoulder strap is looped around a chair or the table (or in a pinch, my leg) and secured with the carabiner. Anyone attempting to “grab and run” is going have to be able to outrun me while dragging along a large piece of the restaurant’s furniture attached to my bag.
Carabiner
18, 19, 20, & 21. Change, Money Clip, Leatherman Juice Tool, and Apartment Keys
The final parts of my EDC gear is actually located on my person, rather than in my carry bag. I carry loose change is in my pockets. Europe uses one and two Euro coins which have proven very convenient. The lowest paper denomination for Euros is a five Euro note. I carry a money clip with currency in my pocket to avoid having to reach into my bag and displaying my wallet for every purchase. I don’t want a prospective thief to constantly see where my wallet is coming and going to.
A Leatherman Juice C2 multi-tool takes care of most tool needs with needle-nose pliers, a knife blade, screwdrivers, and the very necessary corkscrew. I’ve carried this versatile pocket tool for years.
I still wear a wristwatch, another “cop habit,” although cellphones have nearly eliminated the need for one. I rotate wearing a Seiko Black Monster dive watch, a Victorinox Swiss Army Maverick II Dual Time Zone watch, a Longines dress watch that was a college graduation gift from my parents, a Citizen Eco-Drive watch that was a gift from Tracy, and a Seiko custom TMCC retirement watch, a personalized gift from Tim Dees.
My final essential is the apartment’s keys. After years of having the “school custodian’s” size rings of home, cars, and office keys, I now carry only a building key and apartment door key.
Leatherman Juice C2 muliti-tool, Euro coins and currency, and money clipWatchesKeys
Even with the above items, There is still room in my EDC carry bag for whatever else the day’s activities might require: an umbrella, map, shopping list, Kindle, camera flash, dog’s medical records, camera tripod, flashlight, or something for Tracy.
The Eagle Scout in me has a difficult time leaving for the day without remembering to “Be Prepared” which has been serving us both well in our daily exploits here in Carcassonne.
An Italian Point Of View 