Itinerary
for Pilgrimage in Southern France May 11-22, 2008, NOTE: The main difference in the 2009 May pilgrimage will be that we will go to the Languedoc and then East to Provence for the Gypsy Festival and not West to Tarascon and the Pyrenees. Also we will be departing France from the Montpellier Airport on May 26, 2009. Sunday, May 11: Arrive at Toulouse Bregnac airport in beautiful Languedoc, Southwest France for your coach pick up at noon. Antoine and I will both be there to greet you. (Be sure to change money at the airport or use the ATM.) There is a meet and greet area with plenty of seating next to the coffee shop on the ground floor, near the baggage area. Please plan for flight arrivals by noon or earlier on the 11th (departing US the 10th!). Since Toulouse is a small airport, it does not take long to pass through customs and baggage. Some people prefer to arrive a day early to recover from jet lag. There are plenty of hotels in Toulouse—just Google. We have a two hour journey in our private coach, through the wine country to Rennes le Chateau (RLC). Our home for the next four nights is a picturesque country inn Les Labadous, situated on the River of Colors the valley directly below the historical village of RLC. Our first night will include a gourmet home-cooked meal by our hostess Joke ( pronounced yocah). We will have a brief orientation and harp lullabies to send you to dreamland. Monday May 12: We begin at the mysterious village of Rennes le Chateau with our special guest guide Henry Lincoln. Henry is best known as a co-author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, and for his pioneering work on the harmonious landscape and pentagram formed by the nearby churches. Here we find the coded chapel dedicated to Mary Magdalene, the museum and the Villa Bethania built by the village priest Berenger Sauniere. We will have a special presentation by modern Knights Templar Toby and Gerda Dobler in their private garden, next to a Merovingian castle. Dinner your choice: Jean-Lucs Café or the gourmet restaurant. Tuesday May 13: We will see the spectacular Hermitage of St. Anthony carved into stone cliffs of Gorge Galamus and pay homage to the Grotto dedicated to Mary Magdalene. We will visit Peyrepertuse, one of the largest Cathar Castles in France and have a picnic lunch. We will visit the medieval church at Cubiere. Dinner at Les Labadous. Wednesday May 14: Morning sharing circle, sound medicine and chanting with Ani. Afternoon drive to nearby Rennes les Bains, famous for its Roman baths and healing thermal springs. (Take a bathing suit today, weather permitting!) We will hike to the Seat of Isis (called the devil’s armchair in guidebooks). The ancient spring there is red with iron content, which occurs at many sacred sites. Late afternoon we are free to walk along the river or soak in the thermal pools. Dinner on our own at the restaurant in the pleasant town square. Return in coach to our final night at Les Labadous. Thursday May 15: We drive to the wildness of the Ariege River valley in the Pyrenees. On the way we will stop for a bit of harping at the Troubadour Castle of Puivert. Down the road near the village of Nebias we will visit an ancient oak forest which is still used by modern Druids, and home of the famous ‘harp tree’—picnic lunch in the lush forest. Late afternoon arrival at our hotel in the Pyrenees town of Tarascon for the next 3 nights at Le Vieux Carre. Dinner at the hotel. Friday May 16: Morning walk to the nearby St. Michael churches with fascinating stained glass windows. Buy lunch for later picnic at the nearby markets. Then we drive the short distance to Ussat les Bain, home of the famous caves of Iglesia and Lombrives, where legends say the Cathars brought the grail and items of great spiritual importance after the fall of Montsegur. We will be guided by Cathar expert Christian Koenig, who is a founder of the Center for Cathar Studies in Toulouse. Christian also plays the Romanian pan pipes and if we are lucky, he will be bringing his pipes to the acoustically alive caves! Dinner at hotel. Saturday May 17: Morning visit to Our Lady of Sabart Church with the Black Madonna and wonderful relief art of Mary Magdalene. This is the church built by Napolean, to commemorate his vision of Our Lady, who he claims led him to victory over the Muslims. We drive into the Pyrenean Valley of Vicdessos to visit the prehistoric cave paintings at the extensive caverns of Nieux and Vasche. Picnic at the spring. A short drive takes us to a Neolithic dolmen with great views of the valley, and its rugged mountains often capped with snow year round. Dinner at the hotel. Sunday May 18: We drive to Montsegur, the famous last stronghold of several hundred Cathars, knights, and nobles loyal to the Cathar’s pure path of love. This is a hearty hour long climb up the hill, so make sure you have sturdy walking shoes or boots. Picnic at the base of the ‘pog’ and tea in the village. Then we drive to the picturesque village of Sougraigne for our overnight at the Ecluse au Soleil. We’ll have relaxing glass of local wine on the deck for sunset, overlooking the beautiful river valley. Gourmet dinner at Ecluse. Monday May 19: Optional early morning walk along the ancient Cathar pathway and breakfast at our inn. Depart for Alet les Bain, and our home for the next three nights. We will stay at Eveche on the Aude River, the old Bishop’s Palace right next to the famous Basilica. Alet was a Medieval Kaballah teaching center. Our Knight Templar friend Toby Dobler will guide us to the Basilica and Templar sites as well as the home of Nostradamus with fascinating symbolic carvings. We will visit Alet’s ancient spring to replenish our water. Wesak Full Moon meditation and then dinner at Eveche. Tuesday May 20: After breakfast drive to Rieux Minervois, which has one of the most unique Medieval churches in Southern France. With an unusual 7-sided shape, it houses stone carvings that rival Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland with distinct Egyptian and Templar flavors and great acoustics! We drive to the famous Medieval walled city of Carcassone for lunch. For late afternoon and sunset we drive to a tiny village above Alet to a very important church called Ste. Salvayre. Henry Lincoln says this site has Roman origins and he will describe it’s magical properties. Contemplative harp music for the entry of the rays of the setting sun on the altar. Wednesday May 21: A relaxing day to walk through the village of Alet or stroll along the Aude River…time to contemplate and journal. Afternoon circle for group sharing, music and sound healing. Our last supper and farewell celebration at Eveche. Thursday
May 22: 8 am morning coach departure for Toulouse airport. Bon
Voyage! |