Itinerary
for Autumn Equinox in Southern France
Tuesday, Sept. 15: Arrive at Toulouse Bregnac airport in beautiful Languedoc, Southwest France for your coach pick up at noon. Our Knight Templar Monsieur Toby Dobler and I will be there to greet you. There is a meet and greet area with plenty of seating next to the coffee shop near the baggage claim area. Please plan for flight arrivals by noon or earlier on the 20th (departing US the 19th!). Since Toulouse is a small airport, it does not take long to pass through customs and baggage. Some people prefer to arrive a day or two early to recover from jet lag. Let me know if you are arriving a day early and I can suggest Toulouse sites and hotels. We still meet at the airport at noon on the 20th.
We have a two hour journey in our private Enigma Tours coach through the wine country to our home in the luscious hills of the Languedoc. We stay for seven nights at the picturesque country inn Domaine de Mournac. (www.moiurnac.com for photos of this amazing retreat). Our first night will include a home-cooked meal prepared by yours truly. We will have a brief orientation and harp lullabies to send you to dreamland. (Dinner tonight is included in tour price. All breakfasts during the tour are included).
Wednesday, Sept. 16: Morning sharing circle, music of Mary Magdalene and Isis with Ani. Free time to swim in the pool, visit the old chapel or walk in the area. In the afternoon, we drive to nearby Rennes le Chateau to meet with some of the locals at the Jardin de la Marie garden restaurant and have an early dinner. Special evening debut screening at RLC of the documentary film ‘Bloodline’ with the producer Rene Barnett and director Bruce Burgess. For more on this amazing movie filmed in this area, see www.bloodlinethemovie.com. (No host dinner).
Thursday, Sept. 17: We return for a deeper look at the mysterious village of Rennes le Chateau (RLC) 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. Today is the Autumn Equinox. We will join modern Knights Templar Toby and Gerda Dobler in their private garden next to the Merovingian castle in RLC for an Equinox ceremony. Gerda will prepare a special dinner and Toby will give a presentation on his Templar Order of Mary Magdalene. (Dinner is included in tour price). Friday, Sept. 18: Morning 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 and chant to the Roche Tremblant (the vibrating stone of the ancient Celts and Druids). We visit the powerful Seat and Well of Isis (called the devil’s armchair in guidebooks). The ancient spring there is red with iron content, which occurs at many sites sacred to the ancient people. We will give the beauty of song to give thanks to this timeless place of the Goddess. Lunch in the pleasant town square with Henry Lincoln. After lunch we are free to visit the RLB Church yard with Henry, walk along the river or soak in the thermal pools. (Dinner potluck at Domaine de Mournac). Saturday Sept. 19: We drive to the sacred mountain and Cathar Church at Bugarech, and visit the medieval painted church at Cubiere. We drive to the spectacular Hermitage of St. Anthony carved into stone cliffs of Gorge Galamus and pay homage to the Grotto dedicated to Mary Magdalene. Snack at Gorge Galamus and drive to Puillaurens, one of the most picturesque Cathar Castles in France and have a special catered picnic lunch by lovely Gerda. Evening light meal at Domaine de Mournac. (Catered snack and afternoon picnic included in tour price). Sunday Sept. 20: Morning free to relax, integrate and enjoy the beauty of our Domaine. Afternoon drive to Alet les Bain and visit the famous Basilica. Alet was a Medieval Kaballah teaching center. Our Knight Templar friend Toby Dobler will guide us to the Basilica and the home of Nostradamus with its fascinating Templar carvings. We will visit Alet’s ancient spring to replenish our water. Dinner at Eveche restaurant on the beautiful Aude River at Alet. (No host dinner; cost 15-18 Euros)
Tuesday and Wednesday Sept. 22 & 23: We drive to the medieval Templar port of Collieure for two days on the Mediterranean. Our hotel is on the beach and overlooks the beautiful bay. This was an important Templar site and the fortress ruins are some of the most well-preserved in France. Collieure was an important seaport and most likely the site of a temple to Isis. The church has unusual images of St. Lucy, Martha and Mary Magdalene. (Dinners on our own)
Friday Sept. 25: Morning visit to Our Lady of Sabart Church with the Black Madonna and wonderful relief art of Mary Magdalene. We have a meditation in one of the Cathar caves of Ussat le Bain with the haunting music of Christian Koening, an expert in Cathar history and medieval music. We will visit the Cathar Castle of Lordat where legends say the Grail was hidden after the fall of Montsegur. We will experience a special presentation in the castle grounds given by the Lordat guardians with a live eagle (the eagle is the apostolic symbol for St. John the Beloved). Legends say that St. John and Mary Magdalene came here with the Book of Love.
Saturday, Sept. 26: Morning drive to Toulouse airport for departure flights. Bon Voyage |