The Cathar Country

The Cathars, the Knight Templar, Rennes-le-Chateau, The Sauniere Mystery,

The Da Vinci Code, The Magdalene, Mount Cardou, the Visigoths & the Merovingian kings,

Photos

Le Cite Carcassone ---------------- Renne le Chateau -------------- Mountain Top Cathar Castles --------------Alet le Bains------

Gorge of Galimus-------------------Languedoc Towns ---------------- Unique Cathar Churches-------------------Lourdes--------

Hôtel Eveché, Alet les Bains Photos (Our Hotel) ---- 2007 & 2008 Photos----2009 Part 1 Photos------Cathar Castles 2009 Photos

Click on the titles for photos

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Comments from three past Cathar Country Travelers

This is to thank you for what was the best holiday of my quite long life. the Cathar Country was even more magical than I expected - an earthly paradise - and the power of the landscape geometer was palpable.

Your knowledge and sensitive appreciation of the history of the area brought its mystery, wonder and grief vividly to life. Your easy-going buoyancy and willingness to divert from the schedule - whether to pick up magic stones or raid a car boot sale - made the trip a friendly, relaxed adventure.

you seem to attract interesting people, too. setting out alone, I was delighted to find myself in such a friendly, like-minded group. Some of my most precious memories will be those evenings sitting with wine under the old trees, watching dusk settle over the abbey ruins and discussing the mysteries of the area and life in general. The accommodation and food were superb too - amazing at the price. I look forward to going on another expedition next year.

Lindsey Campbell. BA Oxon

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Duncan & Anne Harpur (Warrington)

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The Cathar Country Tour’ provided an opportunity for me to visit an area I had heard so much about and longed to visit. I was not disappointed. Indeed, it surpassed all my expectations. I had a wonderful time.

The decision to book a place was not taken lightly, for I had initial reservations about going on my own. How glad I am that I decided to do so. I felt comfortable immediately and enjoyed the convivial company of all my fellow travelers throughout the two weeks we spent together.

 I had imagined that we would travel via the coastal route from Spain, so I was delighted to find that we actually traveled through the Pyrenees. What spectacular views and how green the forests, especially in contrast to the very different mountains and gorges of southern France.

Our comfortable hotel at Alet les Bains had very pleasant professional staff and excellent fare. Its setting is superb and engendered an ambiance of peace and relaxation after our daily journeys. The tour had a diverse and interesting itinerary. Well-researched, relevant information was sensitively given at appropriate moments as we followed the Cathar historical events throughout the area. We had time to admire beautiful cave art, experience the energies of wonderful sacred places, visit historic 'beaux villages', view stunning scenery from ancient battlements and fortified townships. I found all to be splendid. Some places and occasions were heart connecting and touched me deeply.

It is hard to decide what I enjoyed best. The contrasting scenery was spectacular. We were able to visit parts of the countryside, which would not have been possible on a large touring coach. Time to relax on the beach at Narbonne provided a light-hearted balance with more serious parts of the story!

Thank you for a marvelous holiday, which will be long remembered.

Dee (West Yorkshire)

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Seminar teaching sessions held during the tour

1. History of the Languedoc

2. Who were the Cathars

3. The Crusade against the Cathars

4. The Mystery of Renne-le-Chateau. Sauniere, Boudet, Henry the King of France & all the others. (the mystery which has reverberated through time to the present day)!

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Neil will be giving a presentation entitled

'The Histories & Mysteries of the Cathar Country'

at the Mysterious Earth Conference 2010

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On this epic adventure we will be visiting lands steeped in mystery and legend stretching back to Old Testament times. The South of France's Languedoc boasts a rich, diverse and fascinating history all set within some of the most beautiful and spectacular countryside anywhere. These lands were home to the mighty Visigoths, the mysterious Merovingian kings, the mystical sect of Catharism and the Knight Templar. More recently they were the home of Francois Berenger Sauniere, the priest of the tiny hill top hamlet of Renne-le-Chateau, who’s intriguing story inspired a BBC documentary series, the World best seller 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' and the international block-buster novel ‘The Da Vinci Code’, which in turn was turned into a massively successful Hollywood Movie.

Our adventure will begin with a voyage on the luxury cruise ferry, the 'Port Avon' from Portsmouth to the north coast of Spain. Our second night will be spent in the Pyrenees town of Lourdes, with its lively narrow streets spreading over the fast flowing Gave de Pau river to the cathedral and holy well, which Sauniere visited for his health. On the way we will call off at the old seaside Basque town of Hendaye sitting between the pyrenees mountains and the Bay of Biscay, to visit the 'Cyclic Cross of Hendaye', which is adorned with prophetic carvings associated with the Rosicrucian, Nostradamus and 2012.

The next day we will head for the Languedoc and Aude Valley and back to the time of the Knights Templar and the Cathars. In the lands of the Cathar 'Heretics' we will explore a variety of aspects of some of Europe's most intriguing history. We will visit Cathar and Knights Templar castles perched high upon mountain peaks, including the amazing Castle de Montsegur, the site of the final tragic massacre where the Cathars marched singing into the flames of their enemies.

Our home for the next nine nights will be the 'Hostellerie de l'Eveche', standing at the heart of the Medieval Spa town of Alet Le Bains. We will find that this peaceful and serene place fits in well with the questing nature of our tour. Alchemists and kabbalists of medieval Europe once lived in our hotel, which used to be the Old Bishops Palace. We will visit the old house which is said to have once been the home of Nostradamus. Our host and resident chef will be Christian Limouzy, who graduated from the Ecole Hotelliere des Pyrenees in Toulouse and who specializes in the gourmet cuisine of the region, as well as his own families recipes and who also proposes local wines. Alet Le Bains also offers thermal swimming spas and Abbey remains with unusual carvings.

Le Cite Carcassone is everyone's idea of a medieval citadel and your first view takes you back to childhood stories of chivalrous knights in shining armour. On our visit to Le Cite we will have the opportunity to soak in the past whilst sampling the fine French cuisine at one of the many outdoor restaurants. It is said that here Hitler had his men search the town well for the Holy Grail and other such mystical relics, a practice which has not entirely ended to this day.

We will look into the mystery of the infamous Berenger Sauniere the local priest of the tiny hilltop village of Rennes-le-Chateau, who unaccountably came into massive wealth. This hamlet and its church is today at the center of a hugely enigmatic story which reached worldwide prominence when it became a centerpiece of the best selling 'Divinci Code'. The mystery includes secret orders such as the 'Priory of Sion', and theories connecting the Holy Grail with the Holy Bloodline and the Magdalene. The area is also thought to be a center of sacred geometry with a natural pentacle of mountains at its heart.

We will enjoy other amazing days out discovering many many gems and treasures throughout the area. Roman baths, holy springs and Cathar 'Notre Dame' churches, where we will gaze into the world of the 'Dark Madonna' and the strange related symbolism. High on a hill top we will find hundreds of small circular dry-stone brick buildings, facing into the valley, we will wonder why these strange structures were constructed and what their possible use could have been! At the Gorge of Galimus we will drive into a huge cavernous mountain cutting, which is a totally breathtaking experience and will visit an amazing Hermitage Cave.

The South of France, of course is also famous for its beautiful Mediterranean coasts and beeches and we will head for the seaside resort of Narbonne for a day in the sun.

All this and some of the most beautiful , spectacular & breathtaking landscape in the world and many more gems of the region.

June 2011 - 14 Days £1,350

£100 non refundable deposit to secure a place please - £350 by 1st January 2011 - Balance by 1st May 2011

Includes - All transport from England, Ferry crossings to and from Spain with cabins, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast for 9 nights & B&B in Lourdes. Site entrance fees (around £50) - Single Supplement £150 (all ferry cabins are twin beds)

Does not include - Insurance (please make arrangement for private travel insurance cover)

Hostellerie de l'Eveche, (The Old Bishops Palace) gourmet restaurant & the 2008, 2009 & 2011 groups

Day 1
Leave for Plymouth to catch the 'Port Avon', the flagship of the Brittany fleet, where we will check into our cabins and enjoy the entertainment, bars and restaurants for the over night cruise.

Day 2
In the morning we will wake up on the north coast of Spain and will head for the majestic mountains of the Pyrenees and the town off Lourdes, with its healing springs and holy shrines. B&B in the town.

Day 3
Continuing our journey through the Pyrenees we will head into the Languedoc and the Aude Valley our home for the next 9 days will be the peaceful and serene Medieval Spa town of Alet Le Bains, famous for its mineral waters, thermal springs and as an historic religious center of pilgrimage. We will be staying in the Hostellerie de l'Eveche, The Old Bishops Palace where, as legend has it, alchemists and kabbalists of medieval Europe once lived Our stay will be on a Dinner, Bed & breakfast basis, which means we will be taking advantage of the gourmet cuisine of Christian Limouzy, owner and chef, who graduated from the Ecole Hotelliere des Pyrenees in Toulouse, who actively promotes the regional cuisine as well as family recipes. The wines being proposed with the meals are exclusively from the region.

Day 4
The only place to begin an adventure of the lands of the cathars is the spectacular walled city of Carcassone. Le Cite is everyone's childhood dream of a Medieval Citadel. Here you will be free to delve into the cathar and Templar history, as did Hitler's army who are said to have searched town the town well for occult secrets.

Day 5
Today the mystery deepens as we head for the hilltop hamlet of Renne le Chateau, the home of the now infamous Berenger Sauniere and the center of the Divinci Code story, the Holy Bloodline, the Magdalene and some intriguing sacred geometry. On the way we will call in at the Limoux Notre Dam, a typical example of a church of the dark Madonna with  related  symbolism. We will also explore some hidden treasures in the town of St. Hilaire, Including a wonderful cloistered garden, Abbey and alabaster sarcophagus.

Day 6
Continuing our journey in the Cathar country we will visit the town of Renne le Bains, where the church yard holds a couple of interesting secrets and then the so called ‘Camp Grand Capitelles, mysterious Bee Hive type structures, which cover a whole hillside. There are many theories about this unusual place but non which fully explain it.

Day 7
A well earned rest day and an opportunity to explore the town of Alet le Bains, including the Abbey remains, the Nostradamus House with wonderful esoteric carvings, the Medieval streets and buildings and of course the thermal swimming springs.

Day 8
Today we will be taking a ride along the breathtaking Gorge of Galimus, taking in the Mineral and crystal Museum and a cave Hermitage along the route. This journey is a remarkable and memorable experience.

Day 9

No visit to the Sunny South of France would be complete without a day on the beautiful Mediterranean. Today we will head for the coastal resort of Narbonne.

Days 10 & 11
For the next two days we will be exploring the amazing Cathar Castles, many perching high up on mountain peaks. We will end at the spectacular Castle of Montsegur the place of the last stand of the Cathars and visit the memorial to that tragic day.
Day 12, 13 & 14

B&B in Lourdes. Then we will again take the Port Aven from Spain to the UK and home.