villefranche de confluent

The Pyrenees, the natural border that separates France and Spain. We are in France, head up those peaks and the other side is Spain. How did I even know about this place? From Amy Oakley's books, she wrote, 'next to walled cities, perched villages are also her favorite.' I feel the same way. She records her trips 'made before and after the war'. This war she referred to was the first world war, not the second. At that time when the only way to get to Europe is by steamer ships. You don't take a camera either because they don't have the kind of portable cameras we now have. She brought her illustrator with her which happened to be her husband and the black and white sketching she has in her books are so beautiful. I have all the 4 books that she wrote around the 1923-1930. In one of her books she wrote extensively about her trips to the Pyrenees and one day I will follow exactly her itinerary. There is definitely a structure up in those peaks, it is the Fort, Fort Liberia. We wanted to get up there, there's supposed to be an easier way other than climb but we never found out how and therefore did not visit Fort Liberia.

We were dropped off by the bus here.

Then we walked down another path along the railway tracks, cross a medieval bridge and over to Villefranche de confluent. I don't think this is it, this is the new village where the people live and this is a new bridge over the river, Tet.

The Tet river which flows from the Pyrenees all the way to Perpignan. This is the new village.

Now we can see Villefranche peeking through the lush bushes. We had to cross the railway tracks where a warning sign says, the tracks are electrified and be careful not to step on it, step over it. You think I'd run out of photos by now, not by a long shot. After years of travel and experimenting, I've got things more organized. I remember those days when I don't have enough space on my memory cards and when one battery pack is not enough. These days I have 2 memory cards with enough space, an extra battery pack all charged up and ready to go and a charger. But I still have to contend with new equipment. This was a new camera I was breaking in. I agonized over buying a DSLR and by the time I decided to bite the bullet and buy it, it came just days before the trip and I didn't have time to learn how to use it. Now that I have kind of mastered using it, I'm ready to take it out again for my next adventure in a few months. I can't wait to use it's full potential.

This is the medieval bridge that takes us over to Villefranche.

Villefranche de confluent.

Wow! It is another delightful medieval village, a walled city. It was another very pleasant afternoon spent wandering around medieval villages. Can I get enough? I don't think so.

This was where we met this enterprising French lady who sold us the blackberries. I knew she picked them from the nearby hedgerows, so I left sightseeing and went in search of blackberries. I found some and began picking and eating them. They were so good, small and sweet, quite unlike their cultivated cousins which are huge but a little tart. It's memories like this that have made an indelible impression in my mind and still gives me so much pleasure.

It is a very tiny village, it's just shopkeepers and tourists that are found here now. It's touristy but still enjoyable.

The rugged peaks of the Pyrenees ever in the background. We were at the beach in Collioure that morning and in the late afternoon that same day, here we are, up in the Pyrenees. It takes a lot of hard work and motivation to do this kind of trips. I thank Sophie, she keeps the pressure up so we keep going......

Compared to the medieval village, this old Renault is modern.

After crossing the bridge you'll come to this narrow covered alley way that leads to the main street of the village. It reminded me a little of Carcassonne which I also love.

A peek at the Tet river from an opening in the covered medieval bridge. It is so beautiful, so magical.

Wow, I won't soon forget this place. One can pretend to be prisoner here, locked up and have the key thrown away and pine away..... it's OK if one have the Internet, that would make this place less remote.....one can still be in touch with the outside world......

Pretty soon after this we would take the return bus and head back to Perpignan for our last night. The next day we press on to Barcelona.