North Country

Montsegur Pictures

We're catching our breath here at Les Moureous. It's a peaceful place, with a steep drop off on one side, cliffs that reach for the skies. A little like Rivendell, or how I imagined it.

Is it the warm sun, the armosphere in the valley, or perhaps the spirits of the good people --- les bonhommes that altogether allows you to think clearly and creatively. The mornings we sit quietly and write. A new novel is kicking about in my head, and the words of the first chapters are appearing on paper. Already the stone alignments of Carnac have found their place, names and features of people called into existence.

Yesterday we walked across the meadow, and up a steep woodland path to Montsegur. I had a deep feeling that I was walking along a very ancient path. Nigel confirmed my insight, that the path could have been used a thousand years earlier. Closing my eyes I could see the black robed figures who climbed that way to the citadel, the small encampments. Campfires, meetings under the trees. It all ended in 1243 when the French and Basque armies stormed the peak. 200 Cathars who would not renounce their faith were burned together on a large fire. We're staying a few more days, then on to Italy and the Dalmatian coast.