Page 149 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

The Drive » It’s 208km (2¾ tive pink stone used in
hours) to the village of Gavarnie. many of its buildings. TRIP HIGHLIGHT
Take the A63 and A64 toll Toulouse’s magnificent 6 Carcassonne
roads to exit 11, then the D940 main square, place du
to Lourdes (worth a look for Capitole, is the city’s Perched on a rocky
its religious Disneyland feel). literal and metaphorical hilltop and bristling with
Continue south along D913 and heart. To its south is the zigzagging battlements,
D921. stout walls and spiky tur-
city’s Vieux Quartier (Old
Quarter), a tangle of lanes rets, from afar the forti-
fied city of Carcassonne is
4 Cirque de and leafy squares that beg most people’s perfect idea
exploration on foot. Then,
Gavarnie of course, there are the of a medieval castle. Four
The Pyrenees doesn’t soothing twists and turns million tourists a year
lack impressive scenery, of the Garonne River and stream through its city
but your first sight of mighty Canal du Midi – gates to explore La Cité
the Cirque de Gavarnie laced with footpaths and (enter via Porte Narbonnaise or FRANCE 10 ATLANTIC TO MED
is guaranteed to raise a likewise clearly created Porte d’Aude; h24hr), visit
gasp. This breathtaking with stretching your legs Château Comtal (place du
mountain amphitheatre in mind. Château, La Cité; adult/child
is one of the region’s most The sky’s the limit €8.50/free; h10am-6.30pm
famous sights, sliced by at the fantastic Cité de Apr-Sep, 9.30am-5pm Oct-Mar)
thunderous waterfalls l’Espace (www.cite-espace. and ogle at stunning
and ringed by sawtooth com/en; av Jean Gonord; adult views along the city’s
peaks, many of which top €21-25.50, child €15.50-19; ancient ramparts.
out at above 3000m. h10am-7pm daily Jul & Aug, to The Drive » Continue down
There are a couple of 5pm or 6pm Sep-Dec & Feb-Jun, the A61 to the Catalan-flavoured
large car parks in the closed Mon Feb, Mar & Sep-Dec, town of Narbonne, where you join
village of Gavarnie, from closed Jan). Since WWII, the A9 (very busy in summer)
where it’s a two-hour walk Toulouse has been the and head east to Nîmes. From
to the amphitheatre. Wear centre of France’s aero- there the A54 will take you into
Arles. Allow just over two hours to
proper shoes, as snow space industry, developing cover the 223km and expect lots
lingers along the trail into many important aircraft of toll booths.
early summer. Between (including Concorde
Easter and October you and the Airbus A380) as
can go by horse or donkey well as components for 7 Arles
(around €25 return). many international space Arles’ poster boy is the
programs. The museum
The Drive » Retrace your celebrated impressionist
steps to Lourdes, then take the brings this interstellar painter Vincent van Gogh.
N21 toward Tarbes and veer industry vividly to life If you’re familiar with his
onto the A64 to reach Toulouse. through hands-on exhibits work, you’ll be familiar
It takes nearly three hours to including a shuttle simula- with Arles: the light, the
cover the 228km. tor, a planetarium, a 3D colours, the landmarks
cinema and a simulated and the atmosphere, all
observatory.
5 Toulouse faithfully captured. But
long before Van Gogh ren-
Elegantly sited at the con- 54 p151 dered this grand Rhône
fluence of the Canal du The Drive » It’s an easy 95km River locale on canvas, the
Midi and Garonne River, (one hour) down the fast A61 to Romans valued its worth.
the vibrant southern Carcassonne. Notice how the Today it’s the reminders
city of Toulouse is often vegetation becomes suddenly of Rome that are probably
known as La Ville Rose, much more Mediterranean about the town’s most memora-
15 minutes out of Toulouse.
a reference to the distinc- ble attractions.
147