Lastours in the Languedoc, Southern FranceLastours is in the region known as the Cabardes. With deep ravines cut by the Orbiel and its tributaries. It is covered with mediterranean scrub lower down . Higher up are forests of pine and sweet chestnut. The area was very poor with few people living here. The villages were made out of rough stone. beans, chestnut flour and pigs provided food.The area still has France's only working Gold mine at Salsigne ( which can be seen from Lastours) ...but copper, iron,lead and silver are no longer mined. A little bit about history for this area The Perfect Heresy, by Stephen O'Shea has a chapter "bad neighbours" which starts with a story about Lastours.When Troubadours travelled the land one of the most beautiful ladies was Etiennette de Pennautier, or Loba.Many famous men sought to woo her.Including:
She lived in Cabaret, one of the 3 castles of Lastours.The others were Surdespine and Quertinheux. These 2 castles became a mecca for the troubadours.From their rugged heights you could see Carcassonne 10 miles to the south. A few weeks after the fall of Carcassonne , Simon de Montfort tried to attack Cabaret. However the wild terrain made a long seige very difficult. After their withdrawal Cabaret became a nerve centre for the local resistance to Simon de Montfort.Raiding parties frequently ventured south to attack the knights of the Pope. However in April 1210 approximately 100 men arrived from Bram. They had all been blinded and their noses and upper lips sliced off. All victims of the Soldiers of Christ.Ever after Cabaret and Lastours would be associated with tragedy.
The 2 oldest castles, Cabaret ( mid 11th century) and Surdespine ( 1153) were captured by de Montfort in 1211. The other towers, Tour Regine and Quertinheux were added after 1240 when the site became royal property. Lastours is north of Carcassonne.Approximately 15 minutes from your holiday accommodation close to the centre of Carcassonne This image courtesy of Tony
Perez and this from the same author
And finally this cutting from the local newspaper 11 skeletons ( Squelettes du Moyen age)were unearthed by archeologists as reported in Midi Libre on Wednesday 30th June 2004.They were of women and children and were found at La Chapelle Cadastrale du Castrum de Cabaret.
The Salsigne Gold mine is open cast and unsightly. The mine now processes stone from Greece. It is shipped into Port Nouvelle and Marseilles. Carcassonne and Languedoc, once you get away from the coast are relatively unspoilt and provide an ideal family holiday. |
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