Carcassonne Local Customs

Nice to find rather a lot of public toilets around, mostly the automatic sort. You need 20 cents and 10 cents to get in, and they even have paper! Rather cramped though..............it was an effort to get myself and my case into one, even though i'm fairly small, but needs must!

The visit of the Cadets of Gascogne - a society of people of letters and Parisian artists original of the West South - in Carcassonne, in 1898, mark the beginning of the exploitation of the citadel like privileged place of reconstitution of the Aged Means. To this opportunity a big historic cavalcade, made of extras, in costumes of the XIIIth century, browses the low city before knowing its apotheosis while arriving to the city. From this identical demonstration date take place, sporadically, in the citadel, at the time of official visits or commemorations. Since about ten years the "Medieval" offer, during the month of August, besides a historic spectacle, the tournaments and the inspired scenes of life of life to the Aged Means. More lately, on the occasion of the "feast of the pig", the union of the tradesmen puts in stage, using costumes of time, the legend of Carcas lady throwing the pig since the top of the battlements.

L'OPÉRA ROMANTIQUE - AIRS ET CHOEURS D'OPÉRAS FRANÇAIS
ORCHESTRE PERPIGNAN LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON, Dir. Daniel TOSI
Solistes : Maria Pau Juan CASTRO, Roger PUJOL, Cyril ROVERY
mer 2
BARBARA HENDRICKS, La Diva chante le jazz
jeu 3
DUO ANA YERNO / GUILLAUME de CHASSY, ENCUENTRO
ven 4
LA BELLE ET LA TOUTE PETITE BÊTE avec Arielle DOMBASLE
un conte de fée raconté de travers par Jérôme SAVARY - Musique Gérard DAGUERRE
avec Frédéric LONGBOIS, Carlos PAVLIDIS et Michel DUSSARRAT
sam 5
L'AUTRE DEMEURE - Compagnie Portes Sud
dim 6
ANDRÉ, LE MAGNIFIQUE - Compagnie La Tripe du Boeuf
lun 7
BÉJART BALLET LAUSANNE
mar 8
mer 9
YURI BUENAVENTURA
jeu 10
«RECOUVRE-LE DE LUMIÈRE» Hommage à Nimeño II
par Philippe CAUBÈRE d'après l'oeuvre d'Alain MONTCOUQUIOL
ven 11
MADAME MARGUERITE de Roberto ATHAYDE, avec Annie GIRARDOT

sam 12
YOUSSOU N'DOUR Première partie : MAGIC SYSTEM
dim 13
GRAND SPECTACLE PYROTECHNIQUE
lun 14
LAURENT VOULZY EN CONCERT
mar 15
LAURENT GERRA
mer 16
JEAN-LOUIS AUBERT FAIT TOURNÉE
jeu 17
CUNNIE WILLIAMS EN CONCERT
ven 18
LES RITA MITSOUKO
sam 19
LES MARIÉS DE LA TOUR EIFFEL de Jean COCTEAU - Compagnie Magritte

dim 20
RENAUD, BOUCAN D'ENFER
lun 21
FABULOUS TROBADORS E CLICA, Première partie : BOMBES 2 BAL
mar 22
ORCHESTRE DE CHAMBRE DE LA RADIO POLONAISE
Dir. Agnieszka DUCZMAL - Soliste : Corinne CHAPELLE, violon
mer 23
LE TRIO ROSENBERG
jeu 24
TOSCA de Giacomo PUCCINI
avec Danielle STREIFF, Jean-Françis MONVOISIN, Patrice BERGER, Vincent BERTRAND
Dir. musicale : Claude CUGUILLÈRE - Mise en scène : Michèle HERBÉ
sam 26
FESTIVAL OFF

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Brutality is one of the follies of civilization. War and Military Museums are tourist attractions on many continents in many tourist sites. Torture is a minor art form of War and is dutifully exhibited in some of these museums. The instruments used are eye-ctching. We have seen the in a corner of the Doges' Palace in Venice and in a Medieval Crime Museum in Rothenburg. Apparently these antique instruments survive in collections and if you acquire them on the antique market and enlist some experts, you can create a Museum of Torture as has been done here. ( Toussaud's Inc. will also provide figures for a price). The excuse here is the horrible story of the Cathar Crusade that involved the town Our daily professional work has in part been related to these horrors of life, so we ignore such exhibits and museums except when we have grand-children in tow; apparently War & Torture are part of the American grade school curriculum. (The picture of the comfortable chair was copied from the brochure given us at the Tourist Office). So you make your choice and pay your money.

I guess we all agree on this on; there is nothing more exciting than going travelling - exploring another country, experiencing a different culture, travelling around in new ways, sampling the local cuisine and chatting to the local people for a different perspective on life.

However during our travels we learned that there is one certain thing that you should be aware of and prepared for to make sure that the trip is as easy and enjoyable as possible. We always try to see everything once we're there, but this is not always an act of responsible travelling. We always talk to the locals and we know that they have the information about just the right spots to visit and how to undertake them. It will not only enhance your experiences but also avoid any unnecessary hassles.

For me the travel tips I have written down in this section made the most of mine travel experience and I came home in the same happy, healthy state that I left.

Ce n'est ni le train-fantôme, ni la "maison hantée" mais vous aurez sûrement plus peur. Le musée de la torture situé dans la citée médiévale de Carcassonne est en fait celui de l'Inquisition, cette organisation toute-puissante qui a poursuivi durant quelques siècles tous les ennemis (ou supposés tels) du catholicisme : hérétiques, adorateurs du diable et même sorcières...

Le musée en présente l'histoire et les instruments de torture, utilisés jusqu'à la Révolution française. Il met ces instruments en situation réaliste avec des mannequins, et propose au visiteur un parcours rempli d'histoires vraies.

Ames sensibles, s'abstenir....

The museum of the torture situated in the quoted medieval of Carcassonne is in fact the one of the Inquisition, this almighty organization that pursued during some centuries all enemies (supposed such either) of the Catholicism : heretical, worshippers of the devil and even witches...

The museum of it present history and the instruments of torture, used until the French Revolution. It puts these instruments in realistic situation with models, and propose to the visitor a course filled of true histories.

Sensitive souls, to abstain....

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It costs a little money and if you get your money's worth it is not a trap. Nobody made him read the sign and go in the shop and "rent" the helmet! His companions enjoyed it too. It is next door to the Auberge de Madam Carcas (see our Restaurant Tip).

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Find out from tourist info what days the market is held in the 'new town' square. I think these photos were taken Saturday morning. I loved the piles of enormous vegetables and the locals kissing three times as greeting.

Ce conte populaire croustillant que toute la France connaît n'est pas provençal, mais languedocien, et même très précisément audois !

Arrivé aux oreilles d'Achille Mir, poète et instituteur de la petite commune de Cucugnan dans les Corbières (eh oui, ce village existe pour de bon !), celui-ci décida de coucher sur papier en occitan l'histoire du "curat de Cucunhan". C'est cependant Daudet qui la rendit célèbre !

... L'abbé Marti en avait assez que ses fidèles n'assistent point à ses messes dominicales et se conduisent de manière impie. Dieu lui donna un tuyau, et un jour en chaire, l'abbé Marti raconta à ses ouailles l'histoire suivante :

Quelques nuits auparavant, il s'était retrouvé aux portes du Paradis ! Saint Pierre lui ouvrit, et il lui demanda, si dans le grand registre des entrées au Ciel, il y avait des cucugnanais. Saint Pierre jeta un oeil dans le grand livre, mais n'y trouva pas une âme. Il envoya le pauvre curé au Purgatoire. Là, il trouverait certainement une grande partie de la population. Mais à sa grande surprise et à son grand désespoir, les pages de Cucugnan dans le grand registre du Purgatoire étaient elles aussi toutes blanches ! Si ses fidèles n'étaient pas au Ciel ni au Purgatoire, il ne pourrait y aller lui-même, il se rendit donc en Enfer. Là, terrifié, il découvrit l'Eloi, le Catarinet, le mendiant, et puis Pascal Doigt de Poix, qui fabriquait son huile avec les olives de Mr Julien, ... il continua la liste des noms de tous les cucugnanais qui passaient leur "autre vie" là-bas en Enfer, à cause de leur "mauvaise vie" sur Terre. Depuis son pupitre, l'abbé Marti indiqua à ses ouailles ébahies qu'il avait pris une grande décision, qu'il la confesserait à tous : le lundi aux anciens, le mardi aux enfants, etc... Les présents devraient en informer la population. Après avoir bien nettoyé l'église, le brave abbé récupéra enfin ses fidèles, pour fêter sa réussite, il organisa une grande procession avec moults cierges et chants, à travers les rues de Cucugnan...

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Well, what can I say? Every once in a while, we drive to Carcassone for 1-2 nights and we ALWAYS go back to the Medieval Castle. Just to get away from Barcelona, go window shopping, have a meal (or 2).
We have been to the new part of the City and even have done a Winery Route with our car and a Monastery (Northbound), but we always leave with the impression that Carcassone IS the LE Cite and It gives a lot to the people who not necessarily live inside the Castle.

Yeah! It is quite expensive, but it is a must see if you are in the area.