Like a Fairytale

So here we are, the last stop of our road trip. We're in Turkheim, Alsace. Nestled in the Vosges mountains not far from Colmar and Strasbourg. There has been a settlement here since the 8th century, established by the monks at the nearby  Abbey in Munster. Even then they were producing wine on the slopes around here and the region is famous for its wines and eau de vie.

You can see from these pictures that it really is a beautiful place with wonderful medieval buildings all enhanced by so many colourful flowers. I love it here and I am so glad that we chose this as our last stop. It is a real gem and while everywhere that we have been on this trip has been wonderful there have also been crowds of people but here it is much quieter and more relaxing.

Tomorrow we will be visiting a chateau and then driving through some other picturesque villages, maybe picking up a few last minute gifts for family and friends and no doubt I will have my camera to hand...

Medieval Masterpiece

Here is another selection of shots from the wonderful medieval city of Carcassonne.

Within the extensive outer walls is a small town built around a central citadel (see pictures 1 & 2) this is the only part of the city that has an entrance fee and was the only part of the city we didn't visit because when we arrived it was only twenty minutes til closing time and although my son could get in for free they wanted to charge me full price even though there was no way of seeing everything.  So that's something for the next time I guess.

Around the walls of this citadel there was a nicely laid out vegetable garden and then there is a network of narrow cobbled streets and beautiful buildings. One benefit of arriving late in the day was that the streets were largely deserted and so very few people to clutter up the shots.

On The Ramparts

Just a few shots of the ramparts of Carcassonne, from the ramparts at Carcassonne.

I remember staying here because we arrived in the rain to find that our hotel was a bit shabby but driving up to the old city and seeing the magnificent crenelated walls and turrets made up for it. 

Medieval France

Today's pictures are of Carcassonne in the Aude region of France.  The first photo was taken in the heart of the old city and the second and third are of houses just on the outskirts.

I really like the warm colour of the stone and the arched windows.  I also really like the tiled roofs.  The buildings in the second picture are in a very old part of the town but the TV satelite dishes on several house tops put the picture right into the modern age.

I loved visiting Carcassonne and look forward to sharing more pictures in the future, but for today enjoy these, feel free to leave a comment below.  Tomorrow I will be sharing a few pictures from Barcelona so make sure to look out for those...