March 27, 2021

Posted bymaryisinfrance Leave a comment on March 27, 2021

Saturday

We had a late start to the day. For breakfast, we fried up some potatoes, had some eggs, and a bit of bread. After we ate, Maggie and I took some time to tone our hair. We went from brassy blond to platinum.

Our main goal for the day was to visit the castle that sits on the mountain across from the main part of town. Before we departed, we stopped at the store and grabbed some beer and snacks. The hike up the hill to the ruins was quite lengthy. We decided the best option was to Uber up to the amphitheater halfway up the hill. There, we could have a picnic before mounting the rest of the slope.

We arrived at the foot of the slope to find the Auberge de Clussol. You could buy pizza, wine, or beer there.

There was a small nature path leading from the parking lot up to the Roman amphitheater where we stopped to eat our snack. The view from the picnic spot was absolutely breathtaking. If we turned around we could see the castle’s ruins spread out behind us. Ahead of us, over the hill, sat the entire city.

The Château de Curssol. In Roman times, it was the site of a temple. A castle was first constructed here in the 10th century and refortified in the 12th century. It was abandoned in the 15th century when the owners married into another family.
The remains of the Roman amphitheater. The site still gets plenty of use. We saw a scout troop practicing at one end, families and their children at another, and groups of friends spread throughout.

We found a spot in the amphitheater and settled down to have our snack. It was fun chatting and seeing all the other activities that people were partaking in around us.

I ate some croissants, raspberries, and drank some beer.
We found a bag of rice crisps in the shape of bats. At first, they weren’t the best. But we found that the more you ate the yummier they got.

After we enjoyed our break, we decided it was time to start the hike up. It was really a hike! The paths were covered in loose stone (I’m sure to avoid erosion), but that just made things more difficult. I was slipping and sliding everywhere! Finally, we got to the actually castle. It was incredible! I could not believe how many room there were. They were of different sizes, shapes, some next to stairs and some down long hallways. It was so complex. I marveled in the ingenuity of past peoples. To build something so impressive and to have it last so many years is truly a testament to their skills.

Overlooking several rooms and walls of the castles. Some walls were almost completely intact, others not so much. The ceilings were completely missing. In some places, the French government replaced the boards in ceiling to keep the walls from caving in.
A little room and a doorway.
Here’s me, being a tourist! Don’t worry, mask was off just for the photo. Double-masking the rest of the day.
The main part of the castle that remained intact. We climbed across a little gully to see it from another side.
Climbed back across the gully to look at where we were standing for the last photo.
The main room of the castle. It was struck by lightening in 1952, which further deteriorated it.

We reveled in the beauty of the castle remains for quite some time. As the sun was starting to fall, we decided it was time to make our way back home. We marched down the impossibly long hill and caught a bus to Alli’s apartment. Maggie and Jenni went home for the night. Alli, Julie (Alli’s roommate), and I all got sushi for dinner. When we finished eating, Alli and I watched a few crappy romantic comedy movies. We headed to bed soon after.

Published by maryisinfrance

Hello! This is my study abroad documentation. Please enjoy my adventures.

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