Back to France! Day Two: Limoux

Our second full day in France was a Sunday. Not much was open, so we decided to go to a nearby town, Limoux, to see what we could see. 

Statue in Limoux town square

Alas, even in Limoux there wasn't much open. We strolled around the shuttered shops, the streets eerily devoid of people. We found one shop open, a wine shop, of course, where I found some wine from one of the wineries I had recently visited. 

Old door knocker in Limoux

Since the town was a bit of a bust, we walked over to the check out the 13th century bridge over the river Aude before popping into the church (we think it was a small cathedral) to have a look around.  

On bridge over river Aude

Limoux cathedral as seen from bridge

The church of St. Martin was open and we finally found where all of the people were located — in the church! The service was about to begin, so we took a brief look around and then had to skedaddle. Who knows how long mass would have taken once started, and we didn't want to get stuck inside or be rude and leave during the service. 

Inside Limoux cathedral

We struck out in the town and we struck out in the town's church, so we decided to drive ten more minutes down the road to see another historic site, Saint-Hilaire Abbey. The Benedictine abbey was founded in the 8th century and was later named for a Bishop of Carcassonne because (they think) his relics (bones) were kept there. 

St. Martin's Church cloisters

The abbey surrounds a beautiful, grassy cloisters that I can imagine being filled with contemplative monks back in the day. On the day we arrived, it was the site of a French low-level government gathering and picnic. We felt a bit odd walking around all of the schmoozing, so we didn't take a lot of photographs.  

Ornate ceiling

During the 13th century the clergy at the abbey were accused of heresy (being Cathars) and the monastery was demolished by Catholic crusaders against the Cathars. But the Catholic king eventually gave the clergy back their land eventually and things went back to normal. 

Creepy fresco inside church

It is said that the monks at this abbey were the first to create the sparkling white wine drink called Blanquette de Limoux that was later made famous in the French region called Champagne (or prosecco, cava, etc.). We all went to the cave where the first bubbly was fermented, but it was a very unimpressive, small, dirt cave that didn't lend itself to great photographs. Oh, well. 

Abbey chapel

Abbey Chapel

The big arty piece that they're proud of is the Sarcophagus carved by the an unknown sculptor from nearby Cabestany. The sarcophagus holds the relics of Saint Sernin and depicts men and animals in fine detail. The guy at the front desk upon entering the abbey talked a lot about this piece, but it was in broken english and none of us really understood what he told us. But, I took a picture, and there it is!  

 

Sarcophagus by Cabestany sculptor

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