Leaving and Arriving - May 13, 2024

Today was a complicated day. Dale and Kim had a hotel reservation at the Toulouse airport in preparation for their early departure Tuesday morning. Our sister-in-law, Judy, will arrive around 5 pm at the same airport. And since we aren't in a hurry to get to Toulouse, Dave has planned for us to stop at 3 towns along the way, Carla-Bayle, Montesquieu-Volvestre, and Rieux-Volvestre.

Carla-Bayle is a picturesque town that perches 1200 feet above the surrounding countryside giving expansive views toward the mountains Known today as a center for artists, it proudly showcases their studios. It's a small town of only 800 inhabitants with one street through the center of town and another that follows the path of the former ramparts. 

We first stopped at the church, which from the outside looks like many other churches in small villages. But the inside is surprising. Decorated in bright colors, the paintings are modern and joyous.

Please forgive the fingerprint

The chancel has contemporary painting. 

Another surprise was the "little free library" we saw at the entrance of the church. These libraries were the brain-child of Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin who made one in honor of his mother in 2009. They have spread world-wide with the first one in France in the Languedoc town of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val. These always bring a smile to my face. 

in a little cloakroom off the entrance of the church

The main street of town is only a few blocks long with a pleasant square in the center. Another street rings the town where the defensive wall used to be. After exploring the town from one end to the other we ate our lunch on a bench overlooking the landscape.

road along the outer ramparts on the south side of town

main road through town

town square with fountain

north facing outer road where we ate lunch

Carla-Bayle took part of its name, Bayle, in honor of Pierre Bayle (1647-1706), a Protestant historian, writer, and philosopher who preached tolerance. A professor and academic, he often had to exile himself due to religious intolerance. In the center of town Bayle is quoted on a globe-shaped orb with the inscription "Je suis citoyen du monde et en service de la verité" (I am a citizen of the world and in service of the truth."

birthplace of Pierre Bayle

inscribed orb in the center of town

Carla-Bayle was a center of Protestantism before and during the wars of religion in France. A protestant temple blends in with its surrounding buildings belying its importance during this time.

The protestant temple is the building with the small bell tower on top

Our next stop was the 13th century bastide town of Montesquieu-Volvestre. We found parking across from the Mairie (Mayor's office) and walked toward the center of town.

the Mairie (Mayor's Office)

As expected, the center of town houses Le Halle (the covered market) the economic life-blood of the town with arcaded buildings around the square. But this town seems a bit forgotten - by tourists, at least. You can see that it was a bastide town, but  there are no shops, no restaurants, no stores selling postcards. 

some of the arcades no longer exist

arcades that do exist are empty of store fronts

the central covered markets

covered market 

Also on the square is the fortified church, St Victor.

Walking back to the car, we passed this sign for a bed and breakfast and while I stopped to look into the courtyard, a lady came out and explained that this house had been in her family for generations and now she was running it as a bed and breakfast. Her family, she explained were descendants of Simon de la Loubère, a local noble who used this house as his summer house. 

The house is called "Time Stands Still" and offers rooms and dinner with the host.

Our last village was just down the road, Rieux-Volvestre. This town also seems off the beaten path for tourists but has a pretty setting along the Arize River where its 14th century cathedral drops right into the river.

view of the back of the abbey church on the Arize River

back of the abbey church

The abbey itself was the episcopal site from 1317 to 1790. 

cathedral of St Mary

elaborately carved choir stalls

Across the square from the church are several medieval houses that look like they haven't changed in hundreds of years. 

Across the river before the cemetery is the obligatory memorial to the fallen soldiers of Rieux-Volvestre.

War Memorial for Rieux-Volvestre

But it's time to finish our trek to Toulouse. We drove to Blagnac airport and found parking near the hotel (which connects to Arrivals and Departures at the terminal). We met Judy at the baggage claim, then ate dinner at a sandwich shop near the hotel. 

We sadly left Dale and Kim at their airport hotel and brought Judy with us to Le Cazal. What adventures wait for us next?