• The route to Carcassonne and a wine tasting at Château de l'Engarran

• A view of Carcassonne from a viewpoint overlooking the valley

• Kathryn and Doug at Carcassonne

• The principal entrance through the outer wall of Carcassonne

• Betsy and Ray at Carcassonne

• Kathy and Larry at Carcassonne

• This is Princess Carcass, for whom the town is named. Legend has it that Princess Carcass saved the town from seige with a ploy that involved an exploding pig. Google it!

• Outer wall near the principal entrance to the city

• The Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• The Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• Detail of the tower and gargoyles on Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• Gargoyles on the basilica

• Detail of the grotesques on Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• Detail of the grotesques on Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• Interior of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• Our group and local guide Julian in the Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica (photo from Julia)

• Our tour group in Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Celse basilica

• The hotel on the Basilca Square at Carcassonne

• The design of this building resulted from the desire to pay less tax. In medieval times, taxes were determined by a building's ground floor square footage. The overhang of the second floor provided more square footage without increased taxes.

• The target-like pattern on the stone walls is the result of an art installation, concentric rings of yellow tape that, when removed, took dirt and moss with them, leaving the cleaner concentric rings on the stone.

• Julia, Betsy, and Stéphane at Carcassonne

• Betsy at Carcassonne

• Carmen at Carcassonne

• Ramparts of the outer wall for defending Carcassonne

• A view of the modern city from the ancient ramparts

• Porte Narbonnaise, the entrance through the inner wall of the city

• An opening used to drop hot tar and boiling oil on invaders.

• Leaving Carcassonne

• The entrance to the Chateau de l'Engarran winery and estate

• Kathryn at the entrance to the Chateau de l'Engarran winery and estate

• The main residence at Chateau de l'Engarran

• The chateau, built in 1750, and the winery have been in the same famly for five generations.

• The busts over the door and windows represent the lady for whom this house was built in three stages of her life.

• L-R: Kathy and Larry, Betsy and Ray, Carmen (where is Jim?), Marian, Kathryn and Doug

• Our group at Chateau de l'Engarran (photo from Julia)

• The formal gardens at Chateau de l'Engarran

• Wine tasting at Chateau de l'Engarran. Clockwise from top: Julia, Stéphane, Betsy (obscured), Ray, Marian, Kathryn, Carmen, Jim, Kathy, Larry

• Wine tasting at Chateau de l'Engarran

• Our hostess at our Chateau de l'Engarran wine tasting (photo from Julia)