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My First Foray into Cathar Country Belatedly Illustrated in 2003 |
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Minerve (click on the name on the map at this site) exceeded all my expectations. Both the well- preserved Medieval city and the famous cave that runs under a whole mountainous ridge of limestone. Neat. The dramatic setting, as well as the enthusiastic lady running the museum, that repeatedly explained things to me in word for word slow French until even I thought I understood, made the site and city an especially wonderful thing to experience.
The town sits on a narrow formation of limestone with chasms on both sides.
This is the south side with the main entry to the city:
Walk a couple of blocks to the north side of town, and there is this view:
Walk a ways west along the narrow ridge and look back to the town (the tower is all that is left of the castle destroyed by the army of de Montfort. The city surrendered seven weeks after a large stone was catapulted into the only well. The citizens were faced with capitulation or dehydration. About 190 Cathar leaders were burnt as part of the terms of surrender.
Technology helped win this war. The largest siege engine ever made was installed on the ledge to the north of town and pelted the city mercilessly with rocks. The engine is reconstructed and in the place where it was used for tourism's sake. I did not go there, I wanted to see the cave.
This is the cave's entrance on the city side:
Soon after entry you make a turn and see the exit:
The exit is out of sight from town:
The fact that water runs through the cracks in the rock is made evident by this vegetation near the entry:
A small group was coming in as I was headed out:
The sun was not far from setting, so I pushed off to find a place to stay the night. I went south. When I happened over a divide and dropped into the city of La Grasse, I decided to stay.