Mas-Saintes-Puelles
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Did Beatrice and Barthelemy actually arrive in this town, or were they nabbed as they approached the town? All we know is that they were arrested at this town, today close enough to the expressway of the two seas to hear some traffic noise from that toll road.
Even in the early 1300's I am sure its location made it a place where the two fugitives, just by looking away to the southeast, toward Limoux, could almost feel the promise of freedom. Limoux would be a sizable walk from here, but given what they had walked already, it would not be a problem to them.
Just to the left in the photo below lies the larger town of Castelnaudary, traffic on the expressway is visible from here.
Where are we in the above two photos? On the top of the hill overlooking the town:
This tower is also where the city wall originated, dividing from here to encompass much of the lower part of the hill.
From the tower, the lay of the land can be ascertained: low hills.
Getting to the tower requires walking up this Medieval street:
One building on this street seemed particularly old:
The city had a castle, of course.
The heart of the city, still, is its church, with a square that has the public water supply:
At the top of the above street there is a city overlook.
The church tower does not look modern:
And the church itself also has an ancient look to it, perhaps dating back 700 years?
A block from the church, on the way to the church for most of the town, with the castle-ruin as background, stands this statue of Mary:
But what is more likely the city view that was actually had by our pair of fugitives is one from the ancient walking and cart trail to the towns south of here, such as Belpech and Mezerville. The modern view is, no doubt, different than their view. They would have seen the church and castle, surrounded by a smaller circle of house-roofs.
From here, under armed escort, the destination was Pamiers and the Inquisition's hearings, then jail.
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