When the Canal du Midi was built in the seventeenth century, its path lay through the estate of one Lord de Mille. There were two chateaux on the estate, one the main residence and centre for all of the farming (viticulture), and one further up the valley which was used as a summer residence for entertaining. The latter lay right across the line of the canal, so Lord De Mille was paid a handsome compensation, and he rebuilt the summer chateaux as a somewhat smaller edifice facing the new canal. The winemaking was so lucrative that he extended the farming activities and added a huge barn a farmhouse, stables and cottages for workers around the rebuilt chateaux. The property remained in the family for another three centuries, apart from a a short period during WW2, when it was commandeered by the German army. About 25 years ago, the youngest son of the family took charge of the estate and gambled most of it away. Napoleonic law stopped the banks from taking it all, so the family retained the original chateau (Millegrand, still a serious winery), but the rest of the property was broken up and sold, including the second chateaux and accompanying buildings, known as Millepetit. Over time the various parcels changed hands again, and now most of the land is owned by a farmer who has replaced the vines with other horticulture, grain crops, fruit and vegetables. The chateaux is the property of an elderly lady and family, the farmhouse recently bought by a couple: Andrew, from Yorkshire, and Cleide from Brazil. They have split it into a house and two studio apartments. Because they are minding someone else's house for several months, they are letting the house as well as the apartments, and that is where we stay. We enjoy having all mod cons for a week, particularly washing machine and dishwasher. We have wifi, and even watch some television (British).
Our week at the house at Millepetit follows a familiar pattern for vacances en France. We generally eat out at lunchtime, eat at the house in the evening. Each day we drive around, visiting the towns and villages in the area. We travel west to Trebes, where we watch canal boats passing through a three part lock and visit the very old and attractive church, further west to Carcassonne where we spend four hours exploring La Cite. The most memorable moment is hearing the Russian choir Doros singing in the church (4 voices only, amazing sound).
We go east along the canal to the Port of Homps, where we meet an Aussie from Hamiltaon Island living aboard a barge who gives us useful information about moving barges from place to place, then northeast to Minerve, a little medieval village in an amazing setting on a promontory encircled by a deep and wide gorge. It was besieged in the Cathar era bynSimon de Montfort senior, who broke the siege by a direct hit on the only well from a catapult erected on the other side of the gorge.
We travel south via some challenging twisty mountain roads to Lagrasse one day, and to Rennes-le-Chateau and Rennes-les-Bains another. The former is the site of the church where the young priest became mysteriously suddenly wealthy, did up the church in extravagant style and built himself a grand house. The source of his wealth remains a mystery, giving rise to all kinds of legends and books including the Holy Blood, Holy Grail story and the Da Vinci Code. After reading all the information in the museum my theory is that he was a grave robber who fenced whatever treasure he found via his brother (also a priest), and that was why he wouldn't reveal the source. We think the church is vastly overdecorated, but the house the priest built later and especially the library tower, conservatory and walk in between are lovely, and the views are spectacular, as they are during much of our driving.
Our last drive is east to Beziers where we meet up with another Aussie couple living aboard a canal barge. They have moved out of a smaller boat which is now for sale and we will go and look at it when we are in Bergerac. We walk along the Canal du Midi to the famous seven lock staircase, arriving just in time to miss the last boat of the day going through, but it is still worth seeing, even if not actually operating.
We seem to have a wet day at the start of each new phase of our trip, then it gets progressively warmer. We end our stay in Millepetit with a lovely meal sitting outside on the edge of the canal, on a glorious calm, warm evening, finishing with a walk along the towpath and across the little bridge to look back on our temporary home.
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