Once again, Christmas is approaching, with its meetings, meals and traditions. And do you know what traditions are for? Well, that’s it, to break them! -Let’s see what Territori 4×4 has this year!! -Look where!! An unprecedented tour of the South of France, in the country of the Cathars. Five days with Territori, to see how they can surprise us once again. Well, they did succeed, as they have so many times. It seems that it is their job, and they really get it.
As always happens, I end up entangling a friend or family member to accompany us on this adventure. This year the victim was Juan and Elena, first cousin of my wife Nuria.Vehicle, Jeep Cherokee XJ 4.0 good car, and if the route is easy as they say, then no problem. In the preparation of the trip, nerves already surface, uncertainty, if we will have a good time, who we will meet, an endless number of sensations, which many of us have experienced a lot of times, but which always appear as if it were the first time. The day of departure was approaching. Territori told us “on such a day, everyone to such a place” at the time you want.
Day 1.
Once we were reunited, we headed towards La Junquera, where it is convenient to refuel the cars due to the difference in the price of fuel between France and Spain. We leave Cambrils in the morning, in search of Juan and Elena. They live in Castellar, and to go together to Narbonne. We are in a motorway service area.
After crossing the border, we stopped for some crepes in the coastal town of Collioure. A beautiful town twinned with Soria, because Antonio Machado, a Spanish poet exiled in the civil war, is buried there. The place is worth a visit for its small alleys, shops and shops. We can also visit the church, built into the sea. It’s worth it.
We arrived at the hotel we were summoned near Narbonne. Around 7:00 p.m. We began to see very prepared 4x4s parked. It was again when I was invaded by that feeling of adventure, which I experienced on my first trip with Territori to Morocco. Rooms already booked in our name, everything in perfect order.
Once installed, the rest of the members of the group began to arrive. What was my great surprise and excitement, when I started to see familiar faces, Francesc and Ma Carme, Javi and Laura, the Great Jordi Tobeña and Julia, and all with their children, well, you Francesc, no, you are older, and they pass from you to the sons-in-law. Presentations of those we do not know, etc. And to dinner. First breafing. We will be divided into two groups, one of 5 cars and the other of 4. We agreed on the time of departure, and the early mornings that Jordi spends came to mind. That night, it was difficult for me to fall asleep, everything was nervous.
Day 2. Route 180 Km.
Diana at 7:00 a.m. My children are really like their mother, they need a crane to get up. I’m never hungry in the mornings, and even less when you’re about to start a route, so little breakfast, carrying suitcases, ready stations, trying to understand the route book and… exit. First group, Javi (hdj), Fernando (Hummer), Joaquin (fj), and the great Jordi (Toyotita)The second group starts first, 5 minutes behind the second group, German (Land Cruiser), Miguel Ángel (Pathfinder), Juan (Cherokee), a server Jose (Wrangler), and the one who always gets at the end picking up those who get lost, Francesc (hdj 100).
It was very cold and windy, we headed towards some salt flats that were full of flamingos.
Half an hour after the start, the brave people in my group were already showing their teeth, we passed by a small trialera. Bravo Francec!!
And my wife was already starting with the usual screams, “But what the fuck are you doing!” “You’re groggy!” – I’m getting out of the car!! Well, one is already used to it!!
We continued all morning on the road, looking at landscapes, roads, making mistakes as always. And thank goodness that Germán and Paola were leading the way, because if we had opened one of the others, I think we would still be in the same place. -Don’t fool yourself Paola, without a doubt you did much better than us.
At noon, we stopped in a town desperately looking for a place sheltered from the strong wind that blew, so we could set up the tables and eat something. It was impossible, we tried to protect ourselves by making a small square with the cars. Everything was flying. Sandwich on the singing!! and as always, the carajillos began to circulate, what if you try this whiskey, etc… Resuming the road again, our group that was only 5 minutes from the first, we found a surprise. A crossed tree in the middle of the road!! But how is it possible that the first group passed 5 minutes ago and now access is impossible?
According to the first group, the tree fell due to the strong wind. My group still has its doubts, because of the laughter we heard on the station. It is something that they still have to clarify for us. -Maybe they threw it away? Michelangelo took out a small axe, almost a toy, but it did its job well. We can do it in its entirety, but Michelangelo’s Pathfinder, as it had a roof tent, did not pass.
We tried in many ways, deflating the tires, digging the ground with Francec’s shovel, which by the way was well bent. Pruning the tree further… We all hit the axe with the energy of an elephant. But nothing. It still didn’t happen. We got 5 people on the right side of the Pathfinder to lower the suspension. “Do you remember Francesc?” But nothing at all.
We pulled with slings, with Germán’s winch, and nothing, it weighed a lot, Miguel Ángel did not pass.
Until someone came up with the great idea, Pick it up with a cat!! Well, yes, we managed to lift it about 20 cm. We all passed, and more than enough. And as always happens in these cases, hugs, laughter, and the satisfaction that together we do great things. We lost 2 hours, and 2 hours of sunshine, which forced us to cut part of the road map.
We arrived at the hotel at night, tired of the emotions, efforts, kilometers, already refueled for the next day. The hotel, very comfortable, recently renovated. Rooms I point out, a shower and the dining room for dinner. During dinner, laughter, comments on the adventure, and the unknown of who has put the tree on the road.
Before leaving, Jordi did the daily breafing, and as always bursting, we went to sleep early for the early morning of the next day.
Day 3. Route 146 Km.
Diana, 7:30 a.m. Pack your bags, load your car, and have breakfast. Departure 9:00 h It was raining, a “calabobos” type rain We were about to climb a mountain pass a little complicated due to the amount of mud that there is usually
We split into two groups again. Fj, Hummer, Wrangler and HDJ the first group. Second group, Land Cruiser, Cherokee, Pathfinder, Hdj 100 and Toyotita.
We start to go up and up through a beautiful forest, and the road gets muddier and muddier.
To the point that the mud mixed with the snow. The ascent, between the deep ruts, the snow, the fine rains that fell and the mud, was more complicated.
At last we arrived at the top of everything. It really was a postcard-worthy landscape.
First setback of the day. Javi punctures his HDJ, and between the mud, cold and rain, he has to change the wheel.
While Javi was working on his machine, we heard on the radio station that Juan and Elena’s Cherokee could not go up. Not even pulled by Germán’s winch. The snow made its delights by moving the cars. So the second group turned around to be at the next waitpoint. Once the wheel was changed, we did a fairly fast track, but with quite a lot of ice in the north face corners.
You had to be careful not to slip, and as Joaquín with his FJ and Fernando with his Hummer were quite plugged in, they found the reward at the same time.
The two played in the same place. What a coincidence!! It must be said that few people have seen a wheel change as fast as Fernando in the Hummer. Logically with Territori if you lose a little time, they immediately catch up with you, and so did the rest of the group who had to deviate due to the snow on the road. So, all together again. We went straight to visit a small lake that Jordi advised us.
After the visit to the lake, we looked for a place where all the cars could fit and we could eat quietly. The great Jordi found it. He looks like he’s indigenous, the guy!! Well, during the meal, the usual, that if you try this, that if you eat that, taste the wine, or this whiskey, drink carajillo…
Once we had our bellies full, we headed to the most mysterious village in France. Legends and stories dot this small town in the pre-Pyrenees. Rennes-Le-Château. Worthy of you looking for its history and mysterious architecture on the Internet.
I’m not going to tell you about it, I would need at least three pages. Just to tell you that in this village of three houses, there is a Church dedicated to Mary Magdalene.
And he welcomes his visitors with the message of “TERRIBILIS EST LOCUS ISTE” His font of Holy Water, is held by a demon “Asmodeus” Guardian of the temple of Jerusalén.Su ground, checkerboard type, symbolizes the opposition between the forces of good and evil. It all began in January 1791 with the confession of the Marquise de Marie de Negré Dables, direct granddaughter of a Knight Templar, to the parish priest of the village Antonie Bigou…
I would like to highlight only the mystery that keeps everything, that the movie “The Davinci Code” was inspired by the history of this small town, where we can even find a small bookstore specialized in esoteric topics.
After the obligatory visit, with our mouths open like amazement, we continued our route to the Castle of Arques.No I explain a lot of history, and the castles we visited, so as not to go on too long. I try to put a lot of photos, so as not to bore too much.
After Arques, we took a path towards Carcassonne. It was in very good condition, and we all started to push a little more than necessary. This time there were no mishaps. perhaps it was the same mystery of Mary Magdalene that protected us!! CARCASSONNE
How beautiful it is at night!! View from the hotel room. Night had fallen by the time we arrived at the hotel, but we had time to rest. A good shower, and getting dressed again to go to dinner.
Day 4. Route, 144 km.
Diana 8:00 , departure at 9:00 Luckily, today we don’t load luggage, because we are going back to the same hotel again. It dawned raining, and we were heading to an architectural complex of 4 castles.
In front of this architectural complex of 4 castles “LASTOURS CABARET” from the thirteenth century, there is an open-air auditorium where concerts are held in summer. You can see the bad weather that caught us, in the group photo that you see below.
Leaving in the direction of Minerve, as usually happens, I got lost.
But I was calm because as always Francesc is collecting lost souls.
We walked along some beautiful tracks, full of old moss-covered trees, with small torrents of water that came down the same track. Although the weather was rainy and unpleasant, it had a special charm.
Minerve is a charming village, the main Cathar refuge during the year 1209 today only the north wall of the castle remains. As we were tired of so much rain, we looked for a restaurant to eat. A really difficult task because it is a very small town, but we always achieve our purpose. The children, who were quite a few, went to a small one.
After lunch, we set off, straight to visit the longest dolmen (funerary monument) in Europe. More than 5,000 years old.
Leaving the dolmen, we continue our route. Straight across a small river. We were all following the Great Jordi, when we saw the river, surely we all thought “if the one in front doesn’t stay, neither do I!!” And so it was, we all went through a little by little. The depth was something to think twice about. Except for Juan and Elena, who practically didn’t even have time to think about it, Miguel Ángel asked for passage. The Cherokee had water halfway through the door, but as a good Jeep, it passed without the slightest problem, and not a drop of water inside. The truth is that with the nerves and tension, we laughed a lot.
Thank goodness that Juan and Elena’s faces are not visible!! Well, then we went back to Carcassonne, we had to shower, get dressed and get ready for the Eve dinner Año.La truth, I don’t know if it’s a French custom or that particular restaurant, but it’s not that we liked it very much. Let me explain, they start serving dinner. Appetizer, then first course, then they give you 12 golf balls, because that can’t be called a grape (thank goodness that in Fernando’s fridge, we had the grapes from Territori) We wait for the 12 bells, they put the music on at full speed and everyone dances in the style of the 80s for 45 min. The music ends and they serve you the second course. “Damn, but we’re not hungry anymore!!” Later they bring you a cake full of chocolate sex devices. “Was it possibly a commission from Jordi?? We will always have that doubt!!
Day 5. Route (optional 95 km.)
Diana, whoever everyone wants, then in the morning we visited “La Citê”. In complete freedom. We all agree there. A walk, not much more because everything was closed (These French, have little sense of tourist business). Territori had prepared a meal for us, in a restaurant in La Cite. A special menu for the Fenek Raid group.
The food was perfect and the company was excellent. After lunch, there was the option to do a 95 km route. It seems to me that no one did it. Leaving the restaurant, we said goodbye to each of the members of the group. Hugs, kisses, phones and emails from which we met again, and a huge desire to start another route with you. Frankly, when you are on your way home, driving on the highway, you remember in each of the great moments lived, the great camaraderie that exists, the good people you have met, the adventures and vicissitudes solved. I was so absorbed by these thoughts that I got distracted and instead of going to Narbonne, I went to Montpelier. Laughter is not allowed, because surely something similar has happened to more than one.
Interesting Facts: Route days 5 Kilometers traveled from Tarragona 1,550 km. Mechanical assistance to the group of 9 vehicles, 3 punctures Damage to the Jeep 0 Special thanks to Juan and Elena (Cherokee) for joining us in this new experience of adventures, which they have experienced for the first time. Thanks also to Jordi Tobeña, for being who he is, and enjoying his work as much as his clients.
At your disposal Jose Ma Pérez EsquerdoPepe201069@gmail.com
