One of the Most Charming Villages in France...

Situated along the walls of the Tet Valley, the town has maintained the same appearance, I am told, for 3 hundred years. It seems to be literally squeezed between the 2 high palisades on either side. You can actually walk along the maze-like ramparts (great for kids). Because the fortress was obviously vulnerable to attack from the surrounding heights, an upper fort was added above, known as Fort Liberia. It can be reached by means of an underground 734 step staircase or a gentler trail. Either way, it is not for the faint-hearted! Walking through the narrow, beautifully restored streets and alleys gives you a glimpse into times past. The location between mountains provides a cooling breeze during most of the day and there is nothing more delightful than sitting at one of the cool cafes, sipping a cold drink and exchanging tales with fellow travelers. A cave that could be entered and exited from within the walls of the town provided shelter to the leader of a rebellion. Today the entrance to the caves is to the west of the town on Rt.N116. You can purchase a combined ticket which includes limestone formations of the Grottes des Canalettes, (known as the Underground Versailles of the Pyrenees).

Quick Tips:

If driving, plan to get there early enough to catch the "little yellow train" that runs between Villefranche-de-Conflent and La Tour-de-Carol. It covers a distance of about 40 miles and climbs from 1300 ft. to 4300 ft. and crosses over viaducts and suspension bridges.

Best Way To Get Around:

You can catch a main line train from Perpignan that terminates in Villefranche(gare SCNF).

The Inn of St.Paul has to be a place I will forever remember as having great food and lovely atmosphere at reasonable prices. Situated romantically inside the restored medieval fortress of Villefranche, the new owner and chef have spared nothing to create a truly gourmet dining event. From the moment you arrive at the church public garden that is the site of the restaurant's terraced outdoor tables, you will be enchanted. Hundreds of candles looking like little fireflies lit the path to the tables. A restored chapel actually makes up the inn itself, with dining available inside during the cooler months. Menu items were of the market fresh local variety and tasted just caught or just picked. I started with a first course of lobster rounds served on a bed of mesclun greens, diced tomato and asparagus with a light viniagrette dressing. I followed this with a juicy slice of lamb coupled with some delicately grilled eggplant, squash, carrots and mushrooms. My dining partner selected a mushroom and ham canneloni served on a bed of warm spinach drizzled with walnut oil. Her main course was a seafood selection, nicely seasoned and presented with a basil emulsion. It consisted of squid, small fish,mussels served over a tomato pasta. We each had 2 glasses of Rivesaltes, a famous local wine. The dessert tray looked delectable but descriptions were complicated so we decided to just end with a cheese course. It was a good selection as the 3 different types of cheese were served with some sliced peaches of the freshest kind. Service was pleasant and eager to please. Everything was quite elegant and presented extremely well, yet not snobby or pretentious. It is a place I hope to visit again.

The town of Villefranche stands at the confluence of the rivers Cady and Tet, nestled between 2 steep-sided mountains. The terrain of this locale made it an excellent vantage point for rebels to be able to pick off the defenders and citizens in the town below. It was decided that Villefranche's defenses needed to be upgraded and Vauban, known for his original architecture, designed a fortress to fit the needs of the site. Today, an underground walkway of approximately 1,000 steps will take you up to the bastion. There is an outside path that is longer and more gradual but you don't get the same feeling of medieval intrigue as you are climbing.

This bastion actually saw more time as a prison than a fort. During the 17th century at least 31 noblewomen were said to have been kept there to serve sentences for witchcraft and poisoning. It is quite obscure and you can imagine that it wasn't going to be easy for someone to come and rescue you from this remote abode!

The view from up here has to be one of the most incredible around with two rivers below and surrounding countryside that can be seen for miles. While it takes a little more effort to get there (travel in the morning), the experience will make you glad you climbed those 730 steps. Go back down and treat yourself to a gelato or nice meal in the cafe. You earned it!

As I journeyed thru the Languedoc-Roussillon province of France, I encountered curious, oddly-shaped stone huts perched on hillsides. Most of these hillsides were covered with grapevines or olive trees. The huts appear to be made without mortar, just stones piled artfully on top of each other. I speculated on their use and concluded that possibly they were used to house tools, equipment, etc...Some of them were placed in rather remote locations of the hills. My curiousity got the best of me so I decided to research them online. Here is what I learned. The huts are called "orris" in French and are used to shelter herders. During the cooler months the livestock are grazed at lower elevations and closer to home. In late spring the herds must move higher to get more grazing land and it becomes much cooler at night. The orris provide shelter for the herdsman from these cooler temperatures. In recent times they have also been used to store and/or age cheeses. The mystery is solved!

For a breathtaking yet enjoyable ride through the Langedoc-Roussillon area, try taking the "Petit Train Jaune" or "little yellow train" through the Pyrnees mountains from Villefranche de Conflent to Mont Louis. The 63 km route is open all year and serves as a lifeline to remote villages during the winter. During the summer it provides a refreshingly cool diversion for those not afraid of heights. The train is actually run by the SNCF(French National Railway) and thrills are free when you pass through some of the 15 or so tunnels and over 2 major bridges as the narrow gauge train meanders its way through the mountains. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking at almost every turn (unless you have your eyes closed going over a bridge). Departures are twice a day from Villefranche, where the rail climbs dramatically to the highest station (Bolquere),travels across a plateau in Cerdagne to La Tour de Carol and on to Mount Louis. While Mont Louis is not all that spectacular, the ride is certainly worth the time and money! It's amazing to see how a little staff of dedicated workers (I counted 6) are kept busy keeping this real lifeline open in all weather. It is not only a tourist attraction but an actual necessity to those living in the area. There is much talk of new trains coming along eventually to take the place of this little marvel. But true fans of the little yellow train will hate to see that day come when this engineering gem no longer chugs its way up and through the mountains..