whenever i thought about southern france, provence always came to mind. but the whole southwest region of france next to barcelona is nearly as picturesque, less touristy and a joy to visit. it lays in the foothills of the pyrenees, next to barcelona and costa brava so the catalan influence can be felt at every step. its center is perpignan and the region is called pyrénées-orientales.
the last thing i expected in april was the snow that blanketed the region the night before i arrived. but it didn't take away from the charm of the small hillside villages and the delightful markets.
the snow made it difficult hiking up to the cathar castles, but perhaps just added to their magic. the cathars were gnostic christians in the 12th century. their castles nest on peaks and ridges, require scrambling up steep paths to reach, and once in the ruins, as the wind howls through the walls, one can only imagine how incredibly uncomfortable it must have been to live there.
being in this little visited region of france reminded me of the unexpected and pleasant surprises getting off the beaten path can provide.
