My last day in Gers was spent clocking up some more km's in this pretty part of the world. Did a lap around the eastern areas today (after a late start!). Ended up in a village called Fleurance which happened to be having a big festival (like the Easter Show without animals). The whole town was full of side show stuff. One interesting thing I saw was a bunch of people wearing sheepskins dancing on stilts. Supposedly this region of France was for much of its history impoverished, with few roads and vast swaths of marshy and treacherous terrain. To navigate the soft and unsteady heathlands, shepherds developed a unique adaptation — they traveled on stilts. The practice died out in the 19th century but is still practised today at festivals - It looked pretty crazy!! For dinner tonight I am cooking a cassoulet of Toulouse sausage cooked in duck fat, with some white asparagus from the markets yesterday. For an entree I am eating some duck rillettes on toast slices.
Monday - Drove to Sete today (about 3 hours with no tolls). Called into see Carcassonne on the advice of Mark F. Checked out a massive castle, which just seemed to be full of shops. The castle itself is impressive but the place was way too commercial. Continued onto Sete and had a wander around town (more to discover tomorrow). You can tell its a seaside town by the massive octopus statue in the middle of town. Tonight I had the ultimate waterfront surf & turf - Squid and mussels stuffed with sausage mince - Also had a dozen local oysters.....
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