In the south of France, within the Languedoc and the Pyrenees, in the heart of "Cathar_ country", come and find peace, tranquility at Suzette's house in Puivert (Aude).
The Cathares
Catharism
"Kill them all and god will recognise his fellows!": It is with this order that the army of the northen invadors started in 1209 in Bezier the tragic history of the conquest of Languedoc and the eradication of the cathar heresy. 20000 people were killed eventhough the city only counted 200 cathares. Modern history has not invented radical solutions!!
The word cathar was used by medieval catholic church men, it comes from the greck Katharos, that can be translated by pure. Members of the cathare church were separated into two groups. The religous called good christians or good men, the ones who beleived called cathares by inquisition. If you are interested and want to know more about catharism, and the history of the inquisition of Languedoc, click here, it is a very complete and well made site in french.
You can also get information from the national center of cathares studies. (04-68-77-10-21), (00 33 4 68 77 10 21 from foreign countries)
Cathare castles.
These ruins up in the air have crossed centuries of history. Even though most of them were rebuilt after the crusades, they remain as monuments tothe memory of cathares.
Abbeys and Monasteries.
Many of the religous buildings like the abbeys gives evidence of the settlement of religous communities in the Aude starting in the 6th century. They have played an important role in the wine development. There are only 11 sites left now out of the 20 abbayes that were spread around the Aude.
Have a good time at Suzette's!!!