Exploring the medieval city of Foix
Huddled on the battlements of Le Château de Foix, I finally realised why southwest France specialises in such hearty food: cassoulet baked in earthenware dishes, and confit de canard,duck stored in its own whipped-white fat. Such calorific indulgence made no sense when strolling along the Canal du Midi in leaf-filtered sunshine. Now, however, shivering around this medieval town, I was in need of sustenance.
The almost mythical Château at Foix haunts the horizon of the N20 that heads south from Toulouse. Sturdy wooden doors with corroded locks guard chambers where prisoners carved graffiti into the walls. For over 1000 years, this fortress has brooded over the commoners below from its rocky outcrop. Originally the home of the ruling Counts of Foix, today the chateau houses a simple museum that describes the reality of life in the middle ages.
Cold and damp, I think to myself, given the drafts that curl up the stone staircases. I pull my coat tight and scuttle away into the Le Flamand, a crowded but comfortable restaurant decorated in a disconcerting shade of lilac.
The chill has seeped into my bones and there’s only one dish that can rescue me.
“Cassoulet, s’il vous plaît.”
