- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2012, 2013, 2014.
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I have always been fascinated by the Cathars. Les Bonne hommes or bonshommes, although it translates as 'the good men' actually meant 'the Good Christians' in that context at the time. The Cathars were (then) a modern version of Manachaeism, the constant thorn in the side of Catholic Christianity, which still exists today in a number of forms.
They were reincarnationist and their foundation belief was that there were two Gods - the lesser evil god of the Old Testament, who created the world and trapped spirits of light within matter (us) and the True Good God, the one Jesus prayed to. That when Jesus spoke of 'the prince of this world' he was referring to the lesser Jehovah god. They read only John in the New Testament and there were two levels of being Cathars - the lower level where one believed in what was taught but lived an 'in the world' normal life, and the higher level, les BonneHommes, les Parfaits - the perfect ones - equivalent to priests - who were vegetarian and were supposed to renounce all sensual desires in this world, though still moving within it, so that when their bodies died they would not be reincarnated again into base matter but their spirit of light, their fragment of angel, would return to the Godhead, the One.
Some years before the military attacks, the genocide, there were a series of trials for heresy of the villagers of Montaillou, up in the Pyrennees, and in one of those extraordinary quirks of history all the records of those trials survived. If you can find a copy of Montaillou by Emmanuel le Roy Ladurie you can read the actual words of Cathars - though they didn't name themselves Cathars of course. Absolutely fascinating look into medieval life ... of interest? instead of saying "we had sex" they would say "we mingled our bodies", which I rather like. Their sense of gender equality doesn't equate to our modern conception but both genders were free to work and change jobs, to freely choose lovers and marry whom they wished (as long as they weren't aristocrats of course!), to work for themselves and own businesses and so on.
There was a common belief amongst some people in the 60's, in the UK, that the Cathars had been reincarnating since the late 40's and were finding each other. Because I had an attachment to Portchester castle at that time and had a particular experience there some of them thought that I was one of them too. Who knows.
I would quite like to do that Camino I think.
Wow, a Cathar Trail! After we walked Le Puy to SJPP in May/June this year, we hired a car and toured in that area for a few weeks. It is truly lovely country and the history, as people have said, is quite fascinating. I would highly recommend doing that walk ( and it has got my imagination going, too). Yes, probably quite challenging in parts, hilly etc, but you get fitter as you go along with pilgrimages, and the views along the valleys are beautiful.Thanks for the info!
Its strange David but I became facinated with them too after first reading about them, it seemed they practiced what they preached which made them very popular with the poor but not so much with the Church of the time.I have always been fascinated by the Cathars. Les Bonne hommes or bonshommes, although it translates as 'the good men' actually meant 'the Good Christians' in that context at the time. The Cathars were (then) a modern version of Manachaeism, the constant thorn in the side of Catholic Christianity, which still exists today in a number of forms.
They were reincarnationist and their foundation belief was that there were two Gods - the lesser evil god of the Old Testament, who created the world and trapped spirits of light (us) within matter and the True Good God, the one Jesus prayed to. That when Jesus spoke of 'the prince of this world' he was referring to the lesser Jehovah god. They read only John in the New Testament and there were two levels of being Cathars - the lower level where one believed in what was taught but lived an 'in the world' normal life, and the higher level, les BonneHommes, les Parfaits - the perfect ones - equivalent to priests - who were vegetarian and were supposed to renounce all sensual desires in this world, though still moving within it, so that when their bodies died they would not be reincarnated again into base matter but their spirit of light, their fragment of angel, would return to the Godhead, the One.
Some years before the military attacks, the genocide, there were a series of trials for heresy of the villagers of Montaillou, up in the Pyrennees, and in one of those extraordinary quirks of history all the records of those trials survived. If you can find a copy of Montaillou by Emmanuel le Roy Ladurie you can read the actual words of Cathars - though they didn't name themselves Cathars of course. Absolutely fascinating look into medieval life ... of interest? instead of saying "we had sex" they would say "we mingled our bodies", which I rather like. Their sense of gender equality doesn't equate to our modern conception but both genders were free to work and change jobs, to freely choose lovers and marry whom they wished (as long as they weren't aristocrats of course!), to work for themselves and own businesses and so on.
There was a common belief amongst some people in the 60's, in the UK, that the Cathars had been reincarnating since the late 40's and were finding each other. Because I had an attachment to Portchester castle at that time and had a particular experience there some of them thought that I was one of them too. Who knows.
I would quite like to do that Camino I think.
Click the link in my post above, Mike. Fantastic book!Is it available in English (my somewhat very limited schoolboy French not up to standard).
The trail you name is well described at http://www.lesentiercathare.comWhile traveling from Perpignon Airport the other day a saw an Irish guy with backpack and hiking poles and carrying a Camino bag, so I asked him when he did his Camino and where was he going to walk in this area. He told me he was going to walk the Cathar Trail, about 250 k long over the next ten days. I had driven that area in the camper some years ago but did not know of the trail. It looks and sounds beautiful, two long days to start and then not so bad. Knowing a little of the area I would say a bit of climbing too. Unfortunately I did not get contact details so I won't know how he did.
http://www.creme-de-languedoc.com/Languedoc/activities/sentier-cathar-trail.php
http://www.audetourisme.com/en/tools/the-cathar-trail.php
Thank you.The trail you name is well described at http://www.lesentiercathare.com
It is french, and GR367
There are two others, transpirenean.View attachment 64040
Did you walk this? Thoughts? I’m thinking of starting on this and then connecting to Camino Piemont to SJPP.Want to walk this in Sept. 2020. The English guidebook is discontinued. Found many French websites with good information... wondering if anyone has walked this trail lately that I can ask questions?
No, I didn’t. But I walked the Piemont to SJPDP. (with slight variation, that we went over Somport Pass and connected to Spanish Aragon Camino. The Piedmont Camino is very scenic, more physically challenging than Le Puy Camino (also walked this from Le Puy to SJPDP). Personally I prefer Le Puy Camino because I the walk takes you through some amazing towns, more so than Piemont. That said, Piemont offers more solitude..Did you walk this? Thoughts? I’m thinking of starting on this and then connecting to Camino Piemont to SJPP.
My idea was to avoid the first few days out of Narbonne as I’d heard it was the least interesting. I would use the Cathar to Pamier. Where did you start and what did you think of the first 10 days from Narbonne?No, I didn’t. But I walked the Piemont to SJPDP. (with slight variation, that we went over Somport Pass and connected to Spanish Aragon Camino. The Piedmont Camino is very scenic, more physically challenging than Le Puy Camino (also walked this from Le Puy to SJPDP). Personally I prefer Le Puy Camino because I the walk takes you through some amazing towns, more so than Piemont. That said, Piemont offers more solitude..
Thank you for the link VN, I've downloaded it and will read it over the coming weeks. Its a fascinating bit of history.Bumping this tread, too, out of sheer fascination. I have often wondered if there is still knowledge of the Cathar routes over the mountains - and now I know!
As David says, one of the best history books around is Montaillou by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, a wonderful work of social history about the Albigensians in one village, gleaned from the records of the inquisition. It was written decades ago, but has aged very well. It is also deeply sad - a million people died in the Inquisition, for no good reason.
Montaillou: Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294-1324: Amazon.co.uk: Ladurie, Emmanuel Le Roy, Bray, Barbara: 9780140137002: Books
Buy Montaillou: Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294-1324 New Ed by Ladurie, Emmanuel Le Roy, Bray, Barbara (ISBN: 9780140137002) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.www.amazon.co.uk
We walked The Cathar Trail in 2014 and it is indeed a fascinating way albeit a sad wayWhile traveling from Perpignon Airport the other day a saw an Irish guy with backpack and hiking poles and carrying a Camino bag, so I asked him when he did his Camino and where was he going to walk in this area. He told me he was going to walk the Cathar Trail, about 250 k long over the next ten days. I had driven that area in the camper some years ago but did not know of the trail. It looks and sounds beautiful, two long days to start and then not so bad. Knowing a little of the area I would say a bit of climbing too. Unfortunately I did not get contact details so I won't know how he did.
http://www.creme-de-languedoc.com/Languedoc/activities/sentier-cathar-trail.php
http://www.audetourisme.com/en/tools/the-cathar-trail.php
Hi MM HILL,Want to walk this in Sept. 2020. The English guidebook is discontinued. Found many French websites with good information... wondering if anyone has walked this trail lately that I can ask questions?
And I just read it last night. Sounds terrific.Hi MM HILL,
I just checked Cicerone press and they have just published the latest version of the Cathar Way
Bumping this tread, too, out of sheer fascination. I have often wondered if there is still knowledge of the Cathar routes over the mountains - and now I know! As David says, one of the best history books around is Montaillou by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, a wonderful work of social history about the Albigensians in one village, gleaned from the records of the inquisition. It was written decades ago, but has aged very well. It is also deeply sad - a million people died in the Inquisition, for no good reason.Montaillou: Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294-1324: Amazon.co.uk: Ladurie, Emmanuel Le Roy, Bray, Barbara: 9780140137002: Books
Buy Montaillou: Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294-1324 New Ed by Ladurie, Emmanuel Le Roy, Bray, Barbara (ISBN: 9780140137002) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.www.amazon.co.uk
I haven’t walked the walk, but I have talked — and written — the Cathar talk, citingThank you for the link VN, I've downloaded it and will read it over the coming weeks. Its a fascinating bit of history.
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