On Wednesday this week, I had the day off, so I took a morning excursion to the village of Salses-le-Chateau. Salses is known for one thing, and really one thing only: its fortress.
Built by the Spanish in the 15th century, la forteresse de Salses guarded what was the frontier between Spain and France. Now, the village rests 15 minutes by train to the north of Perpignan. Our knowledgeable guide (who spent more time inside those walls as a kid than outside) explained how modern the fortress actually is. It bridges the ancient and the modern. From the dangerous, defensive shafts where enemies could easily fall to their deaths to one of the first "microwaves," it really is an interesting fortress.
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| A l'interieur |
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| Fireplace with a "microwave" to the right: pipes of water ran just behind the wall of the fireplace to beneath the surface of the ledge, on which one could leave food to warm up. |
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| Those doors are heavy! |
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| Kitties (to the left) in the moat! |
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